الفهرس 
Moriscos in the Public SphereOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This dissertation examines the representation of Moriscos after the fall of Granada in 1492 in Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree (1992), The Granada Trilogy (1994), and La Mano de Fatima (The Hand of Fatima 2009) by Tariq Ali, Radwa Ashour, and Ildefonso Falcones, respectively. The objectives of the dissertation are to depict how three contemporary writers, namely Tariq Ali, Radwa Ashour and Ildefonso Falcones, who belong to different cultural contexts represent Moriscos after the fall of Granada; how these writers portrayed the particularities of the private and public lives of this group, as well as their resistance rebellion against persecution in the three novels under study. In addition, the dissertation aims to present a comparative study of the representation of Moriscos in a specific period in three selected novels, analyzing each in context of the author’s background, while juxtaposing these representations with those found in historical and cultural texts.
The term “Morisco,” which has a derogatory connotation, is derived from the Spanish word “Moro,” meaning “Moor.” It refers to the Muslim population in Spain who were compelled to convert to christianity after the fall of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold, in 1492 and after the ban of Arabic language and all practices pertaining to Islam. Despite being baptized as christians, Moriscos maintained their practice of Islam in secret, speaking and writing in Arabic. As a result, they were regarded as deceitful and untrustworthy. Hence, the events that led to the fall of Granada and its aftermath have been a source of inspiration for writers of various religious and ethnic backgrounds. Tariq Ali, Radwa Ashour, and Ildefonso Falcones are among those writers who have featured Moriscos prominently in their novels which are set in a time and place marked by oppression and resistance.
This study postulates that the depiction of Moriscos and their lives in the aftermath of the fall of Granada would be influenced by the authors’ perspective. In other words, it assumes that the cultural background of the authors plays a crucial part in their selection and narration of events and in the representation of Moriscos.
Research methods consists of interpreting, comparing, and contrasting the representation of Moriscos in primary sources and juxtaposing it with other historical and cultural texts. Since the three works will be examined in their historical and cultural contexts, New Historicism is employed as the critical framework to this study. Moreover, the writings of Michel Foucault on the author’s voice and those of Edward Said on the Orient are also dwelled on throughout.
This dissertation is divided into an introduction, three chapters and a conclusion. The introduction sets out the general background of the topic as well as the theoretical framework.
Chapter one, entitled “Moriscos in the Public Sphere,” examines the depiction of Moriscos in their daily public lives in the three novels under analysis and analyze how each author portrays the interaction of Moriscos with Castilians in public, highlighting the injustices Moriscos face due to the decrees that prohibit them from speaking Arabic, wearing traditional clothing, and practicing Islam.
Chapter two, entitled “Moriscos’ Crypto-Muslim Lives,” examines how the Moriscos’ crypto-Muslim lives are depicted in the three novels under analysis and to what extent each author portrays their efforts to preserve their cultural heritage, and the internal conflicts and emotional struggle they suffer as a result of leading a double life.
Chapter three, entitled “Moriscos’ Resistance and Rebellion,” explores how the resistance and rebellion of Moriscos are depicted in the three novels under analysis. It also investigates to what extent the three authors successfully depict the various forms of the resistance of Moriscos that lasted for many years after the fall of Granada.
Finally, the conclusion presents the findings of the dissertation. The first and most important result it offers is that the authors, Ali, Ashour and Falcones, in their attempt to depict certain aspects of the lives of Moriscos and the trauma they had suffered during the 16th and early 17th centuries, the authors’ representation was influenced by their cultural contexts and political ideologies. This influence is also reflected in the authors’ voice, which was analyzed through the authors’ language and style. Finally, it could be argued that, since groups of people who share the same identity affiliation are more likely to experience a collective historical trauma over time and across generations in a way which other groups may not, members of the same oppressed group are usually the ones who best voice their traumatic experiences. Hence, it can be concluded that Ashour’s The Granada Trilogy (1994) was particularly successful and thorough in illustrating the Moriscos’ inner conflicts and traumas, as well as their crypto-Muslim lives. This achievement is attributed to Ashour’s Arab identity, personal experiences of loss and defeat, and unique perspective. In contrast, Ali’s and Falcones’ portrayals were not as effective in capturing these aspects of the life of Moriscos due to their different cultural backgrounds and perspectives.