After reading the prologue of the book, I got a better understanding of the main characters backstory and motives. I found it so surprising that the prologue was very sexual and risquè because, in the foreword it talked about how religion played a major part in the book. While reading these sexual parts it didn’t make sense to me as to why it was describe so in depth.
Also, throughout the prologue I felt as if it was targeting women all because the King had a fragile male ego. Women are portrayed as sexual objects who are owned by men and inhibitors of all problems. Once I read the about the women being taken by demon I was taken back. The Kings had no sympathy for a woman being taken against her will and forced to chastity. They were sympathetic towards the demon because the woman spelt with other men. In my eyes this was a courageous act by the woman to get back at the demon who wants her to be pure for himself only.
Looking at the text as a reader in the time period it was created there are some strong female characters that give the story a little aspect of feminism. Shahrazad asked to marry the King herself and help other women in the country to not follow the fate of the pervious dozens of girls King Shahrayar married. I am so curious as to why the King is punishing innocent women when his wife was the only one cheating on him.
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