![]() ![]() What significance do jinnis, or genies, have in this collection? Ultimately, this culture was clearly patriarchal, which makes the occasional depictions of women as strong and talented particularly remarkable. Then there is Morgiana the slave, who, in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," singlehandedly thwarts the plans of the thief captain. The most obvious example is Scheherazade, who risks her life while implementing a plan to prevent her husband from killing any more women, and who facilitates the entire collection through her storytelling talent. Contrarily, though, there are a few instances of empowered women in The Arabian Nights. Similarly, women do not enjoy as much political protection as men - consider how Shahrayar treats his wives in the frame story. The princes fight over Princess Nouronnihar, Aladdin wins over the sultan's daughter with his riches, and in the alternate version of Sinbad's seventh voyage, he takes a princess back home as his prize. ![]() Rarely are women ever given voices most often, they are merely there to be coveted by the men who play more serious roles. The portrayal of women in these stories certainly varies. Of course, both Ali Baba and Aladdin had to make the right choices once they ended up in a position of luck as well, suggesting overall that while luck falls upon us without forewarning, it is up to us to capitalize on that luck once it does.ĭiscuss the portrayal of women in The Arabian Nights. For him, his choices are more essential to his success. He faced much adversity on the sea, and could have died many times over on his path to wealth. For Sinbad, however, it is different like he explains to the porter, his fortune is a product of his own hard work. Typically, their fortune begins with a stroke of good fortune that could have befallen anyone this is true for Aladdin, whom the magician chooses almost randomly, and Ali Baba, who happens to be in the right place at the right time to hear the thieves open the cave. ![]() The prominent difference between them, though, is the means by which they get to that point. Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sinbad, three of the most famous Arabian Nights protagonists, all experience this phenomenon. Many of the characters in this collection begin as poor, working men and, by some twist of fate, become rich and prosperous. How does the "rags to riches" theme play out in the stories of The Arabian Nights? ![]()
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