المرأة في رواية ساعات اغتصاب شهرزاد للروائية (سوسن البياتي) في ضوء السيميائية (دراسة في جمالية توظيف الضوء والظل)

Abstract

The theme of women in Arabic literature manifests itself in diverse forms and with a profound impact stemming from the complexities of women's status in Arab society, which is considered a purely patriarchal society. Women have represented a rich source of inspiration and a central axis in our literature throughout successive eras, from the pre-Islamic era to the modern age. These portrayals have not been limited to presenting a single aspect, but have been presented in highly complex and varied styles, whether as a main or marginalized figure in the works of poets and writers, or as a creative voice that articulates visions and participates in building the cultural landscape. These images, in their diverse forms, have expressed the journey of women in Arabic literature through a series of social and cultural changes, reflecting their status and the fluctuations in their image through societal transformations, as a source of inspiration and a richly symbolic representation. The image of women in Sawsan Al-Bayati's novel, "The Hours of Scheherazade's Rape," is revealed through the dark pages written by the bloody, infidel organization ISIS, which swept through Iraq, making women its first victims in every aspect. The author skillfully employs the technique of light and shadow to present these scenes, dominated by both physical and psychological darkness, depicting the ordeal of Yazidi women in Mosul at the hands of the Islamist ISIS. We utilized a semiotic approach to trace this function, pinpointing the threads connecting the use of light and shadow in presenting the scene as a cry against social oppression. This novel, "The Hours of Scheherazade's Rape," by the Iraqi writer Sawsan Al-Bayati, is considered an important literary document that reflects a dark aspect of women's reality in patriarchal societies where social oppression prevails.