A true gem that deserve to be read twice whould be "trip to tomorrow", a literary play that dealt with the social-political structure in the future.
Here's a translated article to summarize this genius work.
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The pen of the late Egyptian writer Tawfiq al-Hakim was known for nothing but creativity in all the literary works he produced, which ranged from plays and novels to theatrical short stories. His plays— which made up the lion’s share of his productions— became famous for being difficult to perform on stage, as they were classified as “intellectual plays,” meaning that their place was in the mind of the reader and the author. Their events were layered in cultural and creative worlds that were difficult to portray theatrically, especially since many of these works revolved around mythology.
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One of the plays written by Tawfiq al-Hakim is “Journey to the Future”. It was a brilliant addition to the literary world that recognizes no boundaries, and it stood out as a remarkable piece that opened doors to a contemplative perspective on life and emotional issues.
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This ingenious play addresses the concepts of future, past, and attachment to them across four acts, each naturally containing a series of coherent events.
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In the first act, we are introduced to the main character and his story—how he came to be in this condition. Then, in the second act, the adventure begins. The third act dives deeper into the plot, interweaving time, place, and events, creating both overt and subtle messages, symbols, and implications that add to the broader story.
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In the first act...
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There was a doctor in prison, known only as “the prisoner,” depressed and sorrowful, cornered by life after being deceived by a woman. She convinced him that her husband—whom the doctor was treating—was a criminal who had harmed her and forced her into prostitution. The doctor, believing her, killed the husband. However, the woman and other women later filed a case against him, which led to his imprisonment. She had in fact conspired with the lawyer against the poor prisoner, who then began speaking with another doctor who was sent to examine him before his execution.
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This conversation revealed the prisoner’s stubborn personality and complicated emotions, as he defended himself, questioned, and debated the doctor on every detail of his case.
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Suddenly, and unexpectedly, a high-ranking official appeared with a huge offer. He proposed to rescue the prisoner from execution—essentially offering a lifeline in the form of what could be called a “grant.” The offer was to send him on a scientific space mission with only a one percent chance of survival.
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That slim one percent was enough to tempt the prisoner, who preferred even a glimmer of hope over certain death.
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Thus ended the first act: preparation for the adventure and a glimpse into the identity of the hero.
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In the second act, the protagonist wakes up lying on the floor of a rocket room, astonished at his surroundings—it was nothing like the prison he had left. Shortly after, he meets a man who turns out to be his cellmate, though he only realizes this after they converse and the second man introduces himself.
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The two begin exploring the strange chamber together. During this act, the first prisoner reflects on his situation with existential thoughts sparked by the vastness and stillness of space. His reflections took the form of deep philosophical musings conveyed through both word and deed.
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Near the end, their communication systems fail. Then a subtle hint appears—suggesting they are about to collide with a planet. This hint becomes clear in the third act.
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In the third act, events unfold on a mysterious and unknown planet. The two prisoners, injured from the crash, explore the planet’s surface seeking answers. They soon discover an odd gravitational phenomenon: their thoughts begin to manifest visually in front of them—like hallucinations come to life.
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The first prisoner imagines the woman who deceived him and shows cold indifference toward her image. Meanwhile, the second prisoner loses himself in fantasies of the future and expresses strong disdain for the past, which he sees as entirely negative.
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The first man disagrees, asserting the importance of the past. However, the play's core is not this debate, as the conflict between past and future is merely expressed through dialogue. The real issue is their purposeless presence on this planet: they have no home, no task, and begin questioning the meaning of existence without work.
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These philosophical issues are portrayed through their conversations. Using the electricity discovered on the planet, they manage to repair the rocket and return to Earth filled with hope and renewed purpose.
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In the fourth and final act, everything changes. The first prisoner finds himself in a strange futuristic residence with glowing walls and a design too advanced to be described.
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The first character to appear is “the Blonde”—not a name, but a trait. She wears bizarre clothing and stands before a device resembling a recorder, busy preparing it. She shares the space with the first prisoner and discusses everything with him. She explains what needs to be explained, and he expresses the emotions and realizations that had developed within him during the journey.
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As a futuristic politician with a forward-looking vision and hatred for the past, the Blonde asks the prisoner to write a detailed report about his experiences in space.
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Before they begin, they have a conversation about Earth’s current state. The prisoner learns that 300 years have passed since he left, and that everything has changed and progressed. Poverty is gone, problems have vanished, life spans are longer, and everything is accessible and unlimited.
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Even reproduction now requires passing an intelligence test to ensure superior offspring. A clear metaphor is presented: people now waste their time on “the Galactic Ball.”
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The Blonde is not the only political figure. Later, “the Brunette” appears with the second prisoner. Heated debates ensue between the two women, each representing different ideologies on how society should progress. The Blonde advocates for a system that disregards tradition, while the Brunette strongly defends the past and opposes the current world order, desiring to destroy everything the modern system built.
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This declaration alone was grounds for legal prosecution, but the Brunette fails to escape punishment. To maintain order and security in this refined age, imprisonment is necessary—but the first prisoner survives, unlike the Brunette.
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In a sudden turn of events, the first prisoner is terrified by a strange being—a robotic humanoid described earlier by the Blonde—who does not eat, drink, or sleep, a living machine devoid of all humanity.
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This figure is, of course, merely symbolic and plays no real role in the plot, as this is a play, not a novel.
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In the end, because he did not want the Brunette to be exiled alone, the first prisoner joins her and kisses her in the final scene.
The Fin.
K buds so I've read it first at like.. 14 years old and then reread it at 16 to write an article about it for Kabbos' library. This play depicted the late 2000's issues so it's kinda fair to assume it has predicted ths inevitable.
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