The Song of Death by Tawfiq Al Hakim Summary

The Song of Death by Tawfiq Al Hakim Summary

Summary

 The song of death is a revenge drama written by an Egyptian writer Tawfiq Al Hakim. It shows the conflict between traditional thinking and modernisation. Through the characters, the drama also tries to show the two different thoughts of two different generations. It also shows how education changes one's way of thinking.

The song of death opens with two ladies Asakir and Mabrouka waiting for the train. They are waiting for Asakir's son Alwan to come by the train. Sumeida, son of Mabrouka,  has gone to receive Alwan at the station. Asakir had told Sumeida to sing a song as he receives Alwan so that she can know that Alwan has arrived. As they wait, they talk about how Alwan was sent to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, by hiding from the villagers and making them believe that Alwan had died by drowning in the water well.

As Asakir and Mabrouka talk, we come to know that Asakir is waiting for her son to come and take revenge of Suweilam Tahawi who she thinks is the murderer of her husband and that she wants her son (who has grown up now) to take revenge by killing that Suweilam Tahawi. 

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After sometime Alwan comes and all of them go to home. At home Asakir tells Alwan all the story that his father was murdered and the murder is still alive and orders her to take the knife and kill the murderer of his father.

Alwan refuses to do so saying that he can't kill anyone because there is no proof of Suweilam Tahawi of being the very murderer. Rather he blame his mother for not reporting to the police at the time of his father's murder; For not taking any legal action against that crime.

He further says that he had not come to the village to kill anyone. Rather he had come to spread knowledge that he had received in his university at Cairo. That with that knowledge he wanted to change the lifestyle of the villagers.

Asakir, who had waited for 17 years for his son to come and take revenge, becomes mad out of anger after listening these kind of words from Alwan. After that she behaves crazily because of anger and tells Alwan to go away from her sight at the very moment. Alwan also tell her mother that it will be better for him to go to Cairo and goes to catch the train. 

After some times Sumeida comes where he find his aunt Asakir becoming very angry. He asked the matter and Asakir told everything. Out of anger she orders to go and kill Alwan. At first Sumeida refuses and tries to consolidate her.  But as Asakir was out of her mind, she keeps on urging until Sumeida agrees to go and kill Alwan. Before going, Sumeida tells that he will sing the same song as he kills Alwan so that she can know that her son has been killed.

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Later, when Asakir and Mabrouka were talking they listen the song song by Sumeida. The play ends with Asakir crying out loud and saying my 'my son'.