Palace Walk

Palace Walk is a 1956 novel by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. The story takes place in Cairo during World War I and in its immediate aftermath, touching on the political climate of the time as Egypt transitioned from British occupation to nationalism. The novel presents this change through the day-to-day life of the Muslim al-Jawad family.

This guide refers to the 1994 Black Swan edition of the novel, which was translated by William Maynard Hutchins and Olive E. Kenny.

Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide include descriptions of misogyny, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

Plot Summary

Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad is the head of the al-Jawad household. He believes that his family should obey and honor him and sees himself as infallible and unquestionable. His wife, Amina, prides herself on being the perfect obedient Muslim wife. She rarely ever leaves the house, which is a rule instituted by al-Sayyid Ahmad. Their sons are Yasin, Fahmy, and Kamal, and their daughters are Khadija and Aisha. Although al-Sayyid Ahmad presents himself as a pious Muslim man, he philanders, drinks, and enjoys music, all of which are forbidden by his faith. He also has affairs with random women and courtesans and stays out late drinking and dancing. His family is forbidden from questioning his late nights and drunkenness, and although Amina is aware of his behavior, she feigns ignorance.

Yasin is al-Sayyid Ahmad’s eldest son from a previous marriage. He shares some of al-Sayyid Ahmad’s proclivities and is known to visit courtesans, drink alcohol, and listen to music. Fahmy is Amina’s eldest son. He is highly intelligent, more pious than his brother, and wholly unaware of his father’s activities. Kamal, who is the youngest of the family, is close to his mother and sisters. Khadija is the eldest daughter; she speaks her mind and is often jealous of her younger sister, Aisha, who is said to be more marriageable and beautiful. Aisha is often the peacekeeper of the family and is much more amenable than Khadija. Each morning, the women prepare breakfast for the men, who eat and leave for the day. After the men leave, the women eat breakfast themselves and begin the housework.

Yasin soon discovers that he and his father are much alike. Yasin has begun visiting a courtesan who lives in the same household as al-Sayyid Ahmad’s courtesan. There, as Yasin watches from the other room, he witnesses his father playing the tambourine and dancing to music. Yasin is happy that his father has the same interests he does, even if these interests are forbidden. Al-Sayyid Ahmad soon leaves on a business trip to Port Said, and Amina decides to take this opportunity to visit a mosque: a trip that her children encourage. Al-Sayyid Ahmad often brags that no one has seen his daughters since they were young girls, as they are not allowed to leave the house, and the same goes for Amina. Unfortunately, on Amina’s journey back to the house from the mosque, she faints due to the heat, and a car hits her, fracturing her collarbone. The children call a doctor, who treats her injury. When al-Sayyid Ahmad finds out about the accident, he is incensed. He waits for Amina’s collarbone to heal but then forces her out of the house, making her stay with her mother.

A large part of the novel describes the marriages of Khadija and Aisha. Aisha is the first to get married, which exacerbates Khadija’s jealous anxiety, but Khadija ultimately feels better without Aisha at home and marries the brother of Aisha’s husband. Both girls ultimately live happier lives with their husbands, as their new households are far less strict than their father’s. As the negotiations for Aisha’s engagement and wedding commence, al-Sayyid Ahmad decides to bring Amina home because he knows that she would want to know about her daughter’s wedding. The wedding itself is tumultuous. Jalila, the singer who is hired to entertain, is a former lover of al-Sayyid Ahmad, and she confronts him about his new relationship with a younger courtesan. Yasin takes the opportunity to tell Fahmy about his father’s predilections. Unlike Yasin, Fahmy is disturbed by the information and starts to question himself and his father’s authority. Yasin gets drunk and attempts to force himself on his family’s servant. She screams, catching the attention of al-Sayyid Ahmad. He is furious with Yasin but decides that he must force Yasin to get married so that his son will shift his attentions elsewhere.

Soon, the war ends and the British arrive in Egypt. British soldiers build an encampment across the street from the al-Jawad household. This angers Fahmy, who has grown passionate about the nationalist cause. Meanwhile, Kamal makes friends with the soldiers, which scares and angers his family. Fahmy wants a more militant approach to Egyptian nationalism, but the rest of the family is fearful about the current political atmosphere. Amina asks Fahmy to temper his politics, as he often attends demonstrations and puts himself in danger. The nationalists gain more ground and have a celebration, but Fahmy is gunned down by British soldiers. Al-Sayyid Ahmad meant to control his family in order to ensure their safety, but history and politics take their own course.