Ancient Egyptian Literature in the New Kingdom
Ancient Egyptians wrote using symbols known today as hieroglyphs on papyrus and stone stelae. Literacy was low and so most writing is by the elite middle and upper class citizens of Egypt, this indicates that the texts had the potential to be very biased and so can not be taken at face value.
The New Kingdom Dynasty 18 was very similar in the area of literature to the other Dynasties. It had all the major areas of literature; Biographies, monumental inscriptions, hymns, prayers, wisdom texts and love poems.
Biographies were common during the New Kingdom, these were depicted mainly on the walls of mortuary temples as a guide to the afterlife and for certain people of the general public to view. The biography of Ahmose, Son of Ebana was, according to Breasted, an ‘especially important source’ from the eighteenth dynasty. Ahmose was a navel officer who served under three successive Pharaohs; Ahmose I, Amenhotep I and Thutmose I. Biographies such as these are an important source as they provide modern scholars with a background to the different dynastic periods, what certain jobs entitled and the social standing of these positions. The biography of Ahmose, Son of Ebana was also important as it was the ‘only contemporary source for the expulsion of the Hyksos’ and as all the royal documentation and records from the eighteenth dynasty have perished this biography is the only source from which historians can deduce the different war campaigns held during the period of Ahmose’s period of servitude.
Biographies are sometimes classified as monumental inscriptions; monumental inscriptions are durable records of ‘donations made to various temples, lists of statues and buildings, reports of both military and trading expeditions, and royal activities such as hunting.’ . The genre of Monumental inscriptions include one of the most important points in Egyptian Literature; the Annals of Thutmose III . A document ‘containing no less that 223 lines, is the longest and most important historical inscription in Egypt’
The Annals of Thutmose III depicts his crossing of the Euphrates and the booty they gained from this expedition. This long inscription disconfirmed the theory that Egyptians could not write a ‘clear and succinct account of a military campaign’ as this was exactly that. The longest historical inscription containing the most accurate and detailed account of the military campaigns and achievements during the reign on Thutmose III.
Hymns and prayers were a religious genre of Egyptian Literature. Although only 1% of the Egyptian population, were believed to be literate, it is thought that the other 99% learnt these hymns and prayers by ‘word of mouth’ just like many other important texts within the late New Kingdom. Instructions were also seen to have passed around by ‘word of mouth’ and are classified as ‘wisdom texts’. This was so because instructions imparted to others the wisdom of the writer. Instructions were mainly a series of points on how to live. Instructions follow the traditional didactic form of Egyptian literature listing the numerous teachings of life before concluding with a urge for compliance to the ‘rules’ set out.
The Instructions of Any are dated to the 18th Dynasty, New Kingdom and follow the traditional rules of Instructions, deferring only at the conclusion that involves a boy saying how difficult it would be to abide by all the instructions. This adds a more realistic perspective to the document ‘showing an awareness that the efficiency of teaching could be questioned and has its limitations’
Instructions were also found on how to write, these were titled’ Be A Scribe’ and were found in schools on Papyri and ostraca which helps historians date the works. Students learning how to be a scribe learnt through copying out generic documents so that they became familiar with the different formats of documents such as letters, hymns and prayers.
Instructions for letter writing were one of the few forms of historical evidence of schooling within Ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom.
Most of these generic documents ‘revolved around three main themes: 1. The teacher’s advise to the student, exhorting him to diligence and warning against dissipation. 2. The praise of the scribe’s profession as one superior to all others. 3. The grateful replies of the student who lauds his teacher and wishes him wealth and happiness.”
Papyrus Lansing is a late New Kingdom example of ‘Be a Scribe’, beginning with the persuasion of diligence ‘Apply yourself to this noble profession… You will find it useful.’ And follows with the teacher scolding his pupil for lack of diligence; ‘But though I beat you with every kind of stick, you do not listen.’ These types of letters between teacher and pupil helped the aspiring scribe associate closely with the letter writing format, and became a very popular method during the Late New Kingdom as many such documents have been recorded in ‘schools’.
‘Love writing, shun dancing; then you will become a worthy official’ Although men were not often depicted as dancing, there is evidence of a substantial amount of love poetry written in the New Kingdom, providing an insight to ‘The daily life – personal, unofficial, secular – which these songs preserve dates from the New Kingdom of pharaonic Egypt… and the last great flourishing of Egyptian civilization.’
Love poetry or ‘Love writing’ was a genre of Egyptian literature that was written in spare time, although Tremper Longman states that the ‘purpose of these songs was entertainment, probably at banquets’ which leads speculation to if the writing of love songs was not only a private occupation.
The love poetry of the late New Kingdom was mainly sung, hence the often use of the title ‘Love Songs.’ Many love poems also begin with ‘Beginning of the sayings of great happiness.’ From ‘La A Cycle of Seven Stanzas’ from the Papyrus Chester Beatty I. Although this is a poem, it’s title refers to it as a saying, this is just another title for this genre of writing.
Egyptian poetry is written in first person as an internal monologue and refers to the object of their affection as brother or sister. ‘My brother torments my heart with his voice’ This was an accepted term of endearment branching from the common practice of Pharaohs marrying their brother or sister and so was an accepted cultural tradition.
The separate lines of Egyptian poetry was depicted by using ‘verse points’ which were drawn in an alternate colour to the one being used to write the poetry, this was generally red ink for the verse points as opposed to black.
Egyptian Literature during the eighteenth dynasty was crucial to understanding the historical events of this time. Although literature was highly subjective it has helped historians and modern scholars alike determine the customs and rituals performed every day. By defining the different forms of Literature found within the Literature genre has allowed for areas of a more detailed and specific application of the uses of Scibes and Literature throughout New Kingdom Egypt.
Source: http://www.riversideg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/public/riverside%20maat/NK%20SOciety/Final%20NK%20soc%20essays/Literature%20Mox.doc
Web site to visit: http://www.riversideg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au
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