The Thousand And One Nights

The Thousand and One Nights

The Thousand and One Nights was translated in writing in the 14th century. In the 14th century, women had very little significance in society. Women were the property of men and had very little influence over men. Or did they? A woman’s power came from their sexuality and through it they could control men. Sexuality in The Thousand and One Nights was used by women as a weapon to control men’s actions, thoughts, and emotions.

Women in The Thousand and One Nights use their sexuality to control their husband’s actions. The first example of a woman controlling her husband with their sexuality is in the beginning of the story when Shahzaman was invited by his brother Shahrayar to visit his kingdom. Shahzaman was getting ready for his journey and he walked in on his wife having sex with one of the kitchen staff. “As his anger boiled, he drew his sword and struck both his wife and the cook. The he dragged them by the heels and threw them from the top of the palace to the trench below” (Lawall 1773). Shahzaman’s wife controlled his actions by betraying him. Shahzaman’s actions would not have normally been influenced by his wife if she had not slept with the cook. Unfortunately, her influence on her husband’s actions leads to her death.

Another example of women controlling men’s actions is when Shahzaman tells his brother Shahrayar that his wife and concubines have been having sex with slaves in the garden while Shahrayar is away from the palace. Shahrayar does not believe his brother and Shahzaman tells his brother, “Then you and I shall set out with your troops, and when we get outside the city, we shall leave our tents and camp with the men behind, enter the city secretly, and go together to your palace. Then the next morning you can see with your own eyes” (Lawall 1775). In order to find out if Shahzaman is telling the truth Shahrayar is forced to go along with Shahzaman’s plan. Shahrayar’s wife influences his actions to find out the truth, Shahrayar needed to follow his brother’s plan. Shahrayar witnesses his wife and concubines having sex and comes up with a plan of his own. Shahrayar says, “Let us leave our royal state and roam the world for the love of the Supreme Lord. If we should find one whose misfortune is greater than ours, we shall return” (Lawall 1776) Because of Shahrayar’s wife’s betrayal the brothers leave because they are so disgusted and roam the world. Had Shahrayar’s wife not betrayed him, he would still be at his palace and his wife would not have much influence over him.

A final example of a woman using her sexuality to control men’s actions is when Shahzaman and Shahrayar meet the woman who was locked up in the chest carried by a demon. The demon stole the woman on her wedding night and locked her in a chest to keep her pure and chaste (Lawall 1777). The woman spots Shahzaman and Shahrayar in a tree and tells them to have sex with her or she will wake the demon. The brothers have sex with her and she demands that they give her their rings. The brothers ask why she wants the rings and the woman says, “…that when a woman desires something, no one can stop her” (Lawall 1777). The woman uses her sexuality as a weapon to control men’s actions to get what she wants.

Women in The Thousand and One Nights use their sexuality to influence men’s thoughts. Shahzaman’s thoughts after he found his wife cheating on him were controlled by his wife’s sexuality. Her sleeping with the cook caused Shahzaman to become depressed, negligent, and sad. When he was alone he thought of his wife’s betrayal and said to himself, “Alas, that this great misfortune should have happened to one in my position” (Lawall 1773)! He would also say, “None has seen what I have seen” (Lawall 1773). He could not stop thinking about her betrayal and how lonely he was or that it could happen to a king. Had Shahzaman’s wife not betrayed him he would not be consumed by depression and the thoughts of his misfortune. Shahrayar goes hunting to try to cheer him up with meat and the best animal hides because he thinks that his brother is homesick and Shahrayar is consumed with trying to cheer Shahzaman up. Shahzaman’s