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Mutations of Heroism: The Case of the Egyptian Superheroine


The history of heroism in Egyptian culture has mostly been perceived as a male attribute, centering on the figure of the male hero, and generally excluding figures of female heroines. In this article, I explore the representation of one type of female heroism, the rising phenomenon of the superheroine. In contrast to popular definitions of heroism connected to the superhero genre wherein heroism is perceived as an extra-terrestrial superpower, recent depictions of superheroines in Egyptian popular culture focus on representing the mundane aspect of the lives of these characters, leading to a reconceptualization of heroism. I examine three examples of superheroines by three women writers, Qahera by Deena Mohamed, Nano Volta by Hanan El-Karargy, and Lamis by Safia Baraka. I focus on the concept of ‘normalcy’ by way of reading the depiction of the three superheroine characters, arguing that the emphasis on the mundane reality of the three superheroine figures proposes an alternative reading of heroism that depends on women’s agency as it explores their potential for empowerment.