Mamdouh Adwan

Mamdouh Adwan was a Syrian poet, novelist, playwright, translator, and critic known for his fearless voice and prolific output. Born in 1941 in Qayrun near Masyaf, he studied English literature at Damascus University and went on to publish nineteen poetry collections, two novels, and over twenty-five plays.

A master translator, he brought into Arabic classics such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Kazantzakis’s Report to Greco, and a biography of George Orwell. He also wrote numerous television dramas and essays on Arab cultural and political life, and taught at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts in Damascus.

Married with two sons, Adwan remained an influential figure in Syrian arts until his death in 2004. Only a few of his works have appeared in English, notably in Banipal magazine.