In Morocco

In Short

Edith Wharton’s account captures her 1918 motor journey across North Africa during a brief historic window between total seclusion and modern tourism. Moving through imperial cities, desolate plains, and hidden court sanctuaries, she records the striking contrasts of Islamic architecture, court rituals, and desert landscapes under the French Protectorate. The narrative endures for its luminous prose, its precise architectural observations, and its vivid record of an ancient culture on the precipice of rapid modern transformation.

The Story

The journey begins in late 1918 amidst wartime constraints. Bound by time limits before the autumn rains make Spanish zone trails impassable, the expedition sets out by military motor car across the desolate Moghreb. Early on, a breakdown in the palmetto scrub beyond El-Ksar strands the travellers under a scorching sirocco, immediately introducing them to the uncitied wilderness that shapes the nation's identity. Moving southward along the Atlantic coast to Rabat, the route reveals stark ruined monuments like the gate of Chella, where crumbling Merinid arches and turquoise tiles stand surrounded by wild fig-trees and sacred springs.

Pushing further inland, the party encounters the white holy town of Moulay Idriss during the bi-annual feast of the Hamadchas. Here, the entire town appears scooped out of cream cheese, its terraced roofs packed with women in brilliant attire watching ritual performers in the square below. At Meknez, the vast brick ruins and empty court yards of Moulay-Ismael evoke the grand, imperious ambition of an emperor who attempted to construct a local Versailles using slave labor and perishable adobe.

Continuing to Fez, the travel shifts to mule-back to navigate narrow, subterranean thoroughfares. The city reveals complex layers: the primitive ovens of the Potters' Field near the Bab F'touh cemetery, ancient Merinid medersas, and bustling bazaars. Crossing the fiery red plain toward Marrakech, the landscape plunges into extreme aridity. Upon reaching the southern capital, the travellers witness the majestic Koutoubya tower and gain entry into secluded private spaces, observing long afternoons spent in lush gardens listening to music and sipping mint-tea.

Beyond the cities, the narrative explores the secluded domestic spheres of Moroccan women. Guided through private harems in Rabat, Fez, and Marrakech, the journey culminates in an audience with the Sultan's mother, a figure of genuine political authority whose dignity breaks through the idle isolation of harem life. Throughout the expedition, the administrative hand of General Lyautey remains evident, maintaining order and building infrastructure even as World War I consumes continental France. The narrative finishes by reflecting on the historical layers—Berber, Phoenician, Roman, and Arab—that compose the shifting, unstable history of the land.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Stranded in the open palmetto scrub when their military car breaks down, the travellers experience the harsh heat of the desert sirocco. This early mishap introduces the vast, untamed wilderness that lies beneath the thin veil of European influence.

The imperial ruins At the ancient gate of Chella, broken turquoise arches and overgrown fig-trees reveal the delicate beauty of Merinid art. The quiet hollow around the spring embodies the constant Moroccan contrast between blazing heat and cool shade.

The white city Entering Moulay Idriss during a religious festival, the party beholds a town of dazzling white walls under golden light. Crowded rooftops burst into color as women gather to watch the sacred ritual dances in the central square.

The deserted palaces In Meknez, the vast crumbling courts of Moulay-Ismael expose the magnificent, hasty ambition of a ruler who built with perishable mud-brick. His vast Black Army once enforced rule over a sprawling empire, leaving behind gigantic fallen structures.

The labyrinth of Fez Riding pink mules through dark, tunnel-like streets, the travellers descend into old Fez. From the squalor of the cemetery near the Potters' Field to the delicate stonework of medieval colleges, the city unfolds as a dense center of trade and culture.

The red oasis Crossing fifty kilometers of glistening slag under a punishing sun, the party reaches Marrakech. In quiet garden loggias and high rooftop miradors, the slow rhythm of traditional life plays out away from the dusty streets.

Behind the veil Granted rare entry into high-ranking harems, the narrator observes the secluded world of women and children. The arrival of the Sultan's mother reveals a formidable advisory intelligence behind the guarded palace doors.

The People

• General Lyautey: The French Resident General in Morocco who provides military transport and guidance for the journey. Facing orders during the First World War to withdraw troops to Europe, he daringly chooses to hold and fortify the interior while maintaining order and expanding infrastructure.
• Madame Lyautey: The wife of the Resident General, who accompanies the expedition into private domestic quarters. Her presence grants access to elite feminine circles and diplomatic meetings within royal households.
• The Sultan's Mother: An elderly royal matriarch residing in the imperial harem. Possessing a round, ruddy face and an aura of natural majesty, she acts as her son's most trusted political adviser and primary authority within the palace.
• Moulay-Ismael: The historical seventeenth-century Hassanian Sultan who built the sprawling city of Meknez. Driven by an imperious desire to rival Versailles, he raised a massive Black Army to enforce his iron rule across the Moghreb.
• The Wool-Merchant of Marrakech: A prosperous local notable who hosts the travellers in his garden loggia. He spends long, serene afternoons resting on muslin divans beside quiet pools, enjoying mint-tea and traditional music.

In Its Own Voice

"Every detail of our trip from Tangier to Rabat had been carefully planned to keep us in unbroken contact with civilization. We were to 'tub' in one European hotel, and to dine in another, with just enough picnicking between to give a touch of local colour."

The planned comfort of the journey gives way to the unpredictable nature of the desert landscape.

"To occidental travellers the most vivid impression produced by a first contact with the Near East is the surprise of being in a country where the human element increases instead of diminishing the delight of the eye."

Street life presents a visual harmony between human figures, traditional draperies, and historic architecture.

"Change is the rule in this apparently unchanged civilization, where 'nought may abide but Mutability.'"

Underneath the timeless exterior lies a history marked by constant architectural decay and political shift.

What It's Really About

At its core, the text examines the tension between permanence and impermanence in North African history. The narrative explores how successive dynasties built colossal monuments out of perishable materials, leaving magnificent structures to crumble back into the soil. It analyzes the cultural clash between European colonial order and an ancient, insular civilization that guarded itself against outside influence for centuries. Through detailed architectural and social observations, the work questions whether rapid modernization will preserve or erase the traditional artistic heritage of the region.

Why Read It Today

This travel book appeals to readers who appreciate refined prose, art history, and vivid atmospheric descriptions. It offers a clear, highly visual portrait of North Africa at a pivotal moment in the early twentieth century. Reading it feels like looking through an expertly composed lens, where spatial layouts, light patterns, and ancient monuments are brought into sharp focus.

The text presents certain difficulties for modern readers, including period colonial attitudes, a firm belief in European administrative superiority, and romanticized generalizations about Oriental life. Furthermore, the prose is packed with specialized architectural terminology and French historical references that require patient reading. Nevertheless, the book remains valuable for its exceptional stylistic precision, its deep appreciation for Islamic art, and its rare, detailed access to early twentieth-century Moroccan harems and royal court life.