Dreams of Scheherazade by Taha Hussein

 

“Dreams of Scheherazade” by Taha Hussein

Artistic Introduction and Historical Context

Published in 1943, Dreams of Scheherazade by the Egyptian writer Taha Hussein is a symbolic continuation of One Thousand and One Nights.

 The novel begins on the “one-thousand-and-ninth night,” after the traditional tales end, and follows a profound transformation in King Shahryar: from a tyrannical ruler to a seeker of knowledge and meaning through Scheherazade’s dreams.

 Written at a time of widespread political oppression, the work stands as an early critique of authoritarianism and a call for democracy—six years before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Main Plot and Narrative Frame

The story unfolds as Shahryar listens to Scheherazade’s dreams while she sleeps, increasingly obsessed with deciphering the mystery of her character.

 Within her dreams, Scheherazade recounts the tale of King of the Jinn, Tahman ibn Zahman, and his daughter Fatina, a figure whose intelligence and mystery mirror Scheherazade herself. Two intertwined stories emerge:

• Shahryar’s quest to uncover Scheherazade’s true identity.

• Tahman’s struggle with his daughter Fatina against rival jinn kings plotting to seize his kingdom after his death.

Main Characters and Symbolism

Shahryar

• Embodies the tyrant transformed into a philosopher.

• Symbolizes the possibility of political systems changing through knowledge.

Scheherazade

• Represents the intelligent woman who wields storytelling as a weapon of reform.

• Her mystery reflects the hidden power of revolutionary ideas.

Tahman ibn Zahman (King of the Jinn)

• His name carries layered meanings: Tah (messenger, or a hint toward the Prophet Muhammad) and Mutahham (perfect in beauty).

• Symbolizes the reformist ruler who rejects injustice.

Fatina (Tahman’s daughter)

• Her name derives from “fitna,” meaning upheaval or revolution.

• Represents women as agents of change in Arab society.

Central Themes and Philosophical Ideas

1. Political and Social Critique

   • In a dialogue with Fatina, Tahman acknowledges the corruption of kingship:
     “We kings have grown used to commanding and never obeying... tyranny has become our law.”

   • Fatina argues that power must be shared with the people, offering an early vision of democracy.

2. The Struggle Between Reason and Superstition

   • Scheherazade’s dreams act as a metaphor for reason confronting Shahryar’s despotism, once rooted in ignorance and myth.

   • Fatina reframes “magic” as misunderstood science:
     “It will remain magic as long as it is hidden in secrecy; once unveiled, it becomes knowledge.”

3. The Role of Women as a Liberating Force

   • Both Scheherazade and Fatina embody sharp intellect, wisdom from the ancients, and the power to spark change through words and stories.

4. Religious and Intellectual Symbolism

   • Tahman’s name evokes Taha (a Qur’anic name of the Prophet Muhammad), while Zahman suggests firmness—together reflecting the harmony of spirit and intellect.

   • Scheherazade’s dreams resemble divine revelation guiding the unjust toward justice.

Stylistic Features and Literary Techniques

• Dual narrative frame: Shahryar’s reality and Tahman’s dream-world unfold in parallel.

• Rhetorical language: A blend of classical storytelling in the style of One Thousand and One Nights with modern philosophical reflection.

• Dialogues as vehicles of thought: Exchanges between Tahman and Fatina convey Hussein’s reformist ideas directly.

• Sensory description: Despite his blindness, Hussein evokes vivid imagery, as in Shahryar awakening in darkness:
  “He cast his gaze into the thickening dark... but his eyes met nothing.”

Historical Context and Significance

Written during World War II, a period marked by authoritarianism both in Egypt and globally, the novel stands as one of the first modern Arab attempts to reimagine classical heritage through the tools of the modern novel.

 Anticipating the spirit of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it remains a pioneering work of Arab Enlightenment thought.

Taha Hussein’s Vision

Dreams of Scheherazade is not a mere extension of the Nights; it is a political and philosophical manifesto calling for:

• The overthrow of tyranny through knowledge.

• The empowerment of women as active agents of change.

• Reform of political systems through the participation of the people.

Hussein aspired to “create a new way of life where nations do not suffer for the happiness of kings.” His novel endures as a landmark of political literature in the Arab world.

For the original summary in Arabic