Renaissance of Arabic Literature: A Brief Study

Abstract

Al-Nahda or renaissance started in Egypt after the invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798. The Arab world got a drastic change in every aspect from this time.  Egypt began to develop and prosperous almost all the fields. Napoleon Bonaparte brought with him so many human resources along with their two printing presses. These French people started activities in different fields of human life. The French occupation in Egypt did not last long. They left Egypt in 1803. After that Muhammad Ali, the architect of the modern Egyptian life continued the developmental activities of French. After the Napoleonic occupation of Egypt (1798-1801) and the subsequent establishment of a Western inspired ruling dynasty under Muhammad Ali Pasha, Egypt became the centre of the modern Arabic literary renaissance where they imported Arabic press, publication of newspapers and periodicals as well as the modernization of education. These works played a vital role in the development of Arabic literature.