Feminism in the general sense is a motion promoting the equality of women in all aspects of life. In the Islamic faith, feminism has a slightly different meaning. Islamic feminism supports the same attitude, basing it on slightly different beliefs, resulting in a somewhat different outcome. The Arabian Nights, particularly in the framework story of The Arabian Nights, expresses an overall message of feminism. The book begins with an arguably misogynistic point of view, with bias against women, so the message of feminism can be difficult to understand. Although misogyny is prevalent in the early stories, it plays a crucial role in expressing the feminist viewpoints depicted throughout the book. Shahrazade tells many stories throughout the book that all together promote this feminist theme. Another tale that depicts the ideals of Islamic feminism is that of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Although Morgiana, a slave, is the heroine of the story, she is not given credit for being identified as the protagonist of the play. The early tales of the frame story as well as the story of Ali Baba are told through a somewhat misogynistic lens, but the progression of the tales leads to an overall picture of feminist ideas represented through the actions of Shahrazade and of Morgiana. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayFrame's story, The Arabian Nights, is important in expressing this feminist view on women throughout the book, although it's certainly not clear. near the beginning of the story. The main story opens with two brothers, rulers of their respective lands, who have both been cuckolded. After Shahrayar, one of the brothers who had been cuckolded, discovers that his queen has cheated on him, he says "'take my wife and put her to death'" (Arabian Nights 12), ordering the vizier to kill her. In doing so, he makes the decision to then marry a new woman every day, with the intention of killing her the next morning. "Shahrayar sat on his throne and ordered the vizier... to find him a wife from among the prince's daughters." (Arabian Nights 12) Such an absurd and unnecessary violation of respect for women clearly describes the misogynistic meaning of the beginning of the book. This will change as the book progresses and will actually play a role in the final feminist portrayal of women. Sharyar continues this horrible practice for some time until his vizier's daughter, Shahrazade, decides to intervene and at least attempt to stop him. Shahrazade is considered an "intelligent, knowledgeable, wise and refined" individual, who "read books of literature, philosophy and medicine" and "knew poetry by heart, had studied historical reports and knew the sayings" . of men and the maxims of wise men and kings. (Arabian Nights 13) Although her father voiced strong objection, Shahrazade thought she might be the one to stop him, so she stepped in and volunteered to be the next wife. Shahrazade's plan was brilliant, she would tell a story every night, stopping just at the height of the king's curiosity, so that the king would let her live just one more day, so she could continue her stories . The day after the first night, Shahrazade "fell into silence, leaving King Shahrayar burning with curiosity to hear the rest of the story." (Arabian Nights 19) Night after night, Shahrayar lets Shahrazade get away with one more night. This is a huge part of expressing the feminist perspective of the stories. Although theShahrazade's early stories show women in a bad light, this is purely for the purpose of manipulating the king. Shahrazade shows that, even as a woman in a difficult position, she is able to outwit the powerful King Shahrayar. The fact that Shahrazade is seen as an educated and intelligent individual, while also being able to outwit and manipulate the king, plays an important role in creating the basis for an overall positive perspective on the women depicted in the book. The first impression of the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves suggests that Ali Baba will be the character of greatest importance, as his name appears in the title of the story. She is credited with being associated with the Forty Thieves, although the thieves seek to destroy her life and wealth, while Morgiana ends up saving Ali Baba by manipulating the thieves and taking matters into her own hands by creating pots of oil , and then being able to ensure that the whole situation does not have greater negative consequences on their city. Morgiana is characterized as being a slave before her talents and intelligence are brought into the play. This is seen when Kasim has an “...intelligent slave, Morgiana” (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 775). Unlike the male characters in the story, Morgiana is intelligent. This is seen in Morgiana's plan to confuse the thieves as to which doors they have or have not marked as already stolen. “Morgiana, however, saw the sign, suspected danger, and marked all the other doors in the neighborhood, so that when the forty arrived they were lost” (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 775). Her ability to manipulate and confuse men is seen in the fact that she is the character who ends up being the one to save Ali Baba's life as well as the wealth of the other townspeople. Morgiana is not seen as the protagonist or hero of the story; Ali Baba, although he is the one who is saved, does not save. Traditional Islamic values ​​can be seen in the expression of feminism in this story because, although Morgiana has her hero moments, these are lost towards the end of the story, where the reward given to her is the " reward” of becoming a wife. This is seen in the mention of “…when she revealed the guest’s dagger, he thanked her; the nephew married her…” (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 780). Although she does not receive full respect and recognition for the things she did to save the city from thieves and Ali Baba from his death, Morgiana's character is painted positively, just as Shahrazade is painted from positive way in the film. framework of the story of The Thousand and One Nights. The depiction of Shahrazade as a female figure of influence, knowledge, and successful transmission of stories, allows the reader to connect her presence to an overall presence of feminism in The Arabian Nights; a theme also prevalent in the characterization of Morgiana in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves as a female figure representing a hero. Shahrazade and Morgiana are not the main figures in their stories, which supports the idea that in Islamic feminism, women are always considered submissive, considered secondary to the men with whom they are associated. Both Shahrazade and Morgiana manage to show the readers of their stories that even though they are women, they can overcome the stereotype that they need a man to help them become heroines. Shahrazade can be considered a heroine in her successful delivery of the framework story of The Arabian Nights due to her ability to make Shahrayar continue to delay the.