Ancient Egypt 2675-332 B.C.E.: Literature
chapter four
LITERATURE
EdwardBleiberg
IMPORTANT EVENTS … 112OVERVIEW … 114
TOPICS
Egyptian Writing and Language … 115
Egyptian Writing Materials and Publishing … 118
The Author … 121
The Idea of Genre in Middle Egyptian Literature … 123
The Literature of Moral Values … 126
Pessimistic Literature … 128
Story of Sinuhe … 130
Emergence of New Kingdom Literature … 131
Demotic Literature … 138
The Egyptian Literary Canon … 141
Khaemwase … 148
Ptahhotep … 148
Wenamun … 149
SIDEBARS AND PRIMARY DOCUMENTS
Primary sources are listed in italics
Immortality of Writers: Anonymity and Fame (an author claims that literary fame is the best way to achieve immortality) … 122
Combining Literary Genres (excerpt from The Teachings of Amenemhet) … 124
Moral Declarations from the Autobiography of Nefer-seshem-re (Nefer-seshem-re comments on social obligation) … 127
Sinuhe: A Man Who Changed (excerpt from The Story of Sinuhe) … 131
Hymn to the Sun God (the most complete account of the myth of Osiris) … 134
Uncertain Doom (excerpt from The Doomed Prince) … 142
Teachings of Ptahhotep—Practical and Wise (practical and lofty wisdom from Ptahhotep) … 144