صورة الزوج الجزائري في رواية رميم لفضيلة ملهاق

The Image of the Algerian Husband in the Novel Remeem by Fadila Melhaq

Abstract

This article examines the image of the Algerian husband in Dr. Fadila Malhaq’s novel Rameem, taking the character of Suleiman as a representative model. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, the study explores the artistic and psychological construction of the husband’s character through an analysis of the novel’s narrative events, dialogues, and character interactions.

The study reveals that the novelist presents Suleiman as a dynamic and multidimensional character whose personality undergoes significant transformation in response to changing life circumstances, particularly his wife’s illness. At the beginning of the novel, he is portrayed as a loving, loyal, compassionate, and responsible husband who is deeply devoted to his wife and committed to his family. However, as the narrative progresses, prolonged psychological and social pressures gradually reshape his personality, revealing traits of emotional conflict, authority, self-interest, and the tendency to justify his decisions through religious and social discourse, particularly regarding his second marriage. Rather than presenting an idealized or entirely negative image of the Algerian husband, the novel offers a realistic and psychologically complex portrayal that reflects the tensions between love and duty, loyalty and personal desire, responsibility and authority.

The study concludes that the image of the husband in Rameem is constructed as a dynamic literary representation of the human condition, emphasizing the complexity of marital relationships when confronted with illness, suffering, and social expectations. Through Suleiman’s character, Dr. Fadila Malhaq succeeds in presenting a nuanced vision of the Algerian husband that enriches the novel’s psychological depth and social significance.