The Honor Paradigm and the Paternal Struggle in Zulekha Saudi's Play 'Gallantry and Treachery A Pragmatic Analysis

Abstract

This article examines the Algerian play Chivalry and Betrayal by writer Zlikha Al-Saoudi as a literary text that engages with cultural and authoritative structures through a dramatic representation of the conflict between the female self and the patriarchal system. The analysis focuses on the rhetorical discourse of the character "Nabila" and her relationships with both her father and the Qur'an teacher, who represent religious and social patriarchal authority in the Algerian context.

The study adopts a dual approach that combines rhetoric and pragmatic discourse analysis to uncover the discursive strategies employed by Nabila in negotiating with structures of authority, such as insinuation, rebellion, and compliance. It also seeks to deconstruct the dynamics of interaction between characters from a pragmatic perspective that highlights the social and cultural dimensions shaping and directing the discourse.
This reading reveals how theatrical discourse reproduces gendered power, exposing the tension between language and authority within a space where moral, religious, and social values intersect.