Shahrazad vs. Eragon

In many stories there is that one person who is willing to put themselves in danger for others. We often tell ourselves that we could do this if it was asked of us, but not many can actually go through with it. Shahrazad is one of those people. She was willing to become Shahrayar’s next wife, knowing that she would most likely be killed. But she could no longer standby as other innocent women were killed by the grieving king. Shahrazad was not only self sacrificing, she was also very cunning. By delaying her death she also delayed the death of others, and over time she was able to show the King that not all women were to be hated. In many ways Eragon, a fictional character who is a Dragon Rider, shares these traits. Eragon has vowed that he will protect those who cannot fight for themselves. This places him in many dangerous and difficult situations, but he always does whatever he can to ensure that protects as many as he can. He is also cunning, outthinking his enemies and defusing many disagreements between others. These two characters are very familiar, aside from a few differences. First both put themselves in harm’s way for others, but Shahrazad is risking death for the chaste women of the city, while Eragon vows to protect everyone. Another difference is the way they put their cunningness to work. Shahrazad uses it to delay her death, and the death of others. Eragon on the other hand becomes a leader and must settle disputes, create battle plans, and think through difficult situations. While these differences exist, the two heroes both display the traits of one who worries about others before