Comparing Women In The Odyssey And The Ramayana Of Valmiki

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The relationship between men and women in the texts are similar to what we have read in the ancient Greek and Indian texts The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Ramayana of Valmiki. There is a blatant divide between the status of the sexes, men are again the dominant gender, who rule and do as they please, while the women are once again just a part of man 's world. Like the Ramayana of Valmiki, men were allowed to have multiple wives, concubines and other relations, but such acts would be deemed disgraceful if committed by a woman, even if that woman were to hold a status similar to that of a king.

Sex and adultery are heavy themes in The Thousand and One Nights, and when acted out by a woman is evidently a crime punishable by death, as seen when
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She is described as having "read the books of literature, philosophy, and medicine. She knew poetry by heart, had studied historical reports, and was acquainted with the sayings of men and the maxims of sages and kings. She was intelligent, knowledgeable, wise and refined. She had read and she had learned." (p. 1107). She was also both fearless and selfless as she was willing to risk her life for the sake of the kingdom that had fallen in peril due to the newly acquired custom of the mad king. Upon her request to marry King Shahrayar and enact her plan to save the kingdom, she was vehemently opposed by her father, the Chief Vizier of the king who feared for his daughter 's …show more content…
The first tale of the Ox and the Donkey is the Viziers attempt of telling her to stay out of the business of others, for it could potentially blow back on her with harsh consequence, just as the Donkey regretted his advice to the Ox once it caused him pain and suffering. The Vizier recites the popular quotes "He who misbehaves, ends up in trouble" and "I would be sitting pretty if not for my curiousity" (p. 1108). This attempt however, fails as Shahrazad is fully aware of the situation she 's getting herself into and remains undiscouraged. Once he realizes her conviction the Vizier begins his second take, the tale of the Merchant and his Wife, which precedes the previous. This tale however isn 't nearly as clever as it resorts to violence as the answer and still Shahrazad remains unfazed. Seeing that there is no other way, the Vizier in the end has no choice but to honor his daughters wishes despite his opposition of her plan and offers her to the

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