The Arabian Nights: One Thousand and One Nights Essay Questions

How does the "rags to riches" theme play out in the stories of The Arabian Nights?

Many of the characters in this collection begin as poor, working men and, by some twist of fate, become rich and prosperous. Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sinbad, three of the most famous Arabian Nights protagonists, all experience this phenomenon. The prominent difference between them, though, is the means by which they get to that point. 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. For Sinbad, however, it is different; like he explains to the porter, his fortune is a product of his own hard work. He faced much adversity on the sea, and could have died many times over on his path to wealth. For him, his choices are more essential to his success. 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.

Discuss the portrayal of women in The Arabian Nights.

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.

What significance do jinnis, or genies, have in this collection?

In The Arabian Nights, genies appear very frequently as powerful symbols of luck and prosperity. Typically, they grant their subject's wishes, as evidenced by the story of Aladdin. However, they can also be more sinister, as is the case in "The Fisherman and the Jinni." In this latter case, the fisherman only avoids a terrible end through his spontaneous cleverness, suggesting that we often have to make the right choices when faced with bad luck. For the Islamic people, the genie was no doubt a representation of a higher, more powerful being coming to bestow them with good luck - and yet there is also a warning implicit in the genie stories: tread carefully, because sometimes they can do terrible things with their power. In other words, the genie can act with as little rational order as fate itself often does, which means our success ultimately comes down to how we act in the face of such luck or power.

What qualities do these stories have that make them so timeless? Why are they still so popular today?

There are a number of themes and components in The Arabian Nights that appeal to modern readers young and old. The most obvious is the air of adventure that surrounds them; most of us cannot even dream of embarking on quests, or of experiencing excitement like that detailed in these stories. Thus, the adventure aspects excite readers in the way epics of all cultures continue to do.

Additionally, other themes such as the rise to riches and the randomness of good fortune appeal to us. We like to think that even someone at the bottom of the societal ladder can experience a stroke of luck that will change his life and bring him into wealth and prosperity. These themes and stories resonate with us because, while their setting is very different from what we might be familiar with, their messages and themes can be easily applied to our own situations.

Finally, there is much effort made in this collection to comment on the powerful of entertaining stories, especially through the frame mechanism. This greater theme of storytelling reminds us that for a story to be appreciated, it must first be fun to hear. The devices that make a story compelling include plot reversals, compelling characters, and relatable protagonists. The Arabian Nights employs all of these. So in a way almost impossible to articulate, these stories survive because they are so compelling.

In what ways is "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor" similar to Homer's Odyssey?

Since the Arabs were dedicated students of Greek literature, it undoubtedly influenced many of the stories in The Arabian Nights. The comparison between Sinbad and Odysseus was almost certainly deliberate, and is evidenced through events such as Sinbad's encounter with the cannibal giant, which can be compared to Odysseus's run-in with the cyclops Polyphemus. Further, both men must rely on their cleverness to escape sticky situations, and unfortunately often lose crew members in the process. But their characters are similar in more subtle ways as well; Odysseus is a changed man once he returns home, and Sinbad likewise grows and changes through his voyages. Ultimately, the two are both epic heroes, heroes who represent the values of their cultures which braving adventures that reveal the nuances of human nature.

Many of the protagonists in these stories show prominent traces of greed. Are they villains for this? Why or why not?

Sometimes, it can be difficult to separate the greed of the antagonists from the greed of the protagonists in these stories. Though the protagonists are always portrayed more favorably, their actions are not always objectively that dissimilar from those of their enemies. Ali Baba, for example, stole from thieves who stole from others; how does that make him any better than them? The difference seems to lie in their intentions; the antagonists are always portrayed as truly evil, while the protagonists use the treasure and wealth to better their own lives and the lives of others. For instance, the thieves in "Ali Baba" only hoard wealth, while the title character wants to improve his family's lot. While this distinction does not necessarily excuse their greed, it does account for the difference in the way readers are meant to perceive them.

Describe the purpose and significance of the frame story in The Arabian Nights.

The concept of frame stories dates far back, to long before The Arabian Nights, and remains a popular device to this day. However, this collection is notable not only for the sophistication of its frame, but also for the multiplicity of the frames it uses. Here, the frame story places emphasis on the interconnectedness of all the tales. Many of the stories contain messages that echo the message Scheherazade wishes to teach Shahrayar: that people should treat others with respect. When other stories serve as frames for subsequent stories, this same type of commenting happens; consider the fisherman's story in "The Fisherman and the Jinni." Ultimately, the framing device helps the collection to not only tell stories, but further to comment on the act of storytelling, as something meant for both entertainment and personal improvement. Stories can change our lives if we let them.

Explore the idea of justice in The Arabian Nights. How do rulers preserve justice? Are these practices fair?

In almost all of the stories summarized in this ClassicNote, justice is a central component. Typically, justice involves someone's execution; this may seem extreme to us, but execution was a common way to address transgression hundreds of years ago. However, justice is handed out extremely inconsistently throughout the stories. The distinctions lies in the rulers' reasons for execution. Perhaps the best indication of the two approaches can be found in "The Three Apples." In that story, the king threatens to kill his vizier Ja'far if he does not succeed at an impossible task, and yet later in the story spares the life of a young man who murdered his wife because of a misunderstanding. In this case, the criteria seems entirely inconsistent, which aligns with the way justice is handed down throughout all the stories. Overall, the collection makes no explicit point about justice, but does implicitly comment on the danger of having so much power in the hands of one human being, who is subject to moods and emotional responses just like anyone else. By extension, this inconsistency works as an argument Scheherazade is making to Shahrayar: watch out for abusing your power.

Does romance play a prominent role in The Arabian Nights? Why or why not?

Marriage plays a prominent role, but to call it romance would be slightly misleading. Marriage is arranged as a measure of convenience and status, rather than of love in most cases. This attitude aligns with the way women are typically treated: as prizes, not powerful personalities worthy of respect. Of course, the collection does not necessarily comment on this institution, since it was so prevalent throughout society at that time. It was more important to marry for status than for love. The only exceptions to this trend come in the stories where women are presented as more powerful. The best example is between Scheherazade and Shahrayar. After she tells all her stories, the king has a change of heart, and decides to keep her as wife rather than kill her.

What fantastical elements are present in The Arabian Nights? What effect do these have on readers?

This collection of stories is filled with magic, mythical creatures, and strange occurrences. For instance, genies are an important part of the fantasy, adding an air of power and magic. Also, throughout his voyages, Sinbad comes across an array of mythical creatures, including the roc, the giant, and the Old Man of the Sea. These various fantastical elements add to the adventure and mystique of the stories; particularly in the case of genies, readers want these things to be real.

The fantastical elements also serve two other purposes, though. On one hand, since there are so many unrealistic, fantastical elements interwoven throughout unfortunate and challenging events, they serve to separate these stories from reality. However, on the contrary, the fantastical elements often represent forces that are beyond a human's control. Genies might represent fate or luck, while the creatures Sinbad encounters represent challenges beyond our immediate power. By confronting characters with mystical elements, these stories implicitly tell of how humans respond to forces greater than humanity, overall suggesting that luck is no more important than how we respond to luck.