Isis

Description

Throughout his long literary career, Tawfiq al-Hakim authored a collection of works that resonated not only in the Arab world but also in the West. Among these works is “Isis,” a play set during the Pharaonic era in Egypt, a period shrouded in numerous myths, most notably the ancient myth of Isis. In this play, al-Hakim presents the characters of the myth in a new, humanistic light, liberating the concept of myth from its ancient understanding. The myth tells the story of the conflict between Osiris, the husband of Osiris, and Typhon, who attempted to seize power after concealing his brother in a coffin in the Nile. Al-Hakim successfully portrays the Egyptian woman, Isis, a devoted wife who, after her husband’s supposed death, did not simply sit idly by. Instead, she actively sought, struggled, and fought to find him after the rumor spread that he had drowned in the great Nile.