Some notes on Robert Irwin's introduction to The Arabian Nights \ stacker news ~BooksAndArticles

I wonder if concepts like fate and destiny (your destination) are antique storytellers' way of transmitting the knowledge that "You are what you think"; what you think is your life, your life becomes.

It is my estimation that Western European fairy tales give as lessons traits of character that make for a virtuous person. The most common of these is to practice mercy and kindness on outcasts, with the reason being they may know great secrets or have great powers or be your great love.

Irwin remarks, however, that The Nights is much earthlier and grounded in reality: the most common lessons involve how to not get cheated in business (which may be why The Nights is sometimes recommended to businesspeople and entrepreneurs).

That's not to say that The Nights is not incredibly fanciful, such as the "witch's duel" between a princess and a Djinn, the ensorceled prince, the island where women grow on trees. Nor are European fairy tales not grounded in practical truths: the ubiquitous giant and stepmother are very likely metaphors for tyrannical adults¹ or archetypal "social foes." Generally, however, the thematic lessons imparted seem to divide between materiality/immateriality.

To continue the above point, I thought for a moment the geographical differences between the settings of Europe and the Middle East: in many parts of Europe it is possible to live remotely, in the countryside and far from others.

According to Irwin, not many people lived outside of the city in the medieval Middle Eastern world. This may have a serious influence on what the content and lessons of the stories build toward: an inner peace vs embrace and dance with social life.

To remark on my earlier point regarding a child vs adult perspective, this difference may also have to do with intended audience: Throughout time, European fairy tales have become more and more tailored to a child-audience, whereas the stories from The Nights were performed orally by professional storytellers at night in public squares. We change our wares for our customers. Which remarks that European fairy tales and The Arabian Nights may just be entirely different products to begin with.

See The Uses of Enchantment by Bruno Bettelheim. ↩

50 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b 20 May

The most common of these is to practice mercy and kindness on outcasts, with the reason being they may know great secrets or have great powers or be your great love.

Girard would say this is the main thing Christianity tries to teach, Jesus being the ultimate outcast.

According to Irwin, not many people lived outside of the city in the medieval Middle Eastern world.

Why? Terrain? No farming? Property rights? I wonder.

111 sats \ 0 replies \ @SilkyNinja OP 21 May

this is the main thing Christianity tries

I would agree this is a huge motif in Western literature, likely in lockstep with Christian values, but I would wonder if this is not just a Christian value...Immediately I recall the story of Guanyin and Shancai, the bodhisattva who took a disabled boy as her apprentice, although this is a religious story.

Although I also remember that in medieval Japan it was such a pastime to watch people having mental breakdowns as a form of entertainment that it was written into dramas.

Why?

To paraphrase Irwin, outside of the city were the wastelands, where only huntsmen and bandits roamed. Although it is outside of the city where many of the more fantastical stories take place, being the place of the greater unknowns. Much more you have people coming in and out of the city trading goods - probably the basis of commerce being a major theme of the stories.

Since you mention it, imagine the untenability of "homesteading" outside the city was a huge influence as well!

33 sats \ 0 replies \ @Satosora 21 May

I was able to pick up a special edition of this series. My uncle is a book collector. The smell of those books when you open them....wow

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