Contemporary Iraqi Novel: Abundant Production and New Trends

Abstract

This study focuses on discussing the Iraqi contemporary novelistic production. The study handled the development of the Iraqi novel genre during three different periods; during Saddam's regime, during exile after the fall of the regime, and during the post-2003 war and U.S. Invasion to Iraq. The study explored the historical development of the Iraqi novels through discussing the main subjects and themes of these novels during the three different periods. In addition to that, some names of the best writers in each period, were given. The study concluded that Iraqi contemporary novelistic production has passed through three different periods; during Saddam regime in which the literature was directed by the government and used to glorify the authority and sing of heroism of the leaders. The second period was during the exile when thousands of Iraqis were migrated forcefully abroad leaving their homeland, families and everything they own. The exile literature has involved new experiences generated new trends and different themes reflected the exile sufferings, culture differentiation, and identity crisis. The third period in the Iraqi contemporary narration was the post-2003 war and U.S. invasion. The novel genre in Iraq is flourished and produced hundreds of novels within a short period due to the variety of subjects emerged talk about invasion, sectarianism, election, new government, openness on the world through the internet and social media which was forbidden previously. The post-2003 war period produced a type of narration qualified to compete with the Arab and global literature. Some novels got the chance to win Arabic and International prizes which brought the international attention to the Iraqi literature such as Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi which was short listed as one of the best novels in International Booker 2018 and translated into more than 30 languages.