Thesis (M.A.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Arts - Department of English

In his article 2On the Semiosphere3 (1984), Yuri. M Lotman, founder of Tartu school of semiotics,first proposed his theory of thesemiosphere which refers to 2the whole semiotic space of the culture in question.3 (Lotman, Universe of the Mind 125) Lotman describes semiosphere on the basis of 2dualisms, and spatial opposites3 (Nöth, 249) created by spatial boundaries that oppose spaces and designate them, 2close-distant3 ,2interior-exterior3, 2open-closed3 etc. These spatial oppositions, according to Lotman, are highly embedded in symbolic models and values of the culture in question. In other words, the closed or inner space (the space of the house) has such features as {u2018}warm{u2019}, {u2018}secure{u2019}, {u2018}ours{u2019} while the open or outer space (the space beyond the house walls) is {u2018}alien{u2019}, {u2018}hostile{u2019}, {u2018}chaotic{u2019}, and {u2018}dangerous{u2019}. The aim of the proposed study is to analyze the semiosphere ofThe Cairo Trilogy, based on the main spatial parameter2open-closed3 spaces. The researcher will attempt to verify whether this spatial parametermodels the cultural values attributed to the bipolar spaces by Lotman, or reveal noticeable deviation from them due to the typology of the Arab Egyptian culture. Moreover, this study further seeksto reveal how the spatial bipartition, 2open/closed3, reflects and influences the characters{u2019} personalities, and their inner feelings. It also aims at investigating whether or not the spatial structure and bipartition of the Trilogyreflect its main themes of social and political tensions as well as the conflict between the old/traditional and new/modern socio-cultural value systems

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