Thousand and One Nights

Start Free Trial

Thousand and One Nights Questions and Answers

How is marriage characterized in The Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights)—in other words, how are the women treated by their husbands?

Why are Scheherazade's tales are of many genres in One Thousand and One Nights?

What do we learn about women and the roles they played in Arabian society based on One Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights)?

Is the Thousand and One Nights sexist?

In the first fable of  "The Bull and the Ass," the Ass regrets giving counsel to the Bull and recites these lines: Shall the beautiful hue of the Basil fail Tho' the beetle's foot o'er the Basil crawl? And though spider and fly be its denizens  Shall disgrace attach to the royal hall? The cowrie I ken, shall have currency But the pearl's clear drop, shall its value fall? Please explain the meaning of these lines.

How is the "universe" or "world" implied by The Thousand and One Nights similar to the one we outlined in The Qur'an? What points of contact between the two do you encounter in your reading?