Majapahit Journal of English Studies
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025): English Studies

Distorted Identity in Ahmed Saadawi’s Frankenstein in Baghdad

Salih, Huda Mohammed (Unknown)
Mohammed, Lawend Ikram (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
13 Oct 2025

Abstract

This study examines the issue of distorted identities in Ahmed Saadawi's Frankenstein in Baghdad, set in post-2003 war-torn Iraq. The novel, inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, depicts a creature “Whatsitsname” created from the body parts of war victims, representing the fragmentation of both individual and national identity at a period of tremendous violence and instability. This study looks at how Saadawi depicts the collapse of personal and moral identities in the characters of Hadi, Mahmoud, and Baghdad residents as they deal with the horrors of war and occupation. Furthermore, the novel criticizes the erosion of Iraqi national identity, highlighting the profound sectarian splits that match the creature's fractured form. By examining the blurring lines between justice and vengeance, victim and offender, the study contends that Frankenstein in Baghdad is a profound meditation on the complicated process of identity building and destruction in combat zones. Additionally, the study adds to the increasing body of scholarship on Middle Eastern postwar fiction by highlighting how literary works can shed light on the sociopolitical reality of oppressed states.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

MJES

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Other

Description

Majapahit Journal of English Studies (MJES) is a peer-reviewed and open-access journal on teaching and learning English as a foreign and second language. The journal follows a double-blind review policy. The aim is to publish research-based articles having a deep discussion of the theories and ...