Two Colettes, One Legacy What do Colette Khoury and Colette have in common? 

Introduction 

The Syrian Colette Khoury, pioneer of Arab feminism, and the French Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, best known by her pen name “Colette”, who is the subtle and sophisticated writer of female identity, are two remarkable women who share more than a name. They are both pioneers of feminist literature, who dared to write about their own experiences and emotions in a way that challenged the conventions and expectations of their societies. They are both voices for women, who expressed their desires, struggles and joys with honesty and courage. They are both icons of culture, who enriched the Arab and French literary traditions with their unique styles and perspectives.

However, they are also two distinct individuals, who lived in different times and places, and who faced different challenges and opportunities. They have different backgrounds, influences and achievements, and they have different ways of approaching their craft and their audience. They are not simply two versions of the same person, but two complex and fascinating personalities, who deserve to be appreciated and celebrated for their own merits.

This article is written by someone driven by a personal interest and admiration for these two Colettes, as I relate to some of their experiences, influences and goals. As someone who admires Colette Khoury’s courage and creativity in writing about love and erotica from a female perspective in a conservative society, I also feel inspired by her example as a Syrian writer who defied the norms and expectations of her time.

Therefore, as a Syrian journalist who writes in an Anglophone newspaper, I know what it means to struggle to survive “creative writing” in a war-torn country; yet, hard times and circumstances have driven me to write poetry in Arabic inspired by Khoury’s high sensibility to express personal emotions and memories. I use my personal sentiments and experiences, as well as my memoirs and dreams, to create poems that reflect my reality and my aspirations.

As a child who has been exposed to the French culture and literature, I feel a connection with Colette, who wrote in French with elegance and grace. I admire her style and sophistication, as well as her subtlety and nuance, in writing about female identity and sexuality. All these factors have shaped my perspective and my approach towards tolerance and diversity.

This article will explore the connections and contrasts between these two Colettes, and examine how they have contributed to the legacy of women’s literature in the world. I will look at their biographical similarities and differences, their literary similarities and differences, their recognition and impact, and my reflection on what we can learn from them as readers, writers and human beings.

Biographical Similarities and Differences 

• Colette Khoury was born in 1931 in Damascus, Syria, while Colette was born in 1873 in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, France.
• Colette Khoury is the granddaughter of Faris al-Khoury, a former Syrian prime minister and a hero of the Syrian resistance against the French occupation. Colette had no such political lineage, but she was involved in the French Resistance during World War II and received several honors for her patriotic service.
• Colette Khoury graduated from Damascus University with a bachelor’s degree in French literature and received a diploma from the school of literature in Beirut. Colette did not receive any formal education beyond primary school, but she was an avid reader and learned from her mother’s storytelling skills.
• Colette Khoury married and divorced twice Rodrigo de Zayas, a Spanish musician, and had one daughter with him. Colette married three times: first to Henry Gauthier-Villars, a journalist and editor who published her first novels under his name; second to Henri de Jouvenel, a politician and journalist who was the father of her only child; and third to Maurice Goudeket, a jeweler who was her partner until her death.
• Colette Khoury served as an independent member of the Syrian parliament from 1990 to 1995, representing Damascus, and as a literary advisor to the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in 2008. Colette never held any political office, but she was elected to the prestigious Académie Goncourt in 1945 and became its president in 1949.

Literary Similarities and Differences 

Both Colettes were prolific and versatile writers, who explored various genres and forms, such as novels, short stories, poems and articles. They shared common themes in their works, such as love, eroticism, feminism, identity and culture. They also shocked their respective societies with their candid and daring portrayal of female sexuality and desire, drawing from their personal experiences and relationships with famous poets. They used autofiction as a way of blending reality and fiction, and creating strong female characters who defied the norms and expectations of their patriarchal environments.

One of the most striking similarities between Colette Khoury and Colette is their boldness and frankness in writing about female sexuality and desire, which shocked and challenged their respective societies. They both drew inspiration from their personal experiences and relationships with famous poets, who influenced their style and themes. Colette Khoury had a love affair with Nizar Qabbani, a Syrian poet who is widely regarded as one of the most influential Arab poets of the 20th century. Qabbani was known for his erotic and romantic poetry, as well as his political and social commentary. He dedicated many of his poems to Colette Khoury, and she dedicated her novel “Ayyam Maahou” (Days With Him) to him. Colette had a love affair with Léopold Marchand, a French poet and playwright who was also a friend of Marcel Proust. Marchand was the inspiration for Colette’s novel “Chéri”, which tells the story of an aging courtesan and her young lover.

Another similarity between Colette Khoury and Colette is their use of autofiction as a literary technique to blend reality and fiction in their works. They both incorporated elements of their own lives, such as their childhood memories, family backgrounds, marriages, divorces, friendships, travels, passions and opinions into their fictional works. They also created strong female protagonists who asserted their independence and dignity in a patriarchal society. For example, Colette Khoury’s novel “Wa Marra Sayf” (A Summer Passed) is based on her own experience of falling in love with a married man during a summer vacation in Lebanon. Colette’s novel “The Vagabond” is based on her own experience of becoming a music hall performer after her divorce from her first husband.

