Week 4 Reading Diary: Arabian Nights

Scheherazade: Wow, there's something so exciting about the way this Unit opens up! Scheherazade's confidence hints at her thorough cleverness, but at the same time, there's so much suspense with her life on the line. Also, the way in which she reacts makes her a very likable character right from the get-go. What bravery!

The Merchant and the Genius: I love the analogy between the merchant and Scheherazade both of whom find themselves relying on stories for their salvation! Not to mention the laying of stories in this work reminds me so much of the Decameron. 

The Hind: I'm still trying to determine what the men mean by "the third part of the merchant's punishment." Perhaps it has something to do with a reference to the proposed murder. The question of identity for the son in the form of a calf reminds me of the story of Io in the Ovid Unit I read. Both that story and this one involve the eventual realization on the parent's part that the animal is his daughter, in the case of Io, or son, in the case of the old man's story.

The Two Black Dogs: Once again, we have another example of metamorphosis, so it looks like I choose a good unit with which to follow the Ovid units. A trend I'm noticing is that metamorphosis acts as a compromise between death and freedom for the wrongdoers in these stories.

The Greek King and the Physician Douban: Some of these stories feel way too familiar, and I'm getting a strong feeling that I've read versions of these in the Decameron. Speaking of which, I'm impressed with the amount of narrative layering that's going on in Arabian Nights. I also appreciate the clever way in which revenge is taken by the physician. It communicates a type of "eye for an eye" justice.

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp: The scene in which Aladdin has the genie lock the groom outside reminds me of the story of Rinieri and Elena in the Decameron which a woman tricks a suitor and forces him to remain outside in the bitter cold to near death. In my opinion, the end of the tale of Aladdin seems to resolve too easily thanks to the genie, but I guess that's the perk of finding the lamp.