توظيف التاريخ في رواية الأمير لواسيني الأعرج

Abstract

This study seeks to examine the use of history in Wassini Al-A’raj’s novel The Gates of Iron, by analyzing the dynamic relationship between historical material and narrative fiction. The novelist does not treat history as a static record of events, but rather as a creative tool to reshape collective memory and to raise questions related to identity, belonging, and resistance. The research employed an analytical-interpretive method, focusing on the narrative and aesthetic dimensions through 85 which Al-A’raj integrates historical content, while also referring to previous studies that addressed historical fiction in modern Arabic literature. The findings reveal that Al-A’raj goes beyond recalling the past; he transforms it into a space of dialogue with the present, through a philosophical and aesthetic vision deeply rooted in Algerian memory and the struggles of colonialism and freedom. The study concludes that the historical dimension in this novel transcends mere documentation, becoming instead a medium for exploring deeper existential and political questions. Based on these insights, the research recommends further scholarly attention to the historical dimension in Arabic narrative, as it plays a vital role in re-reading the past and fostering critical awareness of the present.