Maryana bint Fathallah bin Nasrallah Marrash

Major Accomplishments

Maryana bint Fathallah bin Nasrallah Marrash was a Syrian writer and poet of the Nahda movement, the Arabic renaissance. Born in 1848 in Aleppo, she is credited for reviving the tradition of literary salons in Syria.

Marrash used her house as a meeting place for intellectuals, writers and politicians to discuss literature, art and music, and their relevance to political and social issues. Marrash also wrote her own poems and articles, which she contributed to national newspapers, and was the first Syrian woman to have a poetry collection published. Marrash used her writing to address women’s conditions in society, and to urge women to seek education and emancipation.

Last modified: 01/09/2019