Exploring The Voices Of Change: The Contribution Of Women To The Development Of Kuwaiti Novel Literature

Abstract

This study explores the transformative role of Kuwaiti women in shaping the national novelistic tradition, tracing their literary contributions from the mid-20th century to the present. It situates women’s fiction within broader socio-political and cultural shifts, including the impact of oil wealth, modernization, and feminist awakening in the Gulf. Beginning with pioneers such as Sabiha Al-Mishari and Fatima Yousif al-Ali, the research highlights how early female novelists navigated restrictive societal norms to articulate personal and collective experiences. The evolution of women’s fiction in Kuwait is marked by thematic expansions, from domestic struggles and identity crises to political resistance and global engagement. Writers like Laila Al-Othman, Khawla Al-Qazwînî, and Buthaina al-Essa exemplify this literary maturation, employing innovative narrative techniques and confronting taboo subjects such as gender inequality, war trauma, and cultural hybridity. The study also examines the emergence of genre experimentation, including science fiction and autobiographical fiction, as tools for social critique and imaginative redefinition. Kuwaiti women novelists have not only mirrored the changing realities of their society but have also actively shaped its intellectual and cultural discourse. Their voices represent a dynamic intersection of tradition and modernity, resistance and creativity, local rootedness and global consciousness. This research underscores the significance of female authorship in the development of Kuwaiti literature and affirms the novel as a vital medium for feminist expression and national reflection.