57 pages • 1 hour read
Sinuhe, R.B. Parkinson (Translator)The Tale of Sinuhe: and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940-1640 B.C.
Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult | BCEA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
What do these poems reveal about the historical era of the Middle Kingdom in its social, political, and/or cultural aspects? What does this literature reveal that more straightforward historical or factual Egyptian documents may not?
Outsiders and foreigners (“Asiatics” or Easterners) are often evoked as a sign of threat or disorder. How do these outside forces work to define Egyptian cultural and social values? You may wish to look particularly at “The Tale of Sinuhe” and how his time in Syria contrasts to his life in Egypt.
Discuss the didactic or instructional mode that frequently emerges in the poems, especially in the wisdom literature. What values and ideas do they seek to impart to listeners/readers? How are they different or similar to one another in their didactic approaches?
Analyze the literary devices and their rhetorical effects, especially in light of Parkinson’s suggestion that these pieces would have been read aloud or orally performed, supplementing a possible tradition of oral literature. What else about these pieces suggests they were intended for a listening audience?
Compare “The Tale of Sinuhe” to tales of voyage or exile in other cultures, such as Homer’s Odyssey. What thematic concerns do these stories share? In what ways is “The Tale of Sinuhe” unique?
Explore the vision of a proper social order that underpins the cultural worldview of these poems. What values are most important in upholding the social order? What do the frequent images of destruction or disorder suggest about what the contemporary audience valued or feared?
Explore the more magical elements in some of the tales and discuss their purpose. What do these tales of wonder suggest about Egyptian beliefs? How do they illustrate some of the tales’ key themes and ideas?
Discuss the elegiac tone that is found across several of these pieces, particularly the lament for a past time. How are past and present contrasted with one another? Why are ideals so often rooted in that past? What do the speakers imply the audience can learn from studying their history or the ways of the ancestors?
Discuss the importance of death and the afterlife in the texts. How is death depicted? How do conceptions of the afterlife reflect concerns and values nurtured during an Egyptian’s lifetime?
Consider Parkinson’s argument in his Introduction that ancient Egyptian texts should be placed on an equal basis with other classics of world literature. How does Egyptian literature compare to other ancient literature? What are its strengths and weaknesses compared to other extant ancient traditions?
