Woman at Point Zero

Woman at Point Zero, also titled Firdaus, is a 1975 novella by Nawal El Saadawi based on the true account of a woman named Firdaus who was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1974. Saadawi was a prolific Egyptian feminist and physician, and she worked with Egyptian women who experienced various mental conditions that Saadawi saw largely as resulting from living in a patriarchal society. She had the privilege of meeting Firdaus on her final day before execution and hearing her story firsthand. Firdaus’s story embodies feminist resilience and agency—and points to the subjectiveness of guilt and innocence. Woman at Point Zero thus remains an essential piece of international feminist literature.

This guide references the 2005 Cox & Wyman Ltd. version of the novella.

Content Warning: The novella and this guide include descriptions of child sexual abuse, sexual assault and rape, physical violence, and domestic abuse.

Plot Summary

In the Preface, Saadawi explains what led to her meeting Firdaus. While working as a psychiatrist in the 1970s and studying women with various mental health conditions, Saadawi became particularly interested in women in prison, and when she heard about Firdaus and her refusal to ask for pardon, Saadawi resolved to meet her.