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Arabian Nights

IGCSE English Anthology

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Arabian Nights

The main frame story concerns a Persian kingand his new bride. The king, Schahriar, upon

discovering his wife's infidelity has her executed

and then declares all women to be unfaithful.He begins to marry a succession of virgins only

to execute each one the next morning.

Eventually the vizier cannot find any more

virgins. Scheherazade, the vizier's daughter,

offers herself as the next bride and her father

reluctantly agrees.3

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Arabian Nights

On the night of their marriage, Scheherazade begins

to tell the king a tale, but does not end it. The king is

thus forced to postpone her execution in order to

hear the conclusion. The next night, as soon as she

finishes the tale, she begins (and onlybegins) a newone, and the king, eager to hear the conclusion,

postpones her execution once again. So it goes on for

1,001 nights.

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The different versions have

different individually detailed

endings (in someScheherazade asks for a

pardon, in some the king sees

their children and decides notto execute his wife, in some

other things happen that

make the king distracted) but

they all end with the king

giving his wife a pardon and

sparing her life.

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Frame narration

What is common throughout all the editions

of the Nights:

Shahryr - meaning "king" or "sovereign

His wife Scheherazade - possibly meaning "of

noble lineage

The framing device incorporated throughout

the tales themselves. The stories proceed

from this original tale; some are framed within

other tales, while others begin and end of

their own accord. 12

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Some editions contain only a few hundred

nights, while others include 1001 or more.

Some of the stories of The Nights, particularly"Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp", "Ali Baba and

the Forty Thieves" and "The Seven Voyages of

Sinbad the Sailor", while almost certainlygenuine Middle-Eastern folk tales, were not

part of The Nights in Arabic versions - but

were interpolated into the collection by

European translators.

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Frame Story

This is basically a story within a

story.

Within which, one or more

tales are related.

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Homework

Write a list of the roles of women and girls in

literature.

Come up with examples from books you have

read or films you have watched.

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