This article compares Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt with the Sinbad the Sailor cycle, focusing on structural and narratological parallels rather than claims of direct influence. Moving beyond the ‘contextual contamination’ of Eastern motifs in European literature, we identify fundamental structural homologies – most notably the topoi of departure, disguise, and the figure of the ‘divided subject,’ whose identity remains fragmented across multiple narrative roles. From these foundations, the study shifts to the performative mechanics of the play, exploring three distinct analytical stages: first, Diegetic Agency, where Peer’s identity is constructed through a performative contract akin to an Oriental oral storyteller; second, Diegesis as Exchange, which frames narration as a form of labor, comparing Peer to the Persian ma‘rakagīr; and third, Diegetic Mimesis, which analyzes how Ibsen employs reportage as a substitute for scenic enactment. By synthesizing these elements, we argue that Peer Gynt functions as a dramatic model where reality is constructed, negotiated, and deferred through the act of storytelling, ultimately reconfiguring the theater as a space of mediated presence.