Wait What! Aladdin Is A Picaro?

A Picaresque Novel is a style of fiction that follows a rough and at times dishonest but likable hero. This picaresque style of writing originated from 17th century Spain. A good example of what a picaresque story would look like is the Disney movie “Aladdin”. Aladdin is a great example of a picaro, a rouge, who at the same time is the lovable hero of the story. Aladdin isn’t your typical hero, he isn’t famous, admired for his brave deeds, nor is he role model. He’s just a hood rat from the streets who happened to find a magic lamp along with a magic carpet and an extremely hot princess who lives in the Taj Mahal.

Just like Simplicius from “The Adventure of Simplicius Simplicissimus,” Alladin is cut from different cloth than all the other heroes and princes of a story. They faced adversity like any other hero but they were born with disadvantages. Simplicius didn’t even know what soldiers looked like while Aladdin had to steal food on a daily basis to survive. “These are the four-legged rascals and thieves of whom you knan spoke.’ For at first I thought (as did the American Indians when they first saw Spanish cavalry) that horse and man were but one creature, and must be wolves. (Ch 3:12-15)