Bound by an English Eye: Ancient Cultures, Imperialist Contexts, and Literary Representations of Ancient Egyptian Women

Abstract

Subsequent chapters in this book will contextualize the specific knowledge Nightingale, Eliot, Field, and Glyn had about ancient Egypt, but here, it is important to lay out five broad historical and cultural contexts, which facilitate a clear understanding of how British women writers approached their encounters with representations of ancient Egyptian women. First, it is important to understand why ancient cultures, especially Greek and Roman cultures, were compelling to nineteenth-century Britons, and how as the century progressed, ancient Egyptian culture was increasingly of interest as well, particularly as travel to Egypt became more accessible. Second, it must be clear how British women writers accessed knowledge of ancient Egyptian culture, including through the periodical press, which typically focused on contemporary Egyptian political issues but also included articles that emphasized the role of women in ancient Egypt as creators and shapers of culture. Third, it is vital to examine the nature of imperialist discourse about Britain’s presence in Egypt during this period, since this discourse discouraged British women writers from fully engaging Egyptian culture and encouraged a turn to ancient Greek culture instead. Fourth, we must understand that when British women writers did engage Egyptian culture, they typically followed the denigration of contemporary Egyptian women perpetuated by imperialist discourse but sometimes found inspiration in the roles played by ancient Egyptian goddesses—especially their involvement in love, marriage, and childbirth—roles that appealed to British women writers even as they worked to transform roles for women in their own culture.