Analysis

The artifact that portrays the Ifrit rising from the smoke as the fisherman watches in terror has one crucial connection to the portrayal of the Ifrit in the text depicted as the ‘other’ in both instances.

This is clearly illustrated in the artifact by Rene Bull, in which the Ifrit in “The Story of the Fisherman and the Demon" is depicted in an explicitly racist manner. In this picture, the ifrit is portrayed to have big, bulging eyes, thick lips, white teeth, and brown skin. All these depictions of the demon conform to racist stereotypes that were common in Anglo-Saxon society in 1912 and were similar to the way that painters often drew people from marginalized communities. It is interesting to note that the portrayal of the Ifrit became increasingly racialized in the 20th century,as the passage from The Arabian Nights claims that the Ifrit is a ‘hideous monster’ but was ethnically ambiguous.(Duggan, p.113-135 )The demon in the artefact ‘Demon in chains,’ is also characterised as the ‘ethnic other’, with its dark brown skin, fangs and horns. The fear of the ‘other’ lead to the human beings capturing the demon. Thus, the ifrit came to represent the ‘ethnic or racial other’  by Western readers in the early twentieth century. In The Thousand and One Nights, the Ifrit is also mostly represented as ‘the other’ by his actions, cruelty and strange appearance.

 “He had a head like a tomb, fangs like pincers, a mouth like a cave, teeth like stones, nostrils like trumpets, ears like shields, a throat like an alley, and eyes like lanterns…in short, he was a hideous monster”

(Haddawy ,p.625, )

However, we note that the Ifrit does not fit the exact definition of the ‘other’ in the story. The ifrit is not portrayed to be inherently cruel and incapable of change, as he does not harm the fisherman in the end. This reflects the Persian belief of jinn as creatures that occupy a ‘special’ status. They are supernatural creatures with mysterious powers, and their choice to follow the will of God is a matter of will and not inherent to their nature (Peterson, p.94 ). The Ifrit, who can reward but also destroy, could also stand as a metaphor for things that could be beneficial and harmful to us, such as  the emerging hydrogen fuel industry( Peterson, p. 100)

 The artifact and the passage both explore the themes of monsters and Ifrits in captivity and bound to objects such as the albarello or lamps. It is noted that demons in Persian literature and folktales are often captured and forced to use their magic to serve a person and grant them their wishes. The jinni also alludes to this during his speech, “Whoever sets me free during these two hundred years, I will make him rich”(Haddawy,p.625). Thus, the ifrits could also represent marginalized communities that have been over-exploited in society. In the artifact of ‘Demon in Chains’, the demon has been bound by the commoners, probably in the hope that it would grant them their wishes. This also occurs in The Thousand and One Nights, where Ifrits is tricked into the bottle by the fisherman and is captured by him. Hence, the artifact and the passage both examine the agency of monsters-the demon in the artifact seems to have lost his agency, while the Ifrit in the story is temporarily free-willed and powerful but limited in understanding. (Peterson,p.101)

Interestingly, the artifacts of the ‘Demon in Captivity’ and The Fisherman and the Demon are all framed within the story of a “commoner” character. This character’s story is marked by his labour and poverty. The demon has been captured by two commoners, demonstrated by their attire and their clothes. Similarly, in the tale of the fisherman and the demon, the fisherman’s poverty and predicament are signified in the poetry that he sings (Dolcerocca, p. 301-325).

Come then, O death, and end this worthless life,

Where the ducks soar, while the falcons are bound to earth.

No wonder that you see the good man poor.

While the vicious exults in his estate.

(Haddawy, Page. 624) )

 This highlights the injustice of the situation, which resonated in the artifacts once again. At the end of the story, justice prevails as the fisherman’s fortunes are reversed, in part due to his wit and cunning, and he becomes the King’s father-in-law.

The trope of the wronged victim and the injustice of the situation is demonstrated in both the artifacts and the text. The monster in captivity in the artifact presents a scenario where human beings behave in an unfair manner towards him, imprisoning and exploiting him for his magical ability. We can contrast this with the text that portrays the cruel nature of the Ifrit, whose wrath towards the innocent fisherman is unwarranted. Scheherazade and the previous wives of Shahryar are also the wronged victims of Shahryar’s misplaced wrath. Thus the artifacts and the passage raise interesting questions about themes such as justice and honor.