The Hidden Face of Eve
Egypt

The Hidden Face of Eve

by Nawal El Saadawi

Women & Society Non-Fiction History 1977

Summary

What lies beneath the traditions, laws, and social expectations that have shaped women’s lives for generations?

Drawing on her experience as a physician and feminist activist, Nawal El Saadawi examines the realities of women’s lives across the Arab world. She confronts subjects often pushed into silence, including female genital mutilation, sexual violence, honour killings, reproductive rights, and legal inequality.

Combining personal testimony, historical analysis, and cultural criticism, El Saadawi challenges the patriarchal structures used to justify women’s oppression. She also recovers the histories of women who resisted restrictive gender roles, questioning the boundaries between tradition, religion, and power.

First published in Arabic in 1977, this uncompromising work remains a landmark of Arab feminist writing and a powerful call for women’s freedom and equality.

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Country
Egypt
Africa
About the author
Nawal El Saadawi
Nawal El Saadawi

Nawal El Saadawi (1931–2021) was an Egyptian physician, psychiatrist, novelist, and feminist activist whose work challenged patriarchal traditions, religious authority, and gender inequality in the Arab world. Born in the village of Kafr Tahla, Egypt, she studied medicine at Cairo University and worked as a doctor in rural communities, where she witnessed the social and health consequences of women’s oppression. These experiences profoundly influenced her writing, which addresses female sexuality, bodily autonomy, political repression, and the relationship between gender and power. Her best-known novel, Woman at Point Zero (1975), tells the story of a woman sentenced to death whose life reveals the intersecting forces of poverty, violence, and patriarchal control. Other influential works include The Hidden Face of Eve (1977), a nonfiction examination of women’s lives and oppression in Arab societies. Saadawi’s outspoken criticism of established institutions led to censorship, imprisonment, and periods of exile. Her legacy continues to influence feminist thought and literature across the world.

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Details
Published
1977
Author
Nawal El Saadawi