The Story of Sinuhe Essay Questions

What accounts for Sinuhe's deep respect for—and fear of—the king?

The mix of reverence and terror Sinuhe feels toward King Senwosret is significant because it conveys the extent to which average people in Ancient Egypt saw their rulers as quasi-divine. To a "lowly man" like Sinuhe, the king is a direct heir to God, living among Egyptians not as a fellow human but as a "perfected god" himself. Unlike elected political representatives in contemporary democratic societies, rulers in Ancient Egypt were seen as people who not only had but deserved total authority over the lives of subjects. Because of his belief that the king is a god walking among men, Sinuhe simultaneously adores and fears the king, knowing he will have to submit to whatever the king wishes. Toward the end of the text, the profound effect of being in the king's presence leads Sinuhe to dissociate from his body, and he feels as though he doesn't know life from death. But despite his almost transcendent terror, Sinuhe finds that the king is not vengeful or cruel toward him. His faith in the king is rewarded with a burial monument, and thus Sinuhe is granted an eternity in the king's grace.

What role does loyalty play in The Tale of Sinuhe?

As one of the text's major themes, loyalty plays a significant role in The Tale of Sinuhe. Although Sinuhe finds himself suddenly abandon the Egyptian way of life when he follows his compulsion to flee, Sinuhe remains loyal to Egypt and its ruler throughout his self-imposed exile. When he meets Amunenshi, the ruler of upper Retjenu, Sinuhe delivers lengthy praise for King Senworset, speaking of how the "perfected god" possesses unrivaled warrior skills and a loving sweetness for his subjects. Amunenshi comes to stand in for the king in the scene, responding to Sinuhe's demonstration of loyalty with the rewards of riches and power in Retjenu. Sinuhe's gains a reputation in Retjenu and lives a good life, but he longs to return to the kingdom to which he has always remained loyal. His wish is honored when the king invites him back to Egypt, where Sinuhe's decision to leave is excused as the consequence of a flawed heart, and his enduring loyalty is rewarded with honorable accommodations in the afterlife.

Why is it significant that Sinuhe has a burial tomb?

The premise of The Tale of Sinuhe is that the story has been found inscribed on the walls of Sinuhe's burial pyramid. This premise is significant because burial pyramids were funerary monuments built in Ancient Egypt for great rulers, while Sinuhe was born a "lowly man." The pyramid the king gives Sinuhe therefore is symbolic of Sinuhe's rise to greatness. The fact that Sinuhe goes from being a humble servant to the royal family to being a hero of great courage and power is significant because the story exhibits Ancient Egyptian values of enduring loyalty to the king, trust in God, and devotion to the Egyptian way of life. Although Sinuhe begins the story a regular man at the whims of his panic responses, he achieves a place in history through his faith in God's plan for him and through his undying loyalty to the Egyptian king. Because he possesses these virtues, Sinuhe is rewarded with a legacy befitting a godlike king.