Persian Letters seems like a hopeless account that pushes against female emancipation. Starting with the opening letters from each of the wives to Usbek and continuing until Roxana's death by suicide at the end of the novel, at first glance, these letters reek of desperation and cyclical terror for womankind during this time period. However, while these epistles might seem to speak of insurmountable irreparability and impossibility for gender equality, a deeper examination reveals a strongly feminist manifesto that bypasses this society. These feminist overtones are widely visible in Roxana's sacrificial death, as well as in the writings on the Feminine Paradise. But even aside from these plot points, there is a consistent tone of women's empowerment that provides support throughout the novel. This alternative and empowering reading encourages unique sources of power for these women; they may not be able to fully escape the hell they are subjected to in an optimal way, but again and again, their writings and actions remind readers that female agency is possible, depending on how they look for it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The wives of The Persian Letters represent a great example of protofemininity. Usbek's wives are submissive in every way, but often this behavior is purely displayed out of necessity or survival - later, we learn that this is also related to the fact that they carry on extramarital affairs and want the freedom to do so. As humans, they are completely enslaved and used for their bodies, always having to submit to Usbek's rule. They are aware of this limiting lifestyle that they too are forced into, with Fatme even calling herself "a free woman, by the accident of birth... a slave to the violence of her love" (46). Each wife has a unique way of dealing with Usbek's whims and desires while communicating with him. As they write it, each shows their own unique style and their own way of managing it to achieve maximum freedom; they act on every feminist impulse and capacity they have. They are unable to openly defend women's rights or speak out against their injustices, so they use specific, distinctive diction to manipulate Usbek into getting what they want. Zashi plays the nostalgic lover, reminding him that he is "constantly looking for you and finding you nowhere" (43) and referring to the moments when "they" fell in love. Zephis is the damsel in distress, who complains about "how miserable I am!" and how “all I need is yourself” (44) to bring her happiness back. Fatme takes on the role of the brash lover, bordering on Stockholm syndrome at various points in her letter. She pines for him and "still [tries] to get into the habit of being attractive" (47). Roxana is different from all the other wives. He doesn't write to Usbek until the final year of his escapade, playing hard to get (minus any "game"). Their different approach tactics prove significant because they are acutely aware of every word they say and the order in which they speak to him. These letters initially create concern for the women and an urgent need to save them from Usbek, who has apparently brainwashed them; Fatme in letter seven seems particularly gone too far. However, the way they present themselves is actually more of a form of agency than anything else. A considerable amount of flattery occurs in each letter, whether in the form of a display of weakness or withholding communication altogether, so that by the time they haveneed or want something, have fainted or impressed Usbek enough to ask for it. Through their letters to Usbek and their actions in their homeland, it is seen that the power they have at the end of the novel is far greater than the power they were given at the beginning, with The Chief Eunuch even stating to Usbek that his "wives came to think that [his] departure meant total impunity for them" (270). The change in the power structure here ends up leading to Usbek's death because it provides the wives with free will over their own lives. They become characters capable of cleverly manipulating and contorting themselves through their adverse situations to make the best of the hand they have been dealt. Roxana may not be able to be with the man she loves; Zashi may not be able to be as sexually adventurous as she wishes outside the company of his slaves (270), but are able to find nooks and crannies of time to carve out the life they desire, given the unavoidable and unfortunate circumstances. It is through this silent and written manipulation, which is initially disparaging,. that all this is made possible. Roxana's death is sad and disheartening; he must die to gain power and happiness. In the midst of the Persian tale of women's paradise, Zulema states: “we are so miserable that we cannot help but wish for something different… I only wish to die myself… for this is the only way I can hope to be separated from you, I will still find such separation pleasant” (249). A women's idea of ​​heaven is exactly the opposite of what their life on earth is like, which is also true for the four wives. Zulema also illustrates in this tale that the only way a woman can gain agency in this society is through suicide. He adopts this as an act of power, and it is highly symbolic that he later goes to Heaven to have his "happiness perpetually renewed" (249). This highlights how female suicide here death offers more joy and freedom than a life in chains shackled to their husbands. It is also intended to lay the groundwork for Roxana's suicide. It foreshadows that death by suicide in this time period is not something to mourn, but something that could be a gateway to new realms of happiness. While suicide is generally considered heartbreaking, this turns it into a welcome act of empowerment for women seeking a much-needed escape in this society. The greatest source of female power, coming from both the structure of the novel and the text itself, is found in Roxana's last letter to Usbek as she poisons herself. Following the feminist motifs spread throughout the rest of the novel, this is not a suicide, it is a sacrifice and an act of rebellion. She manipulated everyone skillfully enough to tell Usbek, “I suborned your eunuchs, outwitted your jealousy, and managed to transform your terrible menagerie into a place of delicious pleasures” (280). She is touting her successes and how she managed to undermine his power while he was away. It is akin to civil rights activists and valiant martyrs rather than someone who committed suicide frivolously or emotionally, which would likely have been seen as a sign of demented weakness during this time period. While killing herself could be seen as an act of desperation or an escape from omnipresent power, the fact that she documents her death and writes about it to Usbek speaks volumes, as she is openly ignoring his authority, his efforts, and his rule . It works against the feeling of entrapment felt by many women at the time: they would rather be killed or become martyrs than submit to the will of the men who advance on them. Every movement that.