Said Mahran Passage Analysis

Chapter 7: Said Attempts to Kill Illish 

Passage:

It seems you must knock on the door. But knocking might arouse suspicion, especially at this hour. Nabawiyya would fill the world with her screams, and bring some cowardly fools. That detective, too. So you'd better break the little glass pane in the door.

He'd had the idea in the car on the way and now he came back to it. He drew his gun and gave the glass one blow through the twisted bars that protected it. As the glass broke and the pieces scattered, it made a noise like a choked-off scream in the silent night. He flattened himself against the wall, next to the door and waited, his heart beating fast and his eyes peering into the darkness of the entrance hall where the gun was pointed. A man's voice, which he could recognize as Ilish Sidra's despite the throbbing noise in his temples, said "Who's there?" and a door to the left opened, giving a faint light by which he could just make out the figure of a man approaching cautiously. Said pressed the trigger and the gun roared like a demon in the night. The man cried out and began to fall, but another bullet struck him even before he hit the floor, where he lay like a sack. A woman shrieked for help--Nabawiyya's voice. "Your turn will come! There's no escape from me! I'm the devil himself!" he shouted as he turned to escape, leaping down the stairs so recklessly that he reached the bottom in seconds where he paused briefly to listen, then slipped out. Once outside he walked away calmly, keeping close to the wall, leaving behind him the sounds of windows opening and voices questioning and vague cries whose words he could not make out. When he reached the place at the top of the road where he'd parked the car, and had pulled open the door to get in, he spotted a policeman running from the square towards Imam Way. Ducking down, he hid on the floor of the car as the policeman ran on past towards the screaming, remaining still until the footsteps sounded far enough away, then he sat up behind the steering wheel and sped off. At the square he slowed down to a normal speed, the din still haunting his senses and settling at last within his nerves. He felt stunned. Confusion pervaded his whole being and he was only half-aware of what he did as he drove on. A murderer! But there's still Rauf Ilwan, the high-class traitor, really much more important and dangerous than Ilish Sidra. A murderer! You are now one of those who commit murder; you have a new identity now and a new destiny! You used to take precious goods--now you take worthless lives!

Your turn will come, Nabawiyya. There's no escape from me. I'm the devil himself. I've granted you life, thanks to Sana, but I've enclosed you in a punishment greater than death; fear of death, the unrelenting terror. As long as I live you'll never enjoy the taste of peace.

Analysis

This passage sees the progression of events as Said Mahfouz kills Ilish Sidra for betraying him by cheating with his wife Nabawiyyah. This event is a significant moment to Said’s characterization as his criminal behaviors has extended from thievery to murder, which would later intensify the conflicts of the novel between Said and the police, as well as his internal guilt and Nur, leading to his inevitable downfall as a tragic hero. 

Through the use of the stream of consciousness technique seen in Said’s internal monologue, Mahfouz has characterized Said as an experienced criminal of breaking into houses, as Mahfouz narrates Said’s thoughts as he breaks into Illish’s house, seen in “But knocking might arouse suspicion, especially at this hour”. This also exhibits Said as a logical person which has enhances his career as a thief. This monologue also characterizes the marriage between Said and Nabawiyyah as he says “Nabawiyyah would fill the world with her screams” which indictates their closeness at one point. This characterization continues as Said was able to recognize Nabawiyyah’s voice, later revealed that it was not her. This may have been due to Said’s eagerness and desperation for revenge and to kill Illish and Nabawiyyah which has “haunted his senses”, as Mahfouz continues to emphasize Said’s hamartia of his constant desire for revenge and inability to forgive and forget. Mahfouz uses this opportunity to highlight the complexity of Said’s character. 

Mahfouz continues to stress Said’s hamartia as he shoots Illish and “another bullet struck him even before he hit the floor”. Said later compares himself as an inescapable devil as Mahfouz characterizes his hubris and power through the use of quotations. Said’s power is juxtaposed by his powerlessness as he “leap down the stairs so recklessly that he reached the bottom in”, as Mahfouz highlights the duality of Said’s character. The metaphor to the devil also characterizes Said’s demigod-like powers in relation to the tragic hero archetype. 

This demigod comparison is indicated again at the end of the passage as Said threatens Nabawiyyah in his mind as seen in “I've granted you life, thanks to Sana, but I've enclosed you in a punishment greater than death; fear of death, the unrelenting terror. As long as I live you'll never enjoy the taste of peace.”. Mahfouz continues to characterize Said’s pride, as he views himself of having powers to be able to ‘punish’ Nabawiyyah and dictate her life. Being a part of Said’s inner thoughts which the reader is exposed to, this evokes a sense of fear on the reader as well. 

Said is seen reflecting on his actions through his internal monologue, as he realizes that he is now a murderer which becomes the novel’s peripeteia and a new development of Said’s characterization and identity. His abilities as a criminal is advanced, as seen in “you used to take precious goods, now you take worthless lives”, which would later feed his hubris and intensify conflicts. This is also seen when Said says “But there's still Rauf Ilwan”, which once again demonstrates Said’s constant desire for revenge. This would also display his hubris as Said continues to choose to attempt to kill Rauf despite failing when attempting to kill Illish.