Abstract
In this article, the Turkish figure has been investigated in the three stories of Naguib Mahfouz. These stories are Yaqaza al-mūmyā, al-Zayf and the ˁAbeth aristocracy. Naguib Mahfouz published his first collection of short stories, Hams al-Junūn, in 1938. The three stories that are the subject of this study are included in this book. Presumably, he wrote these stories at a time when the civilization of the pharaohs was influential on the intelligentsia in society. During this period, the interest and deep appreciation of many intellectuals for the period of the Pharaohs increased due to the influence of nationalist movements. In these stories, Turkish characters are presented as people having villainous tendencies. According to Naguib Mahfouz, aristocracy is the leading factor that causes the deterioration of society. The aristocracy that exploits society and despises them is narrated through the Turkish family. Turks are shown as foreign admirers who live in isolation from their own culture and religion. There were no stories in which the Turkish figure was seen as a dominant character in the later story books. This situation is probably due to the fact that the Turks did not hold important state positions in Egypt after the first quarter of the 20th century. As a result, their influence in the society has decreased.