Gender and Power in The Arabian Nights Essay -- The 1001 Arabian Night

Gender and Power in The Arabian NightsWorks Cited Not IncludedContemplating the kind between gender and power, unmatched undoubtedly notices that tradition regards men as the holders of official office and power. Historically, men have also always been the leaders of their families, and turned to in times of move or need. Making generalizations is normally a weak approach to any task in this case however, it is necessary to do so in post to illustrate how drastically opposite the situations prove in various selections from 1001 Arabian Nights. Rather than men taking critical roles of power, the women characters, especially at crucial moments in the plot, empower themselves far beyond the male figures, and, consequently, prove much more important to their respective plots. The stories offer a different perspective on the gender-power relationship and, consequently, ask readers to reconsider their notions of the traditional relationship between gender and power.In Aladdin and the M agic Lamp, Aladdins character is that of a lazy vagabond lacking motivation to follow up on anything in life. In fact, Aladdins idleness is so grave that he causes his own fathers death. The gender-power relationship is introduced almost immediately with Aladdins fathers death because of the death, Aladdins m otherwise is oblige to provide for the family and billing for her only child. Traditionally, the father in a family has been the one to work, while the mother cared for the children. Thus, Aladdins mother is empowered almost immediately in the story as she is forced to take on both the role of matriarch and patriarch. Aladdins mother is again empowered by her desire to help her pathetically useless son. Aladdin, who fell helplessly ... ...tory, and indeed has more impact on the story than any of the men. Through her striking empowerment, Scheherazade even saves her own life, as well as those of any other virgins the king may have taken. Ultimately, the stories of 1001 Arabi an Nights indeed leave readers no choice but to re-evaluate their classic perceptions of the gender-power relationship. In the stories discussed above, there is simply no distrust that the action of the stories and the important moments in each revolve entirely around the women. Those who regarded the gender-power relationship as a non-issue must now think again. It is gruelling to disprove a widely spread notion such as the one at hand here, but one can always try. It seems clear, however, by means of these examples, that perhaps classic perceptions that the male is more powerful than the female really should be reconsidered.