At the Heart of the Harem

Elisa Chimenti

1958

Esteemed by his bosses, envied by his friends, husband of an intelligent wife, owner of a lovely house, Si Bou-Djemaa might well have been happy if the desire for a new wife had not tormented him.

Tall and well built, though weighed down by his fifty years, he had a broad face as bronzed as Sakina’s, healthy white teeth and, though pug-nosed, a…

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Creator Bio

Elisa Chimenti

1883–1969

Elisa Chimenti was born in Napoli but moved to Tunisia in 1884, before her family finally settled in Tangier, where her father served as personal physician to Sultan Moulay Hassan. Chimenti distinguished herself at an early age by her passion for learning, eventually mastering more than a dozen languages. She was captivated by Berber poetry and regional folklore, particular the experiences of local women. She studied at the University of Leipzig, returning to Tangier to teach and write. In 1914, she helped found the first Italian school in Morocco, where Muslim, Christian, and Jewish children were all welcome. She was the first European woman to teach at an Arabic university. Her Au coeur du harem (1958) was the first novel in French by a Moroccan woman.

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