The Mask of Happiness

The Mask of Happiness

The short story “Another Evening at the Club” written by Alifa Rifaat shows how some women like Samia during this time did not have much of a role in life other than to be the ideal trophy wife for her husband, and to bear children. The story takes place in Egypt during a time of arranged marriage. In this marriage, Samia has no power and does everything her husband tells her to do. She was chosen by Abboud Bey to be his wife at a young age. Samia relies on her husband completely, and her entire life revolves around her marriage with him.

During this time, women were often placed into arranged marriages where their husband was chosen for them. “It was only a few years ago that she had first laid eyes on him at her father’s house, meeting his gaze that weighed up her beauty and priced it before offering the dowry”(366). This did not give Samia many rights, and she was treated as though she was property. She was expected to be happy in her marriage no matter what, despite the fact that she has no say in the marriage.

Samia loves Abboud Bey and is very dependent on him, which is expected of her in this society. When she loses her ring, she immediately says that she will wait for Abboud Bey to come back home to deal with the problem. “She decided to do nothing and await the return of her husband from work”(369). He blames the maid and slaps her, and has her arrested and beaten more by the police. This makes Samia uncomfortable but she keeps quiet because that is what’s expected of her and stands by her husband. “Directly he removed his hands her whole body was seized with an uncontrollable trembling. Frightened he would notice, she rose to her feet and walked with deliberate steps towards the large window”(372). She puts up the mask of being happy with her husband and marriage, when in reality she is frightened of him and his actions.