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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In The Tale of the Three Apples, what did the woman's husband bring her when she was ill?

2. During a pilgrimage to Mecca in the story of The Sweep and The Noble Lady, pilgrims overhear a man praying for what?

3. In the end of his story, Bukhayt became the property of ____________.

4. In the story of The Sweep and The Noble Lady, what do the pilgrims do with the praying man?

5. What do the two kings, Sharyar and his brother, Shah Zaman, vow?

Short Essay Questions

1. In The Story of King Shahryar and His Brother, the tale within a tale about the fisherman and the Jinni demonstrates the power of what kind of belief system?

2. What kind of moral is offered in the story in The Man Who Stole The Dish of Gold Wherein The Dog Ate?

3. Of what symbolic use were the tokens (signet rings) to the two lovestruck characters in The Tale of Kamar Al-Zaman?

4. What is the purpose of Shahrazad deciding to tell this seemingly innocuous story to the king in Ali The Persian?

5. In the opening chapter of The Story of King Shahryar And His Brother, Shahrazad is spared eligibility for beheading because she is one of the Wazir's daughters. Is her request to marry the king an act of fate/Allah's power, or rather an a human aspect of her personality?

6. How do faith and destiny align in The Tale of Kamar Al-Zaman?

7. What kind of a character is the hermit in The Hermits?

8. What qualities does the Caliph show through his actions towards the sisters and princes in the Porter and The Three Ladies of Baghdad?

9. In The Tale of Ma'an Son of Zaidah and The Badawi, how does the Emir reward loyalty?

10. In the story of The Ruined Man Who Became Rich Again Through A Dream, Shahrazad reminds King Shahryar that a life lived in faith is rewarding. Why is this an important reminder from Shahrazad to the king?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Tale of Ma'an Son of Zaidah and The Badawi is an especially poignant tale in which Shahrazad seems to be asking her king, "What do your people think of you? Are you sure you want to continue doing this?" In an essay, explain why this question is especially important to both Shahrazad's survival, as well as her king's development of conscience for the future.

Essay Topic 2

Ironically, The Arabian Nights first rose to prominence when it piqued the interest of Western readers, as they were considered to be too "low-lit" to be of interest to Arab literati. Choose three or more tales from the book, and giving examples, explain why the elements of those stories might have been seen as too rough, simple, or rude to the trained eye of upper/class Arab literary intelligentsia.

Essay Topic 3

Shahrazad is clearly an ingenious, persistent, and indelible character in The Arabian Nights and to the people of Persia, both in the book and through the book. Identify the stories she tells that you would find most poignant and pertinent to the People of Persia at the time this book was originally published. Write an essay arguing for the stories that may have been the most important and memorable for the people of the times, and why.

Draw hypotheses and conclusions specifically regarding:

A. What you have learned about Islamic culture/religion.

B. The ages of the stories.

C. The morals offered up in each story.

D. The way by which the stories are told (i.e. fables, humor-based, character sympathy, etc.).

(see the answer keys)

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