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Kylie Britt
Literary Analysis
Dr. Crotteau
November 2, 2014
Male and Female Representation in Ancient Egyptian Love Poetry
Ancient Egyptian poetry of the Ramesside period, using rhetorical devices such as
parallel syntax and description, elaborates on the roles of men and women during that time. The
historical perspective of such gender roles is enforced by these lasting love poems, giving insight
into the domestic values of this Egyptian age.
Though their roles were changing, and though they were not degraded for certain
traditionally female values, females were treated differently than males during the time of
Ancient Egypt. Whether different indicated being valued for exclusive traits or having to work
harder to gain any official power, women had a particular role to fill during the Ramesside
Period. This era of development took place between 1300 and 1100 BC (Sweeney 52).
There stands proof of gender discrepancies in remaining artwork from the time. Women
in artwork are always portrayed doing manual labor that didnt require reading or writing, since
most females were illiterate. Only women were depicted on tombs, as a sort of reward for the
men who had reached death. Women were not often buried in tombs, as this luxury was seen as
too honorable. As opposed to many newer Western religions, women were praised for sexuality,
not just reproduction abilities (Ancient Egypt: A very short introduction 111). This is evident in
the way the female figure is drawn on pottery, carvings, murals, and paintings.
In Ancient Egypt, there were three phases of female artistic documentation. First was the
Old Kingdom, when women were allowed administrative positions, and consequently the

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artwork reflects that with women portrayed in more official clothing. (The Oxford History of
Ancient Egypt 273). During the 18th Dynasty, also known as the Ramesside period for its
eponymous string of eleven kings, when the love poems were written, female images were found
on funeral monuments, depicting their participation in societal rituals. The time period known as
the 20th through 22nd Dynasties, from approximately 1100 BC to 720 BC, were eras of
advancement among women. They were shown independently, without male accompaniment,
both fully clothed and nude, in appreciation of all female forms.
Though much research has been conducted on Egyptian gender roles, there is a gap in
knowledge concerning lower-class families. Women in socio-economic states that would not
allow for documentation, like those in illiterate or servant families, would not have been
observed or recorded. This being said, poorer women may have had more equality in labor and
civil rights (Ancient Egypt: A very short introduction 111). In these families, the female figure
would have had to pull her own weight in subsistence in order to survive, often doing as much if
not more than the males. Though the male figure was predominant in typical, documented
Ancient Egyptian culture as a leader, females had roles that sustained them in living comfortably
and even achieving status equal to that of men.
In most cases, the woman was very economically dependent (The Oxford History of
Ancient Egypt 271). Her jobs were more household-oriented, including cleaning, cooking,
weaving. Most women were not looked down upon because of her skills, but rather praised for
having much accuracy at their jobs.
If a man held a political position, his wife had more chances for equality (Meade 374).
This would suggest equality in the sense of holding a small governmental position. Often men
who held religious office would share that power with their wives. Through them, the wives

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could establish a name for themselves, earning a reputation independent from that of their
husbands, and eventually earning the right to hold office.
In these love songs, the female figure is stressed equally to that of the mans, exemplified
by rhetorical devices. By utilizing a developed style such as a back and forth narration, the
author could convey both male and female perspectives. Also, using such vibrant description
emphasized the value placed upon both the male and female form.
Ancient Egyptian poetry uses parallel structure in the text to describe both males and
females. For example, in the Norton Anthology on page 45, there is a passage that reads like a
dialogue of the man and woman discussing the other.
He gives a description of her: Glistening goddess of the sunrise star, bright in the
forehead of the sunrise star. [My love is one and only, without peer]
She gives a description of a day together: Just for you Id wear my new Memphis
swimsuit, made of sheer linen, fit for a queen, [Love, how Id love to slip down to the
pond].
She frets about seeing him: If he sees that I see him, I know he will know my heart
flutters. [I was simply off to see Nefrus my friend]
He worries about his heart in love to her: How shell smile while the specialists snarl in
their teeth!-- she perfectly well knowns what ails me. [I think Ill go home and lie very
still]. (Mack, 1997).
Both the woman and man are given equal amounts of description and narration. This
indicates some sort of equality, at least in this written art form, between these genders. The
parallel syntax, in a form that jumps back and forth between each narrator, emphasizes the
importance of hearing from both parties.

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Descriptive language in the love poems is used to address comparison between the two
genders, which stresses the similarities, and therefore some equality is given to the genders.
The males appreciation for the female is obviously stated in the passage called My love
is one and only, without peer. The narrator is anticipatory and treasuring every mental image of
his romantic interest, who he describes here:
Sweet are those lips that chatter
(but never a word too much). (Mack, 1997).
Not only is this a comment on her looks, this passage recognizes the womans value in
speaking. This expresses the utmost respect for his partner, while keeping the tone of a man
giddy in love.
These poems, in the Norton Anthology book of World Literature, are based upon mutual
respect, not degradation or servitude or even expectations that the female must fulfill. This is
evident in the respectful language used by both the male and female parties.
To prove this point, there are many passages to be found in any of the love poems
available. On page 46, the woman inquires: Couldnt I coax you to wade in with me? (Mack,
1997), demonstrating her value for consent, of a kind, while never losing her flirty tone.
By closing the poem on page 48 titled I think Ill go home and lie very still with:She
perfectly well knows what ails me. (Mack, 1997), the male establishes his respect for the power
the female has over him, that he is hopeless and even ill in the face of love. This is done in a
way that praises the woman for her intelligence or even manipulation, implying that she knows
he is sick with love, and does not come, knowing well what ails him.
The Love Poems show each gender appealing to and describing the other in a loving tone,
stressed by parallel structure in almost a dialogue form, steeped in mutual respect for one

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another. This mostly reflects the gender roles of the time period, when women were valued for
their traits and talents, and could earn the same respect as a man by, say, falling in love with one.
The equality that prevailed for women and men in the Egyptian Ramesside Period is
evident in these ancient Love Poems. The evidence lies in the rhetorical devices used, such as
parallel syntax, description, and tone. Knowing the history of this prosperous time, the text
supports the ideals and values regarding women and men, and reinforces the gender roles held in
the society. The Ancient Egyptian Love Poems and their style of rhetoric support the common
differences and similarities of men and women during the Ramesside Period.

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Works Cited
Ancient Egyptian Poetry. The Norton Anthology: World Masterpieces. Maynard Mack. New
York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1997. 42-48. Print.
Shaw, Ian. Ancient Egypt: A very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2004.
Web.
Shaw, Ian. The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University. 2003. Web.
Sweeney, Emmet. The Ramessides, Medes, and Persians. New York. Alegora Publishing. 2008.
Web.
Meade, Teresa. A Companion to Gender History. Hoboken: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Web.