Gender Performativity of Male Characters in the Novel Yaum Qutila Az-Za'im by Najib Mahfouz: A Judith Butler Perspective

Abstract

Gender identity is not merely an inherent personal attribute but is also shaped through social practices, cultural expectations, and repeated performances. In literary works, the representation of masculinity can therefore reveal how gender norms are constructed, reinforced, and negotiated within particular social contexts. This study aims to analyze the forms and mechanisms of gender performativity of male characters in Najib Mahfouz's novel Yaum Qutila Az-Za’im using Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity. This research employs a qualitative descriptive method, with data collected through intensive reading and note-taking techniques focusing on excerpts related to the gender performativity of the main character, Alwan Fawaz Muhtasyimi. The findings reveal that Alwan's gender performativity is manifested through four principal forms: social roles, language and discourse, emotional expression, and the body and physical actions. Furthermore, the study identifies two primary mechanisms underlying this performativity, namely repetition and social norms and surveillance. The findings indicate that Alwan's masculinity is not a natural or essential identity but rather a social construction that is formed, maintained, and negotiated through social practices that are continuously repeated in everyday life.