Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• ali khaleghi ¹
• jamal talebi ghareh gheshlaghi ²

¹ Assistant Professor of Arabic Language and Literature Education, University of Farhangian, Tehran, Iran

² associate professor in Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Farhangian University, Iran, Tehran

Abstract

Geocriticism is a modern, interdisciplinary literary criticism approach that studies the complex link between literature and space, emphasizing pluralism and shifting perspectives. It also calls for a humanistic approach to shaping urban spaces and fostering a culture of empathetic and ethical coexistence among citizens. This descriptive and analytical study seeks to examine and analyze the geocritical mechanisms in Mourid Barghouthi's autobiographical novel "Ra'aytu Ram Allah", based on Bertrand Westphal's theory. The present paper attempts to demonstrate how the urban space of Ramallah in this novel transcends being a mere backdrop and becomes an active ground for the representation of identity, memory, and exile. The findings indicate that Barghouthi utilizes Westphal’s fundamental principles: Firstly, “Spatiotemporality” (chronotope) intensifies a sense of perpetual displacement and “existential alienation” through the convergence of the present time of return and the past of memories within a single location (such as the Allenby Bridge). Secondly, the concept of “Transgressivity” is reflected through the depiction of the hardships of crossing checkpoints and occupied borders, as well as the breaking of genre boundaries (combining memoir, travelogue, and poetry). Thirdly, “Referentiality” is reinforced through the interplay between the harsh reality of the occupation and the author’s imagination of his lost homeland. Furthermore, complementary mechanisms such as “Multifocalization” (especially the "migrant" or "Thirdspace" perspective) and “Stratigraphy” portray Ramallah as a “polyphonic and wounded city” where historical layers of occupation are intertwined with individual nostalgic layers. Ultimately, the geocritical analysis shows that "Ra'aytu Ram Allah" is not merely a literary document about the literature of exile, but a prime example of “writing the city” in the context of crisis and resistance, transforming the urban space into a central character and a foundation for the reconstruction of the displaced subject.

Keywords

• Geocriticism, Mourid Barghouthi, Novel Ra'
• aytu Ram Allah, Exile, Westphal