Provide a characterization of Shahrazad of the The Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights).

The story of A Thousand and One
Nights, also known as The Arabian Nights, is built upon
the structural framework that allows all of the stories within to be joined in single
purpose, rather than presenting a string of tales that are seemingly
disconnected.

Shahrazad is the woman who marries Shahrayar,
a powerful ruler. Having found his first wife unfaithful to him, he killed her. Now he
marries a virgin each night and kills her the next day, in this way guaranteeing that
his "wife" will remain faithful. It is no surprise that it soon becomes difficult to
find a wife for the ruler. This is the framework of the story: Shahrazad marries
Shaharyar, but her stories every night are so wonderful, that her husband does not kill
her because he wants to hear more of her stories. This premise is what ties together
these unrelated tales.

Shahrazad is in the story very
little, providing the story's essential framework. However, we can still characterize
her based on what we do know. First of all, she is brave. Her father is the vizier who
is in charge of obtaining a new wife each night for the ruler. When he tells his
daughter of his concern of being unsuccessful, Shahrazad offers herself, even knowing
she might well be killed the morning after the marriage. This shows she is brave, but
she is also self-less. It is her generous nature to save other women in the kingdom that
motivates her to agree to the marriage. Having listened to a story her father relates to
demonstrate the danger that awaits her, Shahrazad makes a plan with her sister Dinazad;
Shahrazad she will ask for her sister to visit the new couple on their wedding night.
Then Dinazad will request a story from her sister with the permission of
Shaharyar.

The wedding takes place, the marriage is
consummated, and Shahrazad makes her request. Shaharyar grants the request and his wife
begins to tell her stories, but only until dawn. He is so delighted, that he puts off
the execution for another night. This shows that Shahrazad is clever
and entertaining. She is clever for thinking to use the stories to
beguile her husband to allow her another day of life, and entertaining in that she tells
the tales with such skill that Shaharyar cannot wait to hear what she will tell him
next.

And so she continues to tell him a new story for one
thousand and one nights. To be able to continue for so long, Shahrazad must also be very
intelligent.

During this time Shahrazad bears Shaharyar
three sons. On the last evening of her stories, she asks her husband for a wish: that he
spare her life for the sake of her children. The tale is told that by now Shaharyar
deeply loves his wife and agrees without hesitation.

There
is a great celebration, the people are joyful, and Shahrazad and Shaharyar "live happily
ever after."