1001 Nights : Women Control

In the middle period there were many tales of great warriors, kings, and men alike as well, as in the ancient period and the early 20th century. Yet, what happens to the women? There emerges a great curiosity as to who had the upper hand when it came to control. However, as the saying goes, behind every great man is an even greater woman. In the tale “The Thousand and One Nights,” a woman’s sexuality, emotions, and physical actions towards men are not overtly influential. However, when considering, how women used sexual and emotional control towards men, you start to wonder who is really in control. The women are in control. Women’s powers in sexuality and the emotional reactions by men play a vital role in this story. In this tale were two brothers betrayed by their wives. Or were the wives merely trying to prove a point that they had more control than the men did? King Shahzaman ruler of Samarkand, is astonished when he walks in on his wife making love to the cook even though the men of this era were allowed concubines and free play. After the discovery Shahzamn “drew his sword and stuck both his wife and the cook. Then he dragged them by the heels and threw them from the top of the palace to trench below” (1102), and that was that. Was it the fact that his wife had deceived him that he became that infuriated so much that he killed them? No, it was the wife’s use of power of sex and his emotions that riled him to become that angry. Grievously, it ended in her losing her life. However, had she not had possessed the power over his emotions; Shahzaman would not have cared about the infidelity. His wife demonstrated that she did not have as many rights as her husband enjoyed, but she did have power over him. Shahrayar, was a king as well, who experiences the same anguish but only by King Shahzaman’s visit does he discover his own wife’s betrayal. One day while King Shahrayar is out his brother catches Shahrayar’s wife, concubines, and slaves engaging in sex.