The Selfless Sentimental Snake
Treachery and deceit; these are the paramount characteristic of women during the extended introduction of “The Thousand and One Nights.” Readers are inundated with scenarios of woman, no wives, betraying their husbands. These the most noble of partners were sibling Kings who are both betrayed by their wives and even forced by another woman to assist in her betrayal. It could be expected that this story would revolve around this woman who succumb endlessly to primal desires. Snakes.
Yet, just as readers settle into the idea of immature and short minded women are they welcome Shahrazad. She is the the eldest daughter of the King’s vizier. She enters the scene a complete contradiction of what could be expected of the women of this story. A studious young lady she studied poetry, history, philosophy, and medicine. As she enters the scene readers are stuck by her immense empathy for all those affected by the King’s retribution. Though the vizier attempts to dissuade his daughter from her mission she stands firm on the issue and does not waver. Her feelings of right and wrong are so strong that she argues against her father knowing that her decision could cost her life. This is a woman of fortitude and fearlessness. Shahrazad is a stark contradiction to the women the story began with. She is far from fickle and overwrought with bodily impulses. This woman is able to understand the how the actions of one can affect another. She has been educated in many areas and her moral commitment cannot allow her to stand idly by to injustice. Sentimental.
As women are slain night after night the loss of live and its impact on the people cannot be ignored by Shahrazad. Her cunning mind devises a simple but dangerous plan to bring it all to an end. The plan set forth is for a woman to send themselves into the Kings Palace as his wife to entertain him with a story and postponing the ending until the following night. Doing so would halt the practice of slaying his wife the night after they married. Failure of any kind would cost this woman her life. But success would cease the endless mourning and death. Selfless.
Throughout most early literature from this area women have been portrayed as immature, dimwitted, and consumed with selfish desires. This book allows for an immense departure from the norm of dim witted amoral women. Shahrazad is a stark contrast to the typical woman found in early writing. She is a woman of conviction, empathy, courage, and intelligence. Here readers are presented with a view of a female protagonist. This story displays woman who ingeniously saves the land. Here readers are taught that women can think cognitively and help but not force men back on a righteous path.
Kareem Wright
2 responses so far
I think Shahrazad is very intelligent in the sense that she was able to think of a plan that would help save her life and the lives of other women. Interestingly, she does that by only telling stories to the king. This distinguishes her from the other women, who unfortunately met their end. Therefore, I agree with you that she enters the scene as a complete contradiction of what could be expected of the women of this story. I would’ve expected her to die like the other women just because the king is so set on seeing treachery and deceit from women. How can the king move pass those so easily on Shahrazad? He somehow was moved or convinced by the stories that she tells that he spares her life. Like you said, she is able to understand how the actions of one can affect the other.
Aiying Chen He
I agree with you Wright, Shahrazad in the story 1001 nights was a hero and managed to do something that no one else could have done. She saw that there was a problem and that innocent people were being hurt and she decided to put herself in harm’s way to stop the killings. It is surprising that a woman during her time would be a hero. Also in the story we can tell that she does not think that women are incompetent and deceiving. We can see this by the stories she tells the king. The stories that she tells have the women as villains but also as the protagonist. For example the story where the husband takes a mistress and his wife out of jealousy turns his son and mistress into animals and the other woman who turn his son back into human. Most of the stories she tell to the king have involve a woman saving the man and being the hero. I think it’s very interesting how the stories she tell where the woman cause the problem and another fixes it, reflects her situation where she as woman is correcting, in a sense, what another woman did.