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The true heroine and protagonist of The Arabian Nights, Shahrazad is the narrator of all the stories except the two that her father tells to convince her not to wed King Shahrayar. A strong, intelligent, courageous, and well-educated woman, whose name comes from Persian words meaning “from noble and exalted lineage,” Shahrazad steps into a very dangerous situation and takes control. With the help of her younger sister, Dinarzad, who prompts the tales, Shahrazad saves her own life and those of other women who may have died at Shahrayar’s orders.

Shahrazad is unique among the women of the book when she stands up to her father and refuses to give in to his demand that she not wed Shahrayar. Her father even threatens to beat her until she cries for mercy, like the merchant did to his wife in the cautionary tale he tells her. Despite his stories and his threats, however, Shahrazad sticks to her resolve. She tells her father that if he does not give her to King Shahrayar, she will go behind his back and tell the king that he has refused to give his daughter to him, an accusation that would surely anger the single-minded Shahrayar. There are not many women in The Arabian Nights, either in the book or in the culture it comes from, who would defy their fathers, so Shahrazad is far ahead of her time.

Shahrazad does not change as the stories progress. Perhaps the tales become more sophisticated and complex as the nights go by, but her voice remains consistent and strong, and her strategy remains predictable and successful. Perhaps Shahrazad gains confidence as hundreds and hundreds of days and nights pass. Perhaps Dinarzad gives her incentive since Dinarzad may be next if Shahrazad’s plan fails. The translator adds a note at the end that tells that Shahrazad gave birth to three sons and became King Shahrayar’s queen, fitting rewards for her bravery and stamina. Celebrated by artists, filmmakers, musicians, and other writers since the time of these tales, Shahrazad remains among the earliest of powerful females who, by their cunning and courage, change the hearts of powerful men.

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