A Conversation Between Women of Agamemnon, The Decameron, and The Thousand and One Nights

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GRISELDA: Good afternoon Clytemnestra, Shahrazad; do you mind if I sit with you?

SHAHRAZAD: Please join us Griselda; I am glad you could come to the party. I heard about the current events between you and your husband; I am glad that everything worked out in the end.

CLYTEMNESTRA: Yes, please sit Griselda. How are you doing after everything that has happened?

GRISELDA: I am doing well. I am sure you know that Gualtieri felt he had to test me to see if I was worthy of being his wife. I am just glad I was able to keep my word because I had sworn to him that I would “always try to please him and never be upset by anything he said or did” (1636). I am glad Gualtieri does not feel as frightened of a long term commitment as he did before.

SHAHRAZAD: I cannot imagine what you went through. I know Shahrayar would not trust women for some time and his mistrust caused much pain in my country. I heard he even stated, “There is not a single chaste woman anywhere on the entire face of the earth.” (1778). He then began his famous act of only marrying a woman for one night and then killing her. The women in our kingdom started becoming scarce which is one of the reasons why I volunteered to be his wife. I have come to love and respect him more as our relationship has blossomed.

CLYTEMNESTRA: I do not understand how you could both love and respect men who have done such horrible things not only to you personally, but to others as well. Griselda how could you love your husband when you thought he had killed your children and divorced you? Shahrazad your husband has murdered countless women just because he was cheated on once and yet you can still love him? My husband killed my daughter as a sacrifice so he could win a war. I did not agree with his actions and did not stand for them. Needless to say he paid for his actions.

GRISELDA: I understand your pain Clytemnestra there was once a time where I though both my children were dead, but I still respected my husband and knew that he knew best; therefore, I did not argue. I remember telling the attendant, “There: do exactly as your lord, who is my lord too, has instructed you.

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