Identity and Faith
Identity and Faith
Faith and identity are intertwined in many ways because a persons’ identity is constructed through their many positive and negative experiences. The foundation that ties the experiences together and transforms them into a personal identity is faith. Arabian Nights and Days by Naguib Mahfouz displays how identity is affected by faith through Shrahrzad, Gamasa al-Bulti, and the Genies, by showing how each character lives and how their fate is affected by having faith, or having no faith.
Shahrzad’s character is elaborated on more in One Thousand and One Nights than in Arabian Nights and Days through her stories. Shahrzad’s stories often display a relationship between identity and faith. She shows how in many of her character’s situations, if they had no faith or wit they would not have escaped. This shows her connection between identity and faith, as well as her characters connection between the two. In Arabian Nights and Days, Shahrzad’s situation is her being married King Shahryiar whom had murdered many virgins and innocent people. She shows her faith by continuing to be patient and pretending to be happy with him. She states “I sacrificed myself in order to stem the torrent of blood” (Mahfouz 2). This displays her sacrifice of happiness for other virgins because she fascinated the king with her stories and is continuing to be with him so that he does not go back to marrying a virgin, deflowering her, then killing her. Her identity is greatly affected by her faith because her faith is pushing her to continue to be patient with the man she is married to so that he does not kill any more virgins. If Shahrzad did not have her faith, she would try to escape and the outcome would result in King Shahriyar continuing his murderous ways.
Gamasa al-Bultis’ position as the chief of police forces him into an internal conflict. He does not like having to do the business of the corrupt, but in his mind he separates his business from his religious views.
Faith and identity are intertwined in many ways because a persons’ identity is constructed through their many positive and negative experiences. The foundation that ties the experiences together and transforms them into a personal identity is faith. Arabian Nights and Days by Naguib Mahfouz displays how identity is affected by faith through Shrahrzad, Gamasa al-Bulti, and the Genies, by showing how each character lives and how their fate is affected by having faith, or having no faith.
Shahrzad’s character is elaborated on more in One Thousand and One Nights than in Arabian Nights and Days through her stories. Shahrzad’s stories often display a relationship between identity and faith. She shows how in many of her character’s situations, if they had no faith or wit they would not have escaped. This shows her connection between identity and faith, as well as her characters connection between the two. In Arabian Nights and Days, Shahrzad’s situation is her being married King Shahryiar whom had murdered many virgins and innocent people. She shows her faith by continuing to be patient and pretending to be happy with him. She states “I sacrificed myself in order to stem the torrent of blood” (Mahfouz 2). This displays her sacrifice of happiness for other virgins because she fascinated the king with her stories and is continuing to be with him so that he does not go back to marrying a virgin, deflowering her, then killing her. Her identity is greatly affected by her faith because her faith is pushing her to continue to be patient with the man she is married to so that he does not kill any more virgins. If Shahrzad did not have her faith, she would try to escape and the outcome would result in King Shahriyar continuing his murderous ways.
Gamasa al-Bultis’ position as the chief of police forces him into an internal conflict. He does not like having to do the business of the corrupt, but in his mind he separates his business from his religious views.