CLAA05H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Ramesses V, Harpocrates, Hedjet
Document Summary
This, the longest of the new kingdom stories, is perhaps the one with the least literary merit, for there is little in the way of suspense to maintain the reader"s interest throughout the narrative (wente 91) This is similar to dalley"s critique of epic of creation. Both myths are about the supremacy of some of their main gods so it would be seen through by the audience. Text we have comes from a papyrus form the reign of ramesses v (20th dynasty, New kingdom compositions but with old and middle kingdom elements. Coarse humour typical of ramesside period so myth was partly meant for entertainment but also serious religion. Osiris, isis, nephthys, seth ad horus the elder are born to nut. Osiris is a good king who civilizes the earth but seth is jealous and locks. Osiris in a coffin that floats to byblos. Isis returns with osiris" body in the coffin.
