Reflection Paper: Reflection on the Tale of Sympathy the Learned

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                                               Reflection on the Tale of Sympathy the Learned

              The main theme of the text, “The Tale of Sympathy the Learned’, is feminism. Shahrazad, a young female slave, outwits Islamic philosophers, including men (Mahdi 448). The writer employs a narrative technique in which the character of Shahrazad tells the story of a character of the same name. This style enables Shahrazad to take charge of her own life. The text was quite easy to understand. However, it is possible for the reader to get a little confused since Shahrazad narrates a story which bears a character with her name.  

               Shahrazad knew how beautiful and wise she was and could modestly showcase the same to the king. This makes her even more attractive. And not to forget that Shahrazad, the narrator of the tale, uses the Sympathy character to show King Shahrayar that women can be intelligent, loyal and kind. She proves to the king that she is well versed about all aspects of philosophy, logic and architecture (Mahdi 448). The fact that Shahrazad attempts to change the negative perspective concerning women in Muslim society makes the text even more interesting.

                 It is a good informative text, and I would recommend it to others. I learnt that knowledge is power. Through her feminist ideals, Shahrazad convinces the King that women are virtuous (Mahdi 449). She also offers the king about the idea of gender equality. In my opinion, Shahrazad’s role in advancing equality is quite commendable. Women also achieve some status when Sympathy becomes the king’s wealth adviser.

                                                                                       Works Cited

Mahdi, Muhsin S. The Thousand and One Nights. Brill, 1995.

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6C2sZFjrhSgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=a+thousand+and+one+nights&ots=YITm3tiffv&sig=FLykQ0G1tl7CoS6bSFz9TJEMEL8