The Tale of Sinuhe

Author: Traditional

Time Period: 5000 BCE–2500 BCE

Country or Culture: Egypt

Genre: Myth

PLOT SUMMARY

Senusret (Sesostris or Senwosret), the son of King Amenemhet I (Ammenemes), is returning victorious from a war with the Tjehenu people when a messenger arrives with the news that his father has died. Sinuhe, a court official, overhears the messenger telling Senusret the news, and becomes fearful when he realizes that Senusret will become king. He flees, crossing the river in a rudderless boat and leaving Egypt. Sinuhe is taken in by the chief of Upper Retenu, who has heard of Sinuhe’s intellect and character from other Egyptians crossing his lands. He asks Sinuhe why he left Egypt, but the only reason Sinuhe can give is that he felt compelled to leave, as if led to Retenu by a god. He emphasizes that he is not fearful of Senusret’s rule; rather, he praises Senusret and lists the various reasons why he should be king. The chief is thus reassured and gives Sinuhe land and his eldest daughter for his wife.

Sinuhe spends many long years living well on the fertile land he has been given. He becomes a tribal leader. His wife bears children, and he watches them grow up and become tribal leaders themselves. Sinuhe becomes a rich and generous man, sheltering travelers and doing good deeds for others. One day, the strong man of Retenu, jealous of Sinuhe’s wealth and favor, challenges Sinuhe to combat. Sinuhe is at first reluctant to fight, but then agrees and prepares his weapons. During the battle, Sinuhe manages to fire an arrow into the strong man’s neck and emerges victorious, to the delight of the chief of Retenu and his people. Sinuhe receives the strong man’s wealth, and it is added to his own.

This prosperity is not enough for Sinuhe. As he grows older, he longs to return to Egypt once more before he dies. Finally, he sends a message to Senusret I asking that he be permitted to return. The king sends a message stating that Sinuhe has done nothing wrong, and thus is urged to return to Egypt, where he will be able to have the proper and stately burial an Egyptian courtier deserves. Upon receiving this reply, Sinuhe rejoices. He divides his wealth among his children and returns to the land of his birth.

Once inside the palace, Sinuhe has an audience with the king. The king is surprised at how much Sinuhe has changed since he has been gone and how much he has aged. The queen and her children enter the chamber, and the king must introduce Sinuhe to them because they do not recognize him. The children sing the praises of the king and ask him to turn Sinuhe over to them. The king agrees, and Sinuhe is taken to the home of one of the king’s sons, where he is bathed, rubbed with oils, and dressed in fine linens. Afterward, Sinuhe is given his own estate and served meals brought from the palace itself. He is able to build a pyramid and supply it in preparation for the afterlife, and thus he passes the rest of his days enjoying the favor of the king.

SIGNIFICANCE

Among early Egyptian narratives, “The Tale of Sinuhe” from the early Twelfth Dynasty is one of the most frequently represented in existing copies and partial copies, demonstrating the popularity of the poem; in fact, scribes even copied this story for writing practice. “The Tale of Sinuhe” was important to early Egyptians because it emphasized the superiority of the Egyptian way of life and affirmed the importance of Egypt’s king.

“The Tale of Sinuhe” is presented in the manner of an autobiography, which may have been done to lend credence to the tale. It is told in an aba format: a is Sinuhe’s flight from Egypt, b is his prosperous life abroad, and the second a section is his return to Egypt, which closely parallels his initial flight and serves to restore his position in Egyptian society. This structure means that the main character does not have to change much over the course of the story, which implies that the myth’s primary objective is not to focus on the importance of character or actions, but rather to assert the superiority of the Egyptian way of life, including the idea of proper social order. This notion of Egyptian cultural superiority is reinforced by the fact that Sinuhe is equally prosperous abroad as he is at home, yet he feels his life is lacking and keenly wishes to return home to Egypt to be buried as befits his station.

The king was the center of early Egypt in both a political and religious sense, and so it is no coincidence that he plays an important role in this myth. A king’s death is what initially sends Sinuhe abroad in fear, and it is a king’s grace that brings him back to Egypt at the end of the tale. Multiple lengthy sections of the text praise the king and list his virtues. Thus, one interpretation of this myth is that it was intended as propaganda in support of the king. However, this was not the king’s only role; he was also viewed as a sacred being who held some authority with the gods. In the myth, when Sinuhe returns to Egypt to face King Senusret, he must leave behind his life with the desert tribes and be metaphorically reborn as an Egyptian. This parallels Egyptian creation myths: the king stands in for the creator god and the queen for Hathor, a goddess of birth and renewal. After this episode, Sinuhe becomes an Egyptian courtier once more, and when he dies, he is buried in the traditional Egyptian manner, which ultimately fulfills his proper social role.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baines, John. “Interpreting Sinuhe.” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 68 (1982): 31–44. Print.

Budge, Ernest A. Wallis. Egyptian Tales and Romances. 1931. New York: Arno, 1980. Print.

Mackenzie, Donald. “Tale of the Fugitive Prince.” Egyptian Myth and Legend. London: Gresham, 1907. 207–20. Print.

Pinch, Geraldine. Egyptian Myth: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.

Simpson, William Kelly, ed. The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, and Poetry. New Haven: Yale UP, 1972. Print.