Through the Eras

TheaterSEEKING DRAMAINTRODUCTION: The French Egyptologist Emile Drioton soughtEgyptian drama in the rituals of the Book of the Dead.Though Chapter 39 has speeches that appear to be dramatic,it is more likely that they were recited in ritualsthat ensured that the deceased was admitted into thenext world.SOURCE: “Chapter for Repelling a Rerek-snake in the God’sDomain,” in The Egyptian Book of the Dead. Trans. Raymond O.Faulkner (San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1994): 104.king. Horus, son of Osiris, and Seth, brother of Osiris,each claim to be the next legitimate king. The god Gebjudges between them, first giving Horus the north andSeth the south, then finally proclaiming the whole inheritancebelongs to Horus. Much of this plot is alsoknown from the Ramesside story, the Contendings ofHorus and Seth. But in the Shabaka Stone the story thenplaces the god Ptah as the chief of the gods. The authordescribes Ptah as the ultimate creator god who createdthe world from speech. Memphis, Ptah’s home city, isfurther declared the proper capital of all Egypt. Hence,many commentators regard these themes as strictly politicaland religious and do not regard it as a ritual drama.COFFIN TEXTS. Scribes wrote the Coffin Texts onthe inside of coffins, beginning in the First IntermediatePeriod and throughout the Middle Kingdom (2130–1630B.C.E.). There are many different spells, mostly concernedwith the deceased gaining admittance to the nextworld. The French Egyptologist Emile Drioton believedthat spells 148, 162, and 312 represented extracts fromdramas. Though few Egyptologists today accept this view,these spells represent dramatic dialogues and monologues258 Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.)