However, they also had different linguistic, cultural and literary influences and preferences. Colette Khoury wrote mainly in Arabic, but also published some poems in French. She was influenced by both Arab and French poets and writers. Besides Nizar Qabbani, she was also inspired by Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese-American poet who wrote in both Arabic and English, and Adonis, a Syrian poet who is considered one of the founders of modern Arabic poetry. Among the French writers she admired were Marcel Proust, André Gide and Albert Camus. Colette wrote only in French, and was influenced by French writers and her own mother. Some of the French writers she admired were Gustave Flaubert, Honoré de Balzac and Anatole France. Her mother Sido was a storyteller who taught her to love nature and animals.

Recognition and Impact 

Colette Khoury and Colette both received recognition and praise for their literary work, but also faced criticism and controversy for their unconventional and provocative themes and styles. They both had an impact on their readers and on the development of literature in their respective languages and cultures.

Colette Khoury was honored by various Arab cultural institutions and festivals for her contribution to Arabic literature. She received the Award for Young Writers from Damascus Capital of Arab Culture Festival in 2008, the Medal of Honor from the Lebanese Ministry of Culture in 2010, and the Medal of Merit from the Syrian Ministry of Culture in 2011. She was also included among the best personalities of the year in 2018, which praised her for being “a pioneer of Arab feminism” and “a voice of freedom” in her novels.

However, she also faced censorship and criticism from conservative and religious circles in the Arab world, who considered her work immoral and indecent. She was banned from publishing in some Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt. She also faced threats and harassment from some extremist groups, who accused her of being a traitor and an agent of Israel.

Despite these challenges, she continued to write and express her views with courage and conviction. She had a loyal following among Arab readers, especially women, who found inspiration and empowerment in her stories. She also influenced many Arab writers, such as Ghada Samman, Hanan al-Shaykh, Nawal El Saadawi and AhdafSoueif, who followed her example of writing about women’s issues and experiences with honesty and creativity.

Colette was honored by various French literary institutions and orders for her contribution to French literature. She received the Grand Prix de Littérature de l’Académie Française in 1938, the Legion of Honor in 1953, and the Grand Prix National des Lettres in 1954. She was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948.

However, she also faced censorship and criticism from conservative and moralistic circles in France, who considered her work scandalous and vulgar. She was banned from publishing in some French newspapers, such as Le Figaro, Le Temps and L’Écho de Paris. She also faced lawsuits and accusations of plagiarism from some of her former collaborators, such as Willy, Henri de Jouvenel and Léopold Marchand.

In spite of these challenges, she continued to write with passion and talent. She had a huge popularity among French readers, who admired her style and sensibility. She also influenced many French writers, such as Simone de Beauvoir, Marguerite Duras, Françoise Sagan and Annie Ernaux, who followed her example of writing about female identity and sexuality with subtlety and sophistication.

Reflection 

As readers, writers and human beings, we can learn a lot from Colette Khoury and Colette. They are both examples of courage, creativity and resilience. They both faced many difficulties and obstacles in their lives and careers, but they never gave up on their dreams and passions. They both challenged the norms and expectations of their societies, but they also celebrated their cultures and heritages. They both wrote about universal themes, such as love, eroticism, feminism, identity and culture, but they also wrote about their personal experiences and emotions, making their works authentic and relatable.

As a Syrian writer who has published her first poem collection after more than a half century after Colette Khoury’s first book, I feel a deep connection and admiration for her. She is one of my role models and inspirations. Her work has shaped my literary style and themes, as I also write about love and erotica from a female perspective, as well as about the political and social issues that affect my country and my people. I also write in Arabic and French, as I believe that both languages are part of my identity and expression. Ihope to follow her footsteps and contribute to the development of Arabic literature and culture, as well as to the empowerment of women and the promotion of freedom and peace.

I also feel a deep respect and admiration for Colette, who was one of the first writers I read and enjoyed in French. She is one of my mentors and influences. Her work has enriched my literary taste and sensibility, as I also appreciate her style and sophistication, as well as her subtlety and nuance. I also admire her courage and talent, as well as her passion and versatility. I hope to learn from her example and write with honesty and creativity, as well as with elegance and grace.

In conclusion, Colette Khoury and Colette are two Colettes, but one legacy. They are both women who wrote with passion and courage, who challenged and inspired their readers, and who left a lasting mark on the world of literature. They are both Colettes, but they are also themselves: unique, complex and fascinating. They are both Colettes, but they are also us: readers, writers and human beings. They are both Colettes, but they are also more: icons, pioneers and legends. They are both Colettes, and they are both unforgettable.

Lama Alhassanieh