Skip to main content
Article
The Rise of the Underdog: The Anti-hero in Two Plays by Sadallah Wannous
Arab World English Journal (2016)
  • Arab World English Journal AWEJ, Arab Society of English Language Studies
  • Samar Zahrawi
Abstract
Sadallah Wannous (1941-1997), the leading Syrian dramatist, reflected in his plays the condition of the downtrodden fellow-countrymen. He captured the essence of the average Syrian citizen, not as an innately timid soul, but as one cowed by political and economic oppression. This paper provides a case study of two anti-heroes; Hanzala in Hazala's Journey from Unawareness to awakening (1978) and Farouk in A Day of Our Time (1993), who go on two journeys of discovery of the roots of their problems.  The journeys in both cases lead to awakening and protest. This study attempts at analyzing the significance of the underdog figure in the light of dramatic and textual analysis and Wannous's own views communicated in his non dramatic writings and the interviews he gave in his lifetime. As a result, the author of this paper concludes that Wannous' anti-heroes delineate the collective psyche of the oppressed civilians. The awakening process delineated in the said plays is an attempt to raise political awareness in the masses of Wannous’s audience. 
Keywords
  • anti-hero,
  • political theater,
  • protest,
  • Syrian drama,
  • Wannous.
Disciplines
Publication Date
Summer June 15, 2016
Citation Information
Arab World English Journal AWEJ and Samar Zahrawi. "The Rise of the Underdog: The Anti-hero in Two Plays by Sadallah Wannous" Arab World English Journal Vol. 7 Iss. 2 (2016) p. 190 - 200 ISSN: 2229-9327
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/arabworldenglishjournal-awej/68/