Reigning in Bottles, Trapped in Hell: How Paradise Lost and The Arabian Nights Characterize Evil

Abstract

I compare and contrast characterizations of evil with the genie in the Story of the Fisherman and the Genie, from the Arabian Nights, and Satan, from Paradise Lost. I establish the cross-cultural and literary foundations of each text. Notably, I argue that the Arabian Nights has a key reference to the gospels and is not a purely Islamic text. This reference is used to show how the Arabian Nights compare with Milton's sense of faith and salvation. I next analyze how pride distorts knowledge in both the genie and Satan, which is seen in the genie’s battle against Solomon and Satan’s battle against God. Lastly, I argue that wisdom and humility, rather than force, are what ultimately conquers both the genie and Satan.