Hakim, Tawfiq al- (1898-1987)

Egyptian pioneer of drama in Arabic. Before the modern period, it had not existed as a literary form. Much of his work has been widely translated. Many of his plays, which include People of the Cave (1933) and A Bullet in the Heart, revolve around authentic Egyptian problems and situations, while others explored intellectual issues and were not intended for performance. His novels include Return of the Spirit (1933), based on the 1919 revolution in Egypt, and the autobiographical Maze of Justice (1937).