Veiled Women · Chapter
XXXIII explained
Barakah receives the news of her son's death as a martyr.
What happens
Barakah receives the news of her son's death as a martyr. She falls into a state of petrified grief, unable to weep, while the women around her perform traditional mourning rituals. Haunted by memories of her English past and tormented by guilt, she resolves to flee her life in Cairo, don a common habbarah, and escape to France to enter a religious order.
Themes in this chapter
Motherhood and Legacy
Barakah's identity is shattered by the death of her son, and she feels her life has lost all meaning.
Cultural Clash and Identity
Barakah's memories of English winters and Mrs. Cameron's warnings contrast with the Egyptian mourning rituals she finds repugnant.
Religion and Conversion
Barakah sees her son's death as divine punishment for her sinful life and plans to enter a religious order to pray for Muslims.
Characters to notice
- Barakah
Stricken by her son's death, she becomes tearless and rigid, then later resolves to flee her husband and home.
- Yûsuf Bey
Overcomes his own grief to gently break the news to Barakah, then weeps profusely.
- Umm ed-Dahak
Mourns with Barakah, mumbles on her hand, and later remains constantly with her, watching silently.
- Afîfah
Barakah's little daughter, whom she kisses while she is asleep before fleeing.
- Mrs. Cameron
Appears in Barakah's memory, entreating her to stay and save her soul.
Key passages
“The news was broken gently to the stricken mother. Yûsuf, overcoming his own grief, came in at noon and sat an hour with her, leading her up by little steps to view the glory that their son had died a martyr for the Faith.”
Yûsuf gently told Barakah about their son's death, framing it as a martyr's glory, though he himself was deeply grieving.
Yûsuf's attempt to console Barakah by emphasizing religious martyrdom.
“She thought herself in Hell, bound fast and gagged while devils taunted her. She was tortured by the memory of English winter evenings, of walking back from church in the long train of orphans, the patter of their feet resounding sadly.”
Barakah felt as if she were in Hell, tormented by memories of her English childhood and the orphanage.
Barakah's guilt and cultural dislocation manifest as a vision of damnation.
“Her resolution was to leave her husband and her little daughter, the comfortable house, the easy life, to stray alone and homeless, back to Christian lands. There she would enter some religious order, and spend the residue of life in prayer for Muslims.”
Barakah decided to abandon her family and comfortable life to return to Christian lands and join a religious order, praying for Muslims.
Barakah's plan to escape her grief and guilt through religious penance.