"The Woman's Voice" Asks Mr. Mikhail Naimy

The elder of our men of letters, Mr. Mikhail Naimy, here gives the readers of "The Woman's Voice" his frank views on the problems of literature and language. And who, like Naimy, is worthy of treating these subjects, to which he has consecrated his mental and spiritual activity and the greater part of his days and nights?! Our deepest thanks to Mr. Naimy.

Q — What is, in your view, the destiny of the modern schools of literature? Are they fated one day to take the place of classicism once and for all?

A — Before the modern literary renaissance we had no arts of literature other than poetry, the essay, and the maqama. What is classical of these will remain classical. As for criticism in its broad sense, the story, the novel, and the play, these are modern arts. Of these we shall have what becomes classical in the eyes of the coming generations. As for modern poetry, in all its various schools, only a little of it is destined to endure. And this little will not "take the place" of the old classical poetry; rather it will form, alongside it, a classicism of a new kind.

Q — Is there in Lebanon today a story that deserves to endure?

A — I have not yet read in Lebanon a story that fulfilled all its artistic elements. But we are newcomers to this kind of literature. And Lebanon is rich in talents. I do not doubt that it will produce stories which, were they translated into all the languages of the earth, would add to the world's literary wealth an addition of real consequence.

Q — To which, in your view, belongs precedence in this field: to Egypt or to Lebanon?

A — The writers of the story in Egypt are more numerous and more abundant in production than those in Lebanon. And a judgment between the production of the two countries can rightly be made only after a stretch of years.

Q — Mr. Fouad Ephrem al-Boustani, president of the Lebanese University, affirms that the level of the Arabic language in our schools today is higher than it was some quarter of a century ago — do you agree with this view?

A — It is not for me to oppose the opinion of my friend Mr. Fouad Ephrem al-Boustani. His long experience in teaching gives his opinion a weight not possessed by the opinion of a man like me, who has never practiced teaching in his life. Yet I recall, when I was charged some years ago with examining for the Lebanese baccalaureate, that there passed under my hand examination papers in philosophy full of linguistic errors that would not be forgiven even a candidate for the elementary certificate. And I do not know how things stood a quarter of a century ago, since I was still in the Mahjar.

Q — Do you believe in coeducation at all stages of schooling, as a means to closeness and sound understanding between the sexes?

A — Yes, even though the experiment of certain Western countries has yielded a doubtful result. For how long shall we raise between the sexes barriers that nature does not raise? What is expected of them is that they cooperate in every effort that leads to their good. And then, everyone knows that man is half a human being, and woman is half a human being; as for the complete human being, it is man and woman together.

Q — Would you prefer that the student here not begin to learn a foreign language (or two) until after the elementary stage has passed, when he has gained some command of his Arabic?

A — If Arabic and the methods of teaching it were easy enough to keep pace with French and English — for example — I would prefer that foreign languages be taught alongside it from the elementary grades. But with its morphology and its grammar and its complicated, worn-out teaching methods, it is far more difficult than French and English. Hence it is to be feared that the young student will incline toward the languages that are easier to grasp than it. And because it is difficult, it is best for the elementary student to confine his concern to it, so as to gain some command of it, before he begins the study of foreign languages.

Q — Do you believe that the magazine "The Woman's Voice" performs for the Arab woman a mission of culture and guidance?

A — Culture is a very broad word, and "The Woman's Voice" cannot take in all its aspects. But what it offers of it is useful and of value, without any doubt; and it bespeaks taste, wide reading, and diligence. It would be well for it to broaden its scope, and to vary its subjects and the pens that write in it, wherever it finds a way to do so. It is enough for it to be the magazine unique of its kind in the Arab world. Were it to cease publication — God forbid — it would leave behind a great void which thousands of women — and men — in all the Arab countries would not be long in feeling.