View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What did the King of Himyar see in his dream?

2. What does the Emir do after meeting the nomad and returning home?

3. In The Tale of The Birds And The Beasts And The Carpenter, who are the first two characters that the duck meets?

4. Where is the ruined man told to go in his dream?

5. Bukhayt was sold as a slave at the age of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. In The Sweep and The Noble Lady, how did the Emir's pardon of the sweep seem just, although it was not the ultimate punishment (death)?

2. 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?

3. How in the Tale of Ghanim in Ayyub, The Distraught, The Thrall O'Love does Shahrazad strive to replace King Shahryar's distrust of women with doubt over his belief?

4. How might Shahrazad's tale in The Tale of The Three Apples whittle away at the king's assumption that all women are faithless and untrustworthy?

5. 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?

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

7. What might Shahrazad be suggesting through her tale to the king in The Hermits?

8. How is Shahrazad able to hint at the king's faults through this story of The City of Many-Columned Iram and Abdullah Son of Abi Kalibah indirectly?

9. What are the fundamental differences in value systems between the duck and the three other animals; peahen, peacock and antelope metioned in The Tale of The Birds And The Beasts And The Carpenter?

10. Describe the character of the man burdened with debts in The Man Who Stole The Dish of Gold Wherein The Dog Ate.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the story of The Angel of Death With The Proud King And The Devout Man, a wealthy man lived for his own glory while the devout man lived for God, so each man faced death differently: one as loss, the other as gain. The moral lesson is not about wealth or poverty, but about the character of a man. In short, wealth and position are meaningless in the next world because one cannot take his possessions to the grave. Citing specific examples from the tale as your supporting evidence, explore and explain how this tale flies in the face of the cultural and social beliefs of the day.

Essay Topic 2

As the reader may have noticed from the beginning of The Arabian Nights, the story possesses unique characteristics in many ways. One way is in regard to the fact that frame stories are used consistently throughout the entire piece. In a 400-600 word essay, and keeping in mind the fact that typical Western literary devices are not used in this novel, please provide insight as to how the use of framing stories is an invaluable tool to:

1. The compiler/authors.

2. The character of Shahrazad.

3. The character of Sindbad.

Essay Topic 3

Shahrazad's feminine heroism leaves for a depth of literary interpretation. Her story can be seen as a feminist critique insofar as it criticizes the weaknesses of a masculinity that is constructed on the image of power, control and domination. Yet Shahrazad's response remains within the parameters established for women by Islam.

Reviewing and referring to the tales you find most telling of her role, characterize Shahrazad's personality and critique her abilities to make her intentions a reality.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,124 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample