commencing with the first night, and ending with part of the third..

The portrayal of women in these stories certainly varies. Rarely are women ever given voices; most often, they are merely there to be coveted by the men who play more serious roles. 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. Similarly, women do not enjoy as much political protection as men - consider how Shahrayar treats his wives in the frame story. Contrarily, though, there are a few instances of empowered women in The Arabian Nights. 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. Then there is Morgiana the slave, who, in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," singlehandedly thwarts the plans of the thief captain. Ultimately, this culture was clearly patriarchal, which makes the occasional depictions of women as strong and talented particularly remarkable.