The Arabian Nights
The mere mention of The Arabian Nights might conjure up images of genies magically appearing from brass lamps or magic carpets soaring across sunset skies.
In true Arabian style, brilliant coloured silks and the scent of Eastern spices provide the backdrop to this superb collection of magical tales, which include both exotic romances and perilous adventures! Our heroes include names such as Aladdin, Sinbad and Ali Baba, known to many the world over.
But is this volume merely a collection of children's stories or does the book have an appeal to adults?
Left: Illustration from the version illustrated by George Soper.
Originally the book was entitled One Thousand Nights and a Night. The volume was a vast collection of about two hundred stories which included poetry, fairy tales, political satires, erotica, and bawdy anecdotes.
Although originating from the Middle East, including countries such as Arabia, Egypt, India and Persia, the collection was considered too vulgar and sprawling to be called a classic - it was thought to be far more suitable for the coffee houses and brothels of Arabia than for the homes of intellects! In spite of this, there is no denying that it has become the best known Eastern work in our country.
Right: An illustration from the version
illustrated by F. & G. Brundage with J.W. Grey
The book starts with the story of two royal brothers, Shahriar and Shahzeman, both of whom discover that their wives have been unfaithful to them. Their wives are executed. However, the sultan, Shahriar, makes a solemn vow that as recompense he will take a new wife each night and command her to be beheaded in the morning. The sultan puts into operation his unhappy oath filling his land with fear and lamentations.
Finally, the vizier's daughter, Scheherazade, who is both beautiful and wise, volunteers to be the sultan's next wife, much to her father's anguish! Scheherazade entrances the sultan and postpones her execution by telling a fascinating tale. One story leads to another, and after a thousand and one nights the sultan is so enchanted by her stories of princes and slaves, thieves and sailors, genii and magicians, that he renounces his oath and declares her his permanent sultana, thereby restoring peace to his realm.
Left: An example of Edmund Dulac's illustrations.
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Arabian Nights books illustrated by Edmund Dulac.
The work in its present form was penned in the early 1500s in Arabic. The story tellers of the time delighted in recounting the stories, adapting them to the settings of their audience. It was not until the early 1700s that a French Orientalist named Antoine Galland translated the tales. They were greeted with great enthusiasm by the French and became increasingly popular across Europe. Although the stories were produced in pamphlet form in English almost immediately, it was not until 1802 thatReverend Edward Forster translated a five volume Arabian Nights which was printed by William Miller. The volumes were illustrated with 24 engravings byRobert Smirke. Later, in 1811, a six volume collection was produced, again translated from the French work of Galland, this time by the author Jonathan Scott. This was printed by Longman Hurst.
Right: The Arabian Nights illustrated by A. E. Jackson
Between 1839 and 1841 a three volume edition was printed by Charles Knight. This was an interesting translation as the author, Edward William Lane, had visited Egypt and devoted himself to the study of Oriental language and culture. The illustrator of his work, the engraver William Harvey, consulted him meticulously regarding the settings and dress in his pictures. However, Lane's version, entitled The Thousand and One Nights, was not complete. He omitted the more bawdy tales and much of the poetry.
Next on the scene was the translator John Payne who produced a nine volume edition entitled The Book of The Thousand Nights and One Night.Interestingly, this collection chose to include much of the poetry and some of the more risqué stories neglected by previous authors.
However, the most famous late Victorian translation was that of Sir Richard Burton. An adventurer, archaeologist, diplomat and journalist, Burton was the ideal person to publish a complete and unabridged collection of the stories. Indeed, in the mid 1880s Book of the Thousand Nights and a Nightwas printed comprising of seventeen volumes. This was a controversial decision by the author who remained unapologetic for any vulgarity included in the work. However, the translation was a huge success!
Left: A nice French edition illustrated by A. Robaudi
In synopsis, comparing the major versions mentioned above, The Edinburgh Review pronounced that "Galland was for the nursery, Lane for the library, Payne for the study, and Burton for the sewers"! Since this period many new adaptations of the stories have been printed. There is no doubt that the stories have had a profound influence on many of our literary masters, including Washington Irving, Charles Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson. As one scholar wrote, "The tales themselves are masterpieces in the art of storytelling. In inventiveness and sheer entertainment value they stand supreme among short stories of all time...".
Right: An example of illustrations by Michael Foreman.
However, capturing the delicate and beautiful, yet colourful and exotic nature of Eastern culture within the illustrations of this collection of stories is a skill that many illustrators have attempted to achieve, but only a few have acquired. Among the successful illustrators would have to be Edmund Dulac who steeped himself in Eastern art and culture and was strongly influenced by the Persian and Indian paintings. Dulac's paintings are nothing short of stunning. The illustrations of George Soper are also quite delightful. Rated highly are the classic illustrations of H.J. Ford for the famous The Arabian Nights Entertainments edited by Andrew Lang in 1898. Rene Bull, a contemporary illustrator of Ford, travelled widely in the Middle East and was strongly influenced by the Oriental culture. This is evident in his beautiful edition ofThe Arabian Nights .
For certain, this is a masterpiece which will always remain synonymous with the fabulous and exotic. If you wish to be transported into a wonderland of marvellous palaces, beautiful women, powerful magicians, and exquisite repasts, The Arabian Nights is the book for you!
Article submitted by Claire Waldron.
(Published 3rd Dec 2014)
