Taha Hussein is well renowned Egyptian author; he was born on Nov. 15, 1898 and died in Cairo on Oct 28, 1973. Hussein’s childhood was very harsh and unhappy as he lost his eyesight at age of three by a barber who was a local practitioner. This disability affected him as he was mistreated and bullied by his peers in school and his parents inadvertently treated him as a liability due to his illness. However, Hussein overcame his obstacles and flew to France to finish his education after he took his bachelor in University of Cairo. He was the first Egyptian to receive a PhD from Sorbonne, France. He later met his wife, best friend and mother of his children; Susan Bresseau and he called her as a “sweet voice”. They had two children; Amina and Moenis. Although he died, his …show more content…
As Amna weaves a web of seduction and deceit around him, she becomes prey to her own trap as she falls in love with him. She pours the poison and as he lifts the cup to his lips, but she stumbles and knocks it out of his hands. She is troubled by her feelings. Yet, she wants to kill him, but his declarations seem sincere. He is troubled by his, but he begins to realize his true feelings. When he confesses his true feelings towards her, she acknowledges the reason that she can’t marry him. Even though he didn’t rape her sister, Hanadi let herself to fall in his trap as she “loved” him. The open ending of the story make us, the readers decide whether Amna will forgive and marry the Engineer or leaving him.
Taha Hussein’s “The Call of the Curlew” is unlike many other Egyptian writers since he dedicates attention and challenges to the problem of tradition, modernity about women in Egyptian society. These challenges were especially dangerous to young women like Hanadi and Amna (main protagonist) whose naivety makes them easy prey to what Hussein calls “ogres-the evil creatures” who prey on the young and