Naomi Mireles 

ECL 305 

Professor Pressman 

3 March 2024 

Julnar the Mermaid and Her Son Badar Basim of Persia are first seen in The Thousand and One Nights, also known as The Arabian Nights. This story is deeply rooted in Middle Eastern folklore and contains Indian, Persian, Arabic, and Jewish Traditions (Bacchilega, 171). Our narrator, Shahrazad, tells the story of a seaborn princess who goes by the name of Julnar who flees her home in the sea after a falling out with her brother and although she misses them greatly, she forbids herself from returning. Julnar is sold to King Shahriman in Khorasan. Before Julnar, King Shahriman was known to own many women, though he was sad because none of them would bear him children, and he feared there would be no one to inherit his kingdom. Instantly, the King is infatuated with Julnar and perceives her to be the most beautiful woman, so much so that he gives up his many concubines. The assertion of control is symbolic of the unequal power dynamic between the two, where Julnar finds herself subject to the King’s ownership and authority despite her autonomy as a powerful sea princess. This is perceived from their first encounter when the King purchases Julnar where possession is asserted. Although later in the story, a year after Julnar is silent, she develops genuine care for the King, their relationship is founded on control and limitations imposed upon her by the king, which in turn emphasizes the coercive nature of the relationship, which prompts the reader to rethink conventional and individual understandings of love and relationships. 

At the story’s beginning, the king’s power is evident from the moment Julnar appears at his door as a slave. The king immediately takes possession of Julnar and claims her as his own. The unequal power dynamics between the two are reflected in the king’s assertion of control over Julnar and are continuously reinforced by his position of power as king. Despite Julnar being of a relatively high class in her realm, this is disregarded as this information is unknown to the king, while outside of her natural environment, she does not hold much power or authority, not even over herself. The king’s desire to dominate and control Julnar is evident in the early stages of her arrival, “When everyone was gone, he took off his clothes and disrobed her with his own hand..So he lay down next to her and began making love.” (Bacchilega,175). The language used to describe this encounter is seemingly one-sided, it does not say “they” made love, it is evident that this was taken, not given, especially since Julnar did not speak until a year into their relationship. Throughout the narrative, the king’s possessiveness reflects entitlement, where love becomes synonymous with ownership and control. 

The romanticization of control and manipulation is depicted in Julnars willingness to sacrifice her agency for the King and his affection. With his desire to have a child, Julnar puts his desires over her own of returning to the sea to be with her brother and mother. Simultaneously, Julnar relinquishes her independence and power as a mermaid princess to comply with the king’s demands, which perpetuates a narrative where love becomes synonymous with submission. Julnar’s silent asset normalizes the manipulative tactics seen by the king. Despite her initial hesitation, she eventually succumbs to the king’s advances and desires under the pretext of love. The forms of manipulation and use of power as a king and higher social status depict harmful ideals of love where coercion is romanticized as an expression of affection. 

Over and above that, the king’s manipulation of Julnar is seen through his exploitation of her vulnerability. He takes advantage of Julnar’s desire for acceptance and belonging, milking his emotions to manipulate her into fulfilling his desires. This manipulation reinforces the narrative’s underlying themes of power imbalance and control within their relationship.

Julnar the Mermaid shares a narrative in which themes of power, control, and manipulation are unveiled. The king’s dominance over Julnar is symbolic of the unequal power dynamics within romantic relationships. Through the king’s tactics, a normalization of coercion and manipulation is perpetrated which reflects harmful ideals of love where manipulation overshadows love and respect. For example, the king’s initial reaction to assert ownership of Julnar reflects societal norms where women were viewed as nothing more than possessions to be owned and controlled by men. The idea of love as possession is further imposed on the reader as the king confines Julnar to his environment which strips Julnar of her agency in the search and longing for external love and affection. On top of this, the story shines a light on the timeless expectation of women to prioritize the desires and wishes of men over their own. Julnar’s satisfaction with the king despite her hesitation highlights the societal pressures upon women to prioritize the needs and wishes of their partners even at their own expense. 

The romanticization of control and manipulation within Julnar’s relationship with the king reflects broader modern and cultural attitudes and ideas of love and relationships. Julnar the Mermaid, while a fascinating and captivating story, also challenges the nature of love and power in our society. In delving deeper into our story, the layers of coercion and manipulation from the king allow us to gain insight into the complexities of human emotion and the journey for connection and romantic love.

Citations

Bacchilega, Cristina. Penguin Book of Mermaids. Penguin Publishing Group, 2019.