The Gender Role reversal in the one thousand and one nights

The central frame of The Arabian Nights itself is an act of gender role reversal. King Shahryar embodies absolute male authority and violence: betrayed by his wife, he executes women after one night with them, asserting dominance. Against this, Scheherazade uses her intelligence, not submission, to survive. Rather than being a passive victim, she assumes control over the king by captivating him with stories. In doing so, she reverses the roles—the man listens and obeys (he spares her life repeatedly) while the woman leads, directs, and controls the flow of time through narrative.

Scheherazade thus becomes the teacher, moral guide, and even the “savior” of the kingdom, while Shahryar, the sovereign ruler, becomes the listener, pupil, and ultimately the reformed man.

1. UNIVERSITY OF BRAHMANBARIA Submitted to: Imtiaz Mahmud Rifat Lecturer Department of English University of Brahmanbaria Presentation topic: ‘’The Gender role Reversal in The Arabian Nights.’’ Submitted by: Wasaka Ishmum Batch: 222 ID: 0972220002161288 Department of English University of Brahmanbaria