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ESH296

The Thousand and One Nights

Level 5 (15 credits)

The Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights, has acquired the status of a classic of World Literature. Its contents' the stories told by Shahrazad to King Shahriyar in order to postpone her execution -- have become a staple of Disney adaptations and pantomime, and have engendered numerous retellings. Yet the earliest known collection of The Thousand and One Nights, dating from the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is a text of many surprises. There is no Sinbad, Aladdin, or Ali Baba; but there are many djinn (demons), seemingly endless stories within stories, and challenging representations of sexuality and race. Reading the text in English translation, we will explore the cultures of the medieval Arabo-Islamic world evoked by the Nights, as well as the colonial and orientalist contexts that have determined the work's modern reception.

Preparing for this Module and Approximate Costs

Read the primary text: The Arabian Nights, trans. Husain Haddawy (New York: Norton, 1990)

For context you can read: Robert Irwin, The Arabian Nights: A Companion (London, 1994).

Cost of primary text, around £13-£15 if purchased new in recommended edition.

 
Why take
The Thousand and One Nights
?

  • You will read the text of 'The Thousand and One Nights', also known as 'The Arabian Nights', in English translation.
  • You will explore the cultures of the medieval Arabic-Islamic world evoked by the Nights, including aspects such as gender, race, slavery, religious identity, and the role of the supernatural, as well as the orientalist contexts that have determined the work's modern reception.
  • You will learn about narrative techniques and strategies of story-telling.
Learning Context Lecture + Seminar
Semester One or Two
Assessment
  1. Writing Exercise (1000 words), 30%
  2. Essay (2500 words), 70%
Mode of reassessment Standard
Contact