Literary Late Egyptian as a Polysystem

Abstract

In the history of mankind, Ancient Egypt is considered one of the more canonized societies. For over two thousand years (overlooking intermediate periods of disorder and consequent breaks in the central rule), this society behaved according to the same semiotic code, creating extremely centralized and strongly canonized products of art, architecture, and literature. A highly sophisticated writing system-the hieroglyphic system-was maintained for over three thousand years, virtually untroubled by the new drifts of alphabetic script that began to blow into the Ancient Near East.' There is evidence that changes and developments were taking place, continually but gradually, maintaining the culture's ability to preserve itself and to answer the needs of the society. Nevertheless, the overall impression created by the Ancient Egyptian culture is of a very well-balanced and steady civilization, which the modern observer will most likely find to be at least partially afflicted with some of the disadvantages of too highly canonized societies that manifest themselves in a high degree