Authors: Ortwin De Graef; Henriëtte Louwerse

Source: Yearbook of European Studies, "Beyond Boundaries: Textual Representations of European Identity", edited by Andy Hollis , pp. 35-52(18)

Publisher: Rodopi

Abstract:

The narrator of Hafid Bouazza's short love story 'Apollien' comes from Morocco and, at one level, represents the Oriental 'Other' within. The basic theme of the text, according to Ortwin de Graef and Henriëtte Louwerse, appears simple enough: typical migrant Muslim male looks back sadly on love affair with archetypal liberated Western European female (Dutch). Their cultural differences would seem to explain both their mutual attraction and the failure of their relationship. By placing the narrative in wider contexts, however, and dissecting it critically in a process of what the authors term 'responsible reading', de Graef and Louwerse are able to undermine such simplicities. The wider contexts referred to are the debate about whether literature should be viewed for its political contribution in the broadest sense, or whether it should be appreciated 'purely' for its own sake; and the provenence - and relevance for this text - of the courtly love tradition. On the first issue of social engagement / disengagement de Graef and Louwerse conclude, after detailed textual analysis, that the work is situated in a liminal space between the two possiblities where it is nevertheless able to address the whole area of multicultural European identity. Allusions within the narrative to courtly love are subjected to cautious interrogation, and the authors conclude that the narrator, by ignoring the contribution of his own Oriental world to what is frequently posited as an exclusively Occidental tradition, possibly misunderstands his Dutch lover's attempts at self-'orientation'.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2000-12-15

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