Sheik Ibraheim Omair, played here by Walter Long (1879-1952), captures Diana Mayo. From The Sheik (1921). Long appeared in D. W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation, where he played an African American slave.
1. “Diana paused for a moment framed in the entrance, then, with head thrown back and swaggering, boyish stride, she moved across the thick rugs leisurely and halted in front of the chief, looking straight at him with haughty, curling lips and insolent, half closed eyes. The hold she was exercising over herself was tremendous, her body was rigid with the effort, and her hands deep down in her pockets clenched till the nails bit into the palms. Every instinct was rebelling against the calm she forced upon herself” (Hull 154).
When Diana was kidnapped by the Sheik her attitude and behavior was very different compared to how she acted when kidnapped by Ibraheim Omair’s men. In what ways does she act differently? What do you think contributes to the change in her demeanor?
2. “Slowly she lifted the weapon clear of the table with steady fingers and brought her
The Sheik. Reprint. Dell Romance Cover, 1947.
hand stealthily from behind her. She looked at it for a moment dispassionately. She was not afraid. She was conscious only of an overwhelming weariness, a longing for rest that should still the gnawing pain in her breast and the throbbing in her head…. A flash and it would be over, and all her sorrow would melt away…. But would it?” (Hull 204).
Many of us have been in relationships where we were or we thought we were in love. People break up and go through depression in which they make foolish decisions all the time. However, if we are all still here then we were never pushed to the point where we took our lives. What do you think pushes Diana to attempt (and come uncomfortably close) to taking her own life? Do you think this might have been her love that pushed her to it or some other emotion (i.e. revenge, stubbornness, hysteria)?
Group 8 NS
ENGH 202: Why Women Read Romance 
1) Diana is more repulsed by Ibraheim, the way she describes him is of exact opposite of the Sheik. He is described by having “this gross, unwieldy figure..swollen, ferocious face, blackened teeth..” Diana stays calm and almost returns back to her state of independence in the beginning, in that she thinks that she can escape from him so she stays calm until her move comes to get away.
2) Diana attempts this move because she absolutely thinks that she cannot go back to her life. Her life is with the Sheik and if she has no life with him then there is no purpose of living. It was definitely her love for him that pushed her to do it as well as the Sheik pushing her to leave and telling her that she had to because he loved her so much that he had to let her go. And if he had to let her go then in her mind, she though she could no longer live.
1. Diana was more weak when Sheik Ahmed approached her, she lost her sense of control and felt a lot of fear not being able to look him confidently. When Ibraheim Omair approaches her after the kidnap she is able to look him straight in the eye with courage and she had control over her feelings. I feel like a contribution to this change in emotions is due to the physical appearances of the new Sheik and how he is not portrayed as the regular hero, he is not masculine, not handsome, and does not have good hygiene. I feel like most woman feel less confident around guys who are good looking then those who are unattractive.
1) By now, Diana is used to how it feels to be kidnapped. She has less fear than she did the first time with Ahmed. With Ibraheim, she has disgust, and describe him as a monster. She uses words that are unattractive about him. What contributes to the change of this demeanour is Diana’s feelings for Ahmed.
2) What pushes Diana to kill herself is because of the barrier between her and Ahmed. She cannot be with him so all she keeps thinking what can I live for if I can’t be witg him? Diana feels alive with him, something that shes never felt before with anyone.