Literature of Egypt

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. [Citation |last=Edwards |first=Amelia |title=THE LITERATURE AND RELIGION OF ANCIENT EGYPT. |url=http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/edwards/pharaohs/pharaohs-6.html |accessdate=2007-09-30]

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; [cite book |last= Lichtheim |first=Miriam|title=Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol 1|publisher=University of California Press|year=1975|location=London, England|isbn=0-520-02899-6|pages=11] 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. [Citation |last= |first= |title=Ancient Egyptian Stories, Biographies, and Myths |url=http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.module&module_id=254&language_id=1&story_id=38 |accessdate=2007-09-30] The Nile had a strong influence on the writings of the ancient Egyptians, [Citation |last= |first= |title=The Nile in Ancient Egyptian Literature |url=http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.story&story_id=38&language_id=1 |accessdate=2007-09-30] 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. [Citation |last= |first= |title=Greco-Roman Poets |url=http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.module&module_id=255&language_id=1&story_id=38 |accessdate=2007-09-30] 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.

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.

Islamic Egyptian 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. [Citation |last= |first= |title=Groups of books and book production in Islamic Egypt |url=http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/writing/library/islamic.html |accessdate=2007-09-30] 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.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. [http://www.islamset.com/isc/nafis/drroubi.html Ibnul-Nafees As a Philosopher] , "Encyclopedia of Islamic World").] 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. [citation|title="Blurbs" (taqrîz) from Fourteenth-Century Egypt|first=Franz|last=Rosenthal|author-link=Franz Rosenthal|journal=Oriens|volume=27|year=1981|pages=177-196]

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. [Citation |last= |first= |title=MSN Encarta entry on Egypt |url=http://encarta.msn.com/text_761557408___17/Egypt.html |accessdate=2007-09-30] 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.

Notable Egyptian writers

*Taha Husayn
*Yūsuf Idrīs
*Sonallah Ibrahim
*Tawfiq al-Hakim
*Gamal Abdel Nasser
*Naguib Mahfouz

ee also

*Wisdom literature
*Culture of Egypt
*Music of Egypt
*Cairo Geniza

References

External links

* [http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/liter.htm Literature in Ancient Egypt]