Egyptian Love Poetry Analysis

Women in classical Egyptian, Indian, and Persian literature are depicted as being more than just one dimensional figures. They are displayed as living beings, capable of emotion and exercising power amongst men. Ancient history has shown that in places such as Egypt, woman had equal rights alongside men, in regards to legal and economic rights. At the time, rights were based on economic class and not gender. By having a rights system that mimicked that of men’s rights, Egyptian women were able to show their multi-dimensionality. This multi-dimensionality was best portrayed in love poems such as “The Beginning of the Song that Diverts the Heart,” “I passed close by his house,” and ancient Egyptian literary artifacts, involving stele’s of Ahhotep

The first poem “The beginning of the song that diverts the heart,” The woman metaphorically describes her love which shows her inclination to be with this man. The sentence, “My beloved, my darling, my heart longs for your love — all that you created!” describes how deeply she wants to be with the man (Egyptian Love Poems 77). Secondly, one of the lines that truly reveals the nature of the woman’s love is “The first to come / takes my bait. / Its fragrance comes from Punt, / its claws full of balm. / My heart desires you. / Let us release it together” (Egyptian Love Poems 77). Within this line, the woman’s mention of bait, and releasing it, is an innuendo for sexual fulfillment. Lastly, towards the end of the poem, the woman shows her true intentions with lines, “I am with you, I alone…You are here with me, as I set my snare. / Going to the field is pleasant (indeed) for one who loves it” (Egyptian Love Poems 77). This woman wants to set this trap, while being alone with the man, essentially capturing his

Ancient Egyptian stelae were commonly used as tombstone or boundary markers, but were later used to commemorate special events. The latter was used to commemorate the bravery of Queen Ahhotep I. According to text from an Egyptian stelae inside the Karnak Temple, “She is the one who has accomplished the rites and taken care of Egypt... She has looked after her soldiers, she has guarded her, she has brought back her fugitives and collected together her deserters, and she has pacified Upper Egypt and expelled her rebels” (Dodson). Not only did Queen Ahhotep I command over men, she was played a pivotal role during the invasion of the Hykos. Queen Ahhotep I ultimately was awarded the “golden flies of valor” for her bravery for removing the Hykos out of Egypt. Ancient Egyptian woman were regarded highly amongst their male counterparts in comparison to places such as ancient Greece. The level at which ancient Egyptian woman were seen at, is shown in their writings and poems. Overall, the ability to express themselves at the level at which they did, and command armies, is a testament to the multi-dimensionality of ancient Egyptian