The Arabian Nights: One Thousand and One Nights Lesson Plan

What exactly do you think Schahriar's wife did to the Sultan to upset him so much? Why was this such a problem?

Although students might initially present a variety of answers—for example, that the Sultana was plotting Schahriar's overthrow—that the Sultana was sexually unfaithful is also a pretty obvious answer.

Note that sexual infidelity is in fact the right answer here. As such, this would also be a good time to make a point to students about how Andrew Lang was less explicit about certain things than other translators of The Arabian Nights, such as Richard Burton, who mentions the Sultana's adultery quite straightforwardly.

Of course, there is also a more profound...