Abstract
The author shows through a diverse range of popular representations in cinema, literature and song during the 1950s and 1960s how the Egyptian people united behind Gamal Abdel Nasser, perceived by millions as a great military leader. Through this chapter, it will become clear that Nasser was the iconic military figure who inspired this long-lasting image of the army officer as a national hero. The other symbolic figure who gained mass popularity in artistic expressions of the period was that of the freedom fighter (fida’i). This image was reignited and immortalised before and during the Suez War (1956). Iconic novels such as Latifa al-Zayyat’s The Open Door and Naguib Mahfouz’s Autumn Quail are analysed. Films such as God is on Our Side, No Time for Love, and Ismail Yassin’s comedies are also contextualised and critiqued. Examples of songs sung by the popular singer Abdel Halim Hafez dedicated for Nasser in particular are highlighted and examined.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Egyptian Military in Popular Culture |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan London |
| Pages | 23–52 |
| Number of pages | 30 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-1-137-59372-6 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-137-59371-9 |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |