Literature of Egypt
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Egyptian literature traces its beginnings to ancient Egypt and therefore is some of the earliest known literature. Indeed, the Egyptians were the first culture to develop literature as we know it today, that is, the book.[1]
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[edit] Ancient Egyptian literature
- See also: Ancient Egyptian literature
The ancient Egyptians wrote works on papyrus as well as walls, tombs, pyramids, obelisks and more. Perhaps the best known example of ancient Egyptian literature is the Story of Sinuhe;[2] other well known works include the Westcar Papyrus and the Ebers papyrus, as well as the famous Book of the Dead. While most literature in ancient Egypt was so-called "Wisdom literature" (that is, literature meant for instruction rather than entertainment), there also existed myths, stories and biographies solely for entertainment purposes. The autobiography has been called the oldest form of Egyptian literature.[3] The Nile had a strong influence on the writings of the ancient Egyptians,[4] as did Greco-Roman poets who came to Alexandria to be supported by the many patrons of the arts who lived there, and to make use of the resources of the Library of Alexandria.[5] Many great thinkers from around the ancient world came to the city, including Callimachus of Libya and Theocritus of Syracuse. Not all of the great writers of the period came from outside of Egypt, however; one notable Egyptian poet was Apollonius of Rhodes.
[edit] Christian Egyptian literature
Alexandria would also go onto become an important center in early Christianity during roughly the 1st to 4th century CE. The Nag Hammadi library and other Coptic works have become important sources for Christian literature of the period that would have otherwise been lost to history.
[edit] Islamic Egyptian literature
- See also: Arabic literature and Islamic literature
By the eighth century Egypt had been conquered by the Muslim Arabs. Literature, and especially libraries, thrived under the new Egypt brought about by the Muslim conquerors.[6] Several important changes occurred during this time which affected Egyptian writers. Papyrus was replaced by cloth paper, and calligraphy was introduced as a writing system. Also, the focus of writing shifted almost entirely to Islam. The earliest novel written in Egypt was Ibn al-Nafis' Theologus Autodidactus, the earliest example of a science fiction and theological novel.[7] The concept of a "brief statement praising a literary product", now known as a blurb, also dates back to medieval Egyptian literature from the 14th century, and was known as taqriz in medieval Arabic literature.[8]
[edit] Modern Egyptian literature
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Arab world experienced a al-Nahda, a Renaissance-esque movement which touched nearly all areas of life, including literature.[9] One of the most important figures from this time was Naguib Mahfouz, the first Egyptian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1914 Muhammad Husayn Haykal wrote Zaynab, considered the first modern Egyptian as well as Islamic novel.
[edit] Notable Egyptian writers
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Edwards, Amelia, THE LITERATURE AND RELIGION OF ANCIENT EGYPT., <http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/edwards/pharaohs/pharaohs-6.html>. Retrieved on 30 September 2007
- ^ Lichtheim, Miriam (1975). Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol 1. London, England: University of California Press, 11. ISBN 0-520-02899-6.
- ^ Ancient Egyptian Stories, Biographies, and Myths, <http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.module&module_id=254&language_id=1&story_id=38>. Retrieved on 30 September 2007
- ^ The Nile in Ancient Egyptian Literature, <http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.story&story_id=38&language_id=1>. Retrieved on 30 September 2007
- ^ Greco-Roman Poets, <http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.module&module_id=255&language_id=1&story_id=38>. Retrieved on 30 September 2007
- ^ Groups of books and book production in Islamic Egypt, <http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/writing/library/islamic.html>. Retrieved on 30 September 2007
- ^ Dr. Abu Shadi Al-Roubi (1982), "Ibn al-Nafis as a philosopher", Symposium on Ibn al-Nafis, Second International Conference on Islamic Medicine: Islamic Medical Organization, Kuwait (cf. Ibnul-Nafees As a Philosopher, Encyclopedia of Islamic World).
- ^ Rosenthal, Franz (1981), “"Blurbs" (taqrîz) from Fourteenth-Century Egypt”, Oriens 27: 177-196
- ^ MSN Encarta entry on Egypt, <http://encarta.msn.com/text_761557408___17/Egypt.html>. Retrieved on 30 September 2007
[edit] External links
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