Sindbad is
an interesting character. He inherits a large sum of money from his parents, decides
to sail with a band of merchants, and survives seven voyages of epic
proportion. The interesting quality of Sindbad isn’t in the fact that he loves
adventure. Any young person, especially one who is the protagonist of a story,
can be expected to crave a little adventure. The interesting thing about
Sindbad is that he experiences some of the most frightful and terrifying things
that one could experience when out at sea, yet still he wants more. Of course,
immediately after each voyage he tells himself that he will be content to live
a quiet life, but at the start of each story to follow, he grows tired of his
quiet life. Time and time again, Sindbad trades his safe, restful life for a
daring and dangerous adventure.
Sindbad
experience some of the most terrible fates in each of his seven voyages. On his
very first voyage, Sindbad and his company are shipwrecked by a whale they mistook
for an island. This would most certainly be a dramatic first experience for a
sailor. Sindbad expresses this feeling at the end of the first voyage, when he
decides to “forget [his] past sufferings” and “live happily…in the enjoyment of
all the pleasures of life.” However, at the start of the second voyage, we find
Sindbad has become restless and tired of an “idle life.” He then goes on
another voyage, where again he becomes shipwrecked and faces terrible adversity.
This is the theme throughout all seven voyages.
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| Sindbad Fleeing From Giants. Web Source: Un-Textbook |
One thing
that could explain Sindbad’s constant desire to return to the sea is the
marvelous fortune that always results. In the midst of every misfortune,
Sindbad always finds himself with a plethora of treasures and befriends
powerful kings and merchants. When he returns home from the voyages, he is
always far richer than when he had set out.
Read the full story here!
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