Reading Notes, Week 5, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp Pt. 1, Part B.

 

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp Pt. 1, The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang:

• Not originally a part of the original Nights' stories, the addition of it demonstrates the flexibility and durability of stories. Also, it demonstrates the importance of knowing the source material, and to see how stories were added here and there, and were not necessarily there when the original was created.
• Though one of Scheherazade's stories, there really is no moral lesson in this one.
• Has more of a fun-sy feel to it; an adventurous tell with mischievous genie's.
• That said, the heavy usage of genie's in the Nights', but Aladdin provides more of the magic and wish-granting that is associated with the name Aladdin.
• Stories sent in China with ties to Africa, despite some of the characters and terms being used being Arabic.
• Why were genies prevalent in Middle Eastern stories? (Wikipedia)
• Arabic name: Jinn; later Anglicized as genies 
• Could be used to acknowledge other spirits from other religions within Islam, but Jinns are not strictly an Islamic concept.
• Jinn used for a collective designation of supernatural creatures, but they're typically mentioned together with devils/demons.
• Held responsible for possession, misfortune and diseases; though they can be benevolent or neutral in terms of behavior.
• Aladdin is portrayed as lazy, essentially, and requiring motivation to do anything.
• The story simply tells of his acquiring of the magical ability to acquire wealth.

Aladdin finds the wonderful lamp inside the cave by Rene Bull
(Commons Wikipedia)

• 2 jinn introduced in the story; the usage of a ring and the commonly known lamp.
• Supernatural figures used as a spring board to help main character/protagonist make a name for themself.
• Diversity of characters; naturally, there are heavy ties to China and Africa, with Arabic names and terminology used, that adds to it.