FYS: Formal Essay Final Draft
There are many stereotypes about Arab women. For example, it is often thought that women were not to speak up to men unless they were spoken to, and they were to be submissive to their fathers or husband. This stereotype was amplified in “The Arabian Nights,” translated by Hussin Haddaway, a compilation of stories that together make up the book. In the introduction, Haddaway writes about the stories being passed down from generation to generation, often through the women of the family. He acknowledges that the details of the stories have changed over time, but the ideas have stayed consistent. He writes about how these stories would be read to children as bedtime stories and how they would tell the stories when they grew up. Despite the stereotypes that we think of, when we think about Arab women, the character Sharazad acts as an independent woman who stands up for what she believes. This poses the question of why there was a strong female role in this story. What was it trying to teach the future generations? The story teaches that the existing stereotypes are untrue, and Shaharazd is the true heroine in the story.
The book starts with a story about King Shahraya being betrayed by his wife. In anger, he has his wife killed and decides that from then on, he shall sleep with a new woman every night, and in the morning, he will kill them so they can not betray him. After many nights of doing this, the kingdom is running out of women. The Vizier’s daughter, Sharazad, watches this happen night after night and decides to do something about it. In the story of “The Arabian Nights,” Sharazad is overlooked and not appreciated for the heroic role that she plays in the story. Sharazad saw what the King was doing to these women and decided to stand up for them. She went to her father and said, “I would like you to marry me to King Shahraya” (15). This shows that she still respects her father. By saying this, it is perpetuating a stereotype that Arab women always seek their father’s approval. However, if you read this quote in context, Sharazad makes it seem that she will do this with or without her father’s approval. The Vizer was hesitant, but Sharazad did not stop fighting and convinced her father that she needed to try. She took this courageous step despite knowing the risk that she might be killed in the morning. Sharazad believed in herself and was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save others, making her the hero in the story.
This was not the only time that Sharazad acted as the heroine. With all her knowledge, Sharazad came up with a whole plan with her sister so that she could tell the King a story. She would tell him a story, and at the end, she would say, “Tomorrow night I shall tell you something even more entertaining if the King lets me live” (29). This is a bold statement for Sharazad to make. The King could easily have her executed just for saying this, but Sharazad did not care and continued saying things like this for many nights. This quote shows a different way that Sharazad takes control of the situation to be in her favor. She says that she wants to tell more of the story, and then as an afterthought, she says, “if the King lets me live” (29). By adding the last part, she makes it seem like the King is in control, but she is really manipulating him so that she can stay alive. Not only does Sharazad manipulating the King go against the stereotype that Arab women are submissive, but her actions save many women’s lives.
Sharazad did not care about what she was expected to do; instead, she paved her own path. Sharazad stood up for what she believed was right. The fact that a character like Sharazad is in the stories of “The Arabian Nights” is shocking because of the stereotype that a strong female character can not be an Arab woman. Time and time again, Sharazad breaks this stereotype, stands up to the King, and helps others by doing so. On the other hand, since we do not know how the book ends, maybe Shahrazad is meant to be a cautionary tale of what happens if you stray from the path. As of now, one can assume this is not the case; otherwise, it would be a very short book. Shahrazad’s character could not have empowered future generations without the stories being passed down. If Shahrazad had not stood up to her father and the King, many more women would have died. Thanks to her, many women lived, and even more learned from her. It is important to remember that you need to fight for what you believe, even if no one else supports you. One should not do something because you are not supposed to. Think of all the women who have broken stereotypes and made the world a better place. What would our world be if women were complacent?
