Arabian Nights

Alf Layla wa Layla

1000 nights and a night

how many nights? symbolism?

271; pregnancy

symbolism of 1001

infinity plus one, endless

Fabliaux

french comical risque stories

role of Shahrazad’s stories

save her life, change Shahrayar perception of women

uses what story technique

frame narrative

vizier’s daughter/story teller

Shahrazad

king

shahrayar

kings brother

shahzaman

sister

dinarazad

outside influences

Persian, Indian (first story), Egyptian, Greek

arabic influences

call to prayer (2nd dervish), caligraphy, conquest (3rd dervish), bismillah

role of stories

dissuade, teach, threaten, ransom

main story

King+brother betrayal, kills women every night, woman in box

Ox and Donkey

vizier to shahrazad; animal language, donkey beat

Merchant and his Wife

vizier to shahrazad; man beats wife because of rooster

Merchant and the Demon

Merchant kills Demon’s son with pit, 3 men

First Old Man’s Tale

M+D, deer wife turned son and mistress to bull and cow

Second Old Man’s Tale

M+D, 2 dogs as broke murderous brothers

Fisherman and the Demon

Fisherman finds djinn in bottle, tricks him and receives blessings

King Yunan and Sage Duban

F+D, Fisherman tells story of trickery to djinn; king kills healer

Husband and the Parrot

K+S, parrot killed for saying affair

King’s Son and She Ghoul

K+S, king’s son seduced by she ghoul

Enchanted King

F+D, king of secret land turned to stone by unfaithful wife

Porter and 3 Ladies

Porter meets rich girls: shopper, door opener, sister. Cant ask questions but king does

First Dervish

P3, incest and blinding

Second Dervish

P3 survives shipwreck, fated death, blinding

Third Dervish

P3 cursed rooms of palace, curiosity, blinding

First Lady, Mistress of the House

Jealous sisters betray the mistress turned to dogs

Second Lady, Flogged one

flogged by mistress to fulfill oath