Write essay about "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor".
Essay Topic
Read closely the Ancient Egyptian "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor" and then write an essay interpreting the story and explaining its possible significance and implications. Begin by ascertaining as clearly as possible the literal level of meaning so it is clear to you what is happening in the story. Then proceed to interpret the story on deeper levels. Make sure your essay is primarily devoted to interpretation and analysis rather than just paraphrasing the story.
Establishing the literal events should be done upfront but should not take more than one paragraph. Keep in mind this exercise is asking you to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to apply the ideas and techniques of reading that you are learning in the class. While you are welcome to consult outside sources, the point of the essay is for you to develop your own understanding of the story in terms that are relevant to the concerns of the class. Any ideas, facts, language, or other materials borrowed from outside sources have to be acknowledged precisely where they occur in the essay and in a list of Works Cited at the end of the essay. The list of Works Cited must contain at least the reference to the source of the text indicated below.
Notice again that ideas, facts and language gathered from any sources should not take up large portions of the essay. The bulk of the writing has to be your own analysis and reflection on the story, not the retelling of the literal events or reporting on the ideas of others.
The tale comes from the so-called Middle Kingdom period of Egyptian history, around 2000-
1700 BC
The Egyptian word KA means the spirit, the soul, the living essence of a person. The KA was also understood as as a spiritual double of the self.
A colophon is a note at the end of a manuscript giving information on the person who wrote it and the sources.
Text Source: Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973), Vol. 1, pp. 212-215.
Approximately 750-1000 words (it can be longer if the discussion is substantial, i.e. no filler, wordiness, or just repetition)