Hanan al-Shaykh

Brief Bio
Hanan al-Shaykh, a Lebanese writer, whose work explores the ideas of tradition in the midst of modernity. Born in a strict Shiite family, her works emulate the oddity of her father wearing his shawl in the midst of a fairly modern Beirut. She began to write as a form of rebellion against the restrictions felt within her family.

Conversation with al-Shaykh (YouTube)

The juxtaposition of tradition and modern is found in one of her short stories, “The Women’s Swimming Pool.” Written in first person, the story centers on a young girl, whom we presume is Hanan, who convinces her grandmother to take her to Beirut to swim in the women’s swimming pool and to see the sea. The grandmother is anxious in taking the young charge, but seems more concerned for their righteousness for Hanan will wear a bathing suit, exposing her skin. Grandmother asks, “If any man were to see you, you’d be done for, and so would your mother and father and your grandfather, the religious scholar—and I’d be done for more than anyone else because it’s I who agreed to this and helped you” (1730). Both the grandmother and Hanan have covered their hair and bodies. Unlike grandmother, Hanan has shown rebellion even then by not wearing the black stockings in the heat of the desert.

Arriving in Beirut, Hanan sees “the bared arms of the women, the girls’ hair, the tight trousers they were wearing” (1730). The contrasts between her attire and behavior with Beirut is quickly addressed in just those few words. However, the young girl does not pay too much attention to these distinctions because she is focused on going to the swimming pool. Her excitement causes her to trek grandmother along Zeystouna Street, looking for the women’s only pool. She actually leaves her grandmother leaning against a lamppost to find it. Upon her return to exclaim joy of her discovery, Hanan finds grandmother on the cement walk prostrating herself in prayer. “She was destroying what lay in my bag, blocking the road between me and the sea. I felt sorry for her, for her knees that knelt on the cruelly hard pavement, for her tattooed hands that lay on the dirt. I looked at her again and saw the passers-by staring at her. For the first time her black dress looked shabby to me. I felt how far removed we were from these passers-by, from this street, this city, this sea” (1733). The young Hanan views her identity through the eyes of the passers-by when looking at her grandmother.

Work Cited

Al-Shaykh, Hanan. “The Women’s Swimming Pool.” Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3^rd ed. Vol 2. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. 1728-1733. Print.