The Tale of Sinuhe: and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940-1640 B.C.

The conventions of literary narratives in ancient Egypt take a different approach than do modern works in portraying characters. While Sinuhe, the protagonist of “The Tale of Sinuhe,” is portrayed as a distinct person who narrates a first-person story about his experience, he also serves as a representation of the larger moral, which is about the place of the individual in Egyptian society, the importance of loyalty to the king, and the experiences of exile and the longing for home. Sinuhe’s responses to the twists and turns of his circumstances are meant to model appropriate beliefs and behavior while providing dramatic incidents to entertain the listening audience.

Sinuhe’s most important quality is his loyalty, which expresses itself in deference to the new king and his household as well as to Amunenshi, the Syrian king who gives Sinuhe a place in his new society. Sinuhe demonstrates this loyalty when he praises the new Egyptian king to Amunenshi and offers a deferential response when the Egyptian king summons him home. Sinuhe earns his regard from both his kings by loyal service in his role, which includes warfare and protecting the royal children, a position of high status and great trust.