Unveiling the unspeakable in Ben Jelloun’s translated novel Laylet el Qadr

Abstract EN

Maghrebian francophone literature has taken the limelight in investigating sexual themes, although it raises many controversies and criticism.

Ben Jelloun is among the authors who tackle the different tabooed subjects existing in their societies including female sexuality, rape, adultery, and homosexuality.

to this vein, the rationale of the current research paper is to provide an inkle eye on the use of sexual discourse in Arabic literature in general and Maghrebian francophone literature in particular.

ultimately, another concern of this research paper is to uncover the main reasons that lead Ben Jelloun to target female sexuality in his novel Laylet El Qadr (the sacred night).

to fulfill this claim, the present research paper provides an in-depth look at the major tabooed topics, language, and its lexis found in the novel under investigation.

to this end, the findings proved that Laylet El Qadr tackled the subject of gendered identity and sexuality through addressing the topic of female sexuality.

the results also demonstrated that the novel is rich in topics that examine androgyny, rape, adultery, and female sexuality.

the analysis confirmed that the tabooed vocabulary employed in the novel describes mainly female body parts and sexual intercourse.