FEMALE IMAGES IN THE EARLY SHORT STORIES OF MICHAEL NUAYME

Abstract

The article examines the short stories of the Lebanese writer, representative of the Syro-American school, Mikhail Nuaime. His short stories of the early period have a pronounced socio-psychological orientation and already look like quite mature examples. Among the motives embodied in the writer’s work, the leading ones are those of family, marriage, and disharmonious relationships. In the short stories, the author gives preference to problems related to the position of women in society and in the family. Family relationships are often portrayed as devoid of warmth, mutual understanding, and support. Beautiful love stories (“Gift”, “Bracelet”) are rare in M. Nuaime’s short stories. The writer’s soul suffers from the imperfection of the world, in which ordinary workers try to build happiness with their own hands. But due to social collisions, vicissitudes of fate, chains of troubles, and absurd coincidences, they lose this opportunity. Knowledge of the essence of heroines occurs through their weaknesses, powerlessness, and falls. In his heroines, two motives are often realized: the victim or the “family” woman, as a rule, devoid of gentleness, kindness, and sympathy. The writer’s thought is aimed at a sad life affirmation: women’s freedoms and rights are still limited. They do not know how to realize themselves and overcome circumstances. If they win, it is only at the cost of their own lives.