Frame NarrativeOne Thousand and One Night Essay Example

Thousand and One Nights the fame narrative is used to persuade King Shahrayar and at the same time delay the execution of two sisters.

Shahrazad in the story is with the king and in the morning she will be executed like the women before her. She and her sister come up with a cunning and intelligent plan to delay their execution. Shahrazad begins to tell a story to King Shahrayar and purposefully cut her self of mid-story. This is where the frame narrative plays in as she begins to tell the king a story within the story of One Thousand and One Nights. By cutting herself off in the middle of her story she grabs the king’s interest and he must allow her to live until the nest night so that she may finish her story.

Shahrazad in this quote for the first night sets up to tell a story to King Shahrayar: “Sister, if you are not sleepy, tell us one of your lovely little tales to while away the night, before I bid you good-bye at daybreak, for I don’t know what will happen to you tomorrow. ” Shahrazad turned to King Shahrayar and said, “May I have you permission to tell a story? ” He replied, “Yes,” and Shahrazad was very happy and said, “Listen” (1579). This quote is setting up for a frame narrative and Shahrazad is about to tell a story which is within the story of One Thousand and One Nights.

She intends to break the story off in the middle so she saves the end for the next night so that she might delay her

execution. Shahrazad intends to tell a story to the king every night to delay her death; however the stories serve a purpose more than just delaying her execution. The stories also serve the purpose of having a underlying message for King Shahrayar. Shahrazad tells stories that are relative to the king and they try to get him to see he is wrong in executing all the women he is sleeping with.

The King is extremely interested to the stories he is being told for example: “When it was night and Shahrazad was in bed with the king, Dinazad said to her sister Shahrazad, “Please, if you are not sleepy, tell us one of your lovely little tales to while away the night. ” The King added, “Let it be the conclusion of the merchant’s story. ” Shahrazad replied, “As you wish” (1582). The King shows great interest here in Shahrazad finishing the rest of one of her stories from the previous night. King Shahrayar is very entertained with the stories and wants Shahrazad to continue.

With the king so entertained by her stories she continues on for many nights telling just halves of a whole story evoking the king’s curiosity to let her live another day and also teaching the king values from her stories. King Shahrayar is persuaded by the frame narrative, or the stories with One Thousand and One Nights, to revaluate his morals and unjust killing of dozens of innocent women. Just as in One Thousand and One Nights the Canterbury tales also uses a frame narrative to add to the central ideas and message of the story. The Canterbury

tales examines a group of people who are making a pilgrimage to Canterbury.

The journey is quite a long one and it is suggested by the host that they each tell stories to pass the time of their long journey. So each member of the group begins to tell a separate story which is indicative of the frame narrative. Although, each stories differ from one another they all add in some way to the overall story of Canterbury Tales. Some stories such as the Night’s Tale are about great valor and chivalry, while other are less serious and more satirical. Here this quote is expressing what the travelers will do along their journey to pass the time as said by the host: Each one of you, to make our journey hort, Shall tell two stories, as we ride, I mean, Toward Canterbury; and coming home again Shall tell two other tales he may have heard Of happenings that some time have occurred (2066). Also, since they will be all together for such a long journey it is nice that they get to know one another more personally. This also adds to the overall idea of the story. The frame narratives or stories within each tell something different about the personality of the person who is telling the story. This quote also sets up the story for more stories to be told within Canterbury tales.

To decide who will begin to tell the stories first the group decides to draw straw. The knight is chosen to go first with his stories however, I believe him going first also plays a significant role in the

structure of the social class at that time. The Knight is chosen to go fist by chance but I think the author Geoffrey Chaucer purposefully chooses for him to tell his story first. The Knight going first is the mostly because of his rank in society his tale is very serious. Since his tale is about chivalry and honor he is purposefully telling his story first.

In this quote the knight has drawn straws to be the first to tell his to tales to the rest of the group: Since it appears that I must start the game, Why then, the draw is welcome, in God’s name. Now let’s ride on, and listen, what say. ” And with that word we rode forth on out way, and he, with his courteous manner and good cheer, began to tell his tale, as you shall hear. (2067). The Knight accepts the idea to share his story and begins to set up his story as he and rest of the group set of on their journey to Canterbury.

As stated before the Knight’s Tale is very noble and about honor while some of the other stories told by some of the group members are just the opposite. They are poor in social quality of that time and more satirical. Canterbury Tales uses the frame narrative to add to the central message of the text and the stories within all together add to the overall story. While both One Thousand and One Night and Canterbury Tales use the frame narrative to tell their story they both use it in different way to contribute to the main context.