Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Mark Heywood
Published on 2024-02-22 06:00:54
Isabella Hammad’s novel Enter Ghost is a powerful reflection of the modern Palestinian experience, merging the classic tale of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with the politics and struggles of the Palestinian people. The novel brings forth a deeply political family narrative deeply entrenched in both history and modernity.
The story follows the fragmented Palestinian Nasir family, who was displaced and impacted by the Nakba in 1948. Throughout the book, the characters grapple with issues of personal and national identity as they navigate their lives in different parts of the world and in Israel/Palestine. The novel’s narrator, actress Sonia Nasir, visits her sister in Haifa, Israel, in 2017, when she reluctantly agrees to play the part of Gertrude in an Arabic production of Hamlet. The production is intended to take place in the shadow of the separation wall built by Israel in Bethlehem and other parts of the West Bank.
The choice of Hamlet is significant in the novel, as it allows characters to engage in a multidimensional discourse about territorial conquest, national identity, and resistance. Enter Ghost showcases the characters’ varying relationships with the Israeli state and offers a compelling meditation on nationhood and the Palestinian struggle. Through the various interpretations of Hamlet throughout the novel, the story poignantly examines the multifaceted experiences of the Palestinian people.
While exploring the lives of the Nasir family and their interactions with the Israeli state, the novel also sheds light on broader political contexts, such as the aftermath of the first Intifada and the Oslo Accords. It captures the everyday lives and histories of Palestinian people living in the West Bank and ’48, illuminating their struggles and resilience.
The novel also confronts real-life challenges, including the interrupted performance of the Hamlet production by Israeli soldiers and the subsequent relocation to a patch of land on the border of Area C. However, despite the obstacles, the characters are driven by a blend of fear and defiance to continue the show. Ultimately, Enter Ghost concludes with a compelling sense of urgency, leaving the characters’ fates hanging in the balance as they face the imminent threat of Israeli soldiers.
The title, Enter Ghost, underscores the pervading theme of the book— the ghosts that shape our personal and political narratives. It encompasses a range of ghosts, from broken relationships and trauma to the ghosts of oppression and liberation. The novel thoughtfully intertwines the universal themes of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with the specific experiences and struggles of the Palestinian people, creating a powerful and compelling narrative.
As demonstrated by the book, Shakespeare’s influence reaches far beyond British colonial history. The Ghost of Shakespeare has permeated the lives of the Palestinian people and has been an inspiring and thought-provoking force in liberation struggles. Similarly, Enter Ghost grapples with the entwined histories of Shakespeare and Palestine, shedding light on the enduring appeal of the timeless playwright in narratives of social and political upheaval.
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