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Palgrave Macmillan

Doris Lessing and Sufi Equilibrium

The Evolving Form of the Novel

  • Book
  • © 1994

Overview

Authors:
  1. Shadia S. Fahim

    1. Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
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  2. Introduction

    • Shadia S. Fahim
    Pages 1-18

  3. The Grass is Singing

    • Shadia S. Fahim
    Pages 19-50

  4. The Golden Notebook

    • Shadia S. Fahim
    Pages 51-84

  5. The Memoirs of a Survivor

    • Shadia S. Fahim
    Pages 85-135

  6. The Science Fiction Series

    • Shadia S. Fahim
    Pages 136-234

  7. Conclusion

    • Shadia S. Fahim
    Pages 235-239

  8. Back Matter

    Pages 240-279
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Keywords

About this book

The purpose of this study is to examine the rationale of Doris Lessing's development from Classical Realism to mysticism and forms of science fiction and to consider the unifying motifs that appear throughout her novels in her consistent search for Sufi Equilibrium. The four novels selected in this study represent significant stages in Lessing's work. Chapter one focuses on The Grass is Singing, which represents the author's early traditionally realistic writing, to show how far the preoccupations of Lessing's later novels find expression in this early work. Chapter two studies The Golden Notebook, which marks a turning point in formal structure in Lessing's canon and is selected as evidence of her interest in Sufism at that early stage. Chapter three concentrates on the study of The Memoirs of a Survivor, which has elicited a comparatively limited amount of criticism but which proves to be a major achievement when brought into line with Sufi methods of writing. Chapter four considers Lessing's science fiction series, 'Canopus in Argos', tracing sources from Oriental literature - a key which unlocks many areas of obscurity.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Shadia S. Fahim

About the author

SHADIA S. FAHIM

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