Virgin of India

The novel "e;The Virgin of India, or the Civilization of the Pharaohs"e; by the Prince of Poets Ahmed Shawqi represents an early narrative experiment in the development of the Arabic novel after the French campaign. Shawqi adopted the literary maqama as an artistic style, but blended it with dramatic events and fictional characters set during the reign of Ramses II. The story revolves around the conflict between the Egyptian and Indian civilizations, as the Egyptian prince "e;Ashim"e; falls in love with "e;The Virgin of India,"e; the daughter of the defeated Indian leader "e;Dahnesh."e; Caught between love and politics, the princess is exiled to the Island of Virgins, and events escalate until the tragedy ends with her suicide on her wedding day after the prince is killed. The novel is not merely a tragic romantic tale, but rather a symbolic study that reveals Shawqi's vision of ancient Egyptian civilization and its comparison with modern Egypt. The conflict between emotion and power, and between East and West, is evident in a literary text that combines history and symbolism.