The Great Hymn to Osiris

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Analyze the content of the passage and its significance for our understanding of the myth of Isis and Osiris

The passage talks about one of the kings of Egypt referred to as Osiris. The leader had a lot of influence regarding the socio-political and economic lives of many people. The king was depended upon during the times of catastrophes and celebrations of the major events. The passage is critical in the understanding of the Osiris myth since it depicts the position of women in the Egyptian traditional society. The passage states clearly that Osiris’s sister was in charge of providing security to the king of gods, something that is very rare in modern society. The sister to the king had a responsibility of ensuring that the leader executed his duties without any difficulty by driving away all enemies. The king’s sister prevented those aiming at interrupting the activities of the kingdom from accessing the kingdom. The woman is referred to as the king’s sister is depicted as being too wise since she was clever-tongued. The hymn suggests that the speech of the woman could not cause tension in the kingdom, even though she was expected to deal with all evil individuals in the palace. The woman had adequate skills that were necessary for issuing instructions in the kingdom. The writer suggests that Isis was effective concerning commanding workers in the kingdom.

In case the king lost direction pertaining to the management of public affairs, Isis would not rest until the leader offered quality services to the people. She would often complain about the actions of the king in the public with an aim of ensuring that the leader changes his behavior. Isis protected her brother Osiris from evil in the kingdom since the writer suggests that she never rested until the king was well. Whenever the king achieved some of the objectives, Isis was the first person to celebrate and congratulate him. This proves that women were so supportive in the traditional Egyptian society. In other words, they were involved in the management of public affairs. In modern society, women are viewed as weak individuals who do not have the ability to offer ideas on how public affairs are to be managed. In the passage, the writer clearly indicates that Isis played a role in preparing future leaders since she engaged in the upbringing of the heir to the throne. Furthermore, the king’s sister is said to have raised the heir to the throne in solitude meaning that she never involved anyone in training the legatee to be a reliable person in the future (Lichtheim 83).

Even though the writer discusses extensively the role of women in the passage, it is factual that women never had any other responsibility regarding the management of public affairs apart from playing secondary roles, such as offering negligible services to the kingdom. The writer observes that Isis would roam around the kingdom lamenting about the loss of the king. This means that she prevented the king from meeting people and resolving their problems. Women have never enjoyed societal rights and freedom since time immemorial because the writer suggests that they were used as objects in the ancient Egyptian community. In modern society, many feminists are concerned with the idea that women should simply restrict themselves to performing feminine related roles, such as upbringing of children and offering secretarial services. In the passage, Isis is said to have raised the heir to the throne in solitude implying that child-rearing was the role of the woman, even in the ancient Egyptian society.

Briefly analyze the hymn as a whole noting, in particular, its depiction of the nature of Osiris

Generally, the hymn talks about the powers and the influence of the king in ancient Egyptian society. As already mentioned in the first section, the king was everything, which means that he determined the destiny of the locals. The writer starts by praising Osiris for his role in society. The leader is referred to as the king of gods and the father of all names, including the holy ones. Whenever the community wished to undertake certain special rituals, the presence of Osiris was very important. The king was the senior judge implying that he presided over some of the important cases in the kingdom. Apart from being the temporal leader, Osiris was a spiritual leader as well. From the hymn, it is clear that Osiris was the most respected leader in the kingdom to an extent that he was equated to gods (Lichtheim 81). For tranquility and peace to be achieved in the kingdom, the blessings of the king were necessary. Various warring groups respected Osiris implying that he acted as the symbol of national unity. Some small gods, such as those in charge of bringing water to the community, respected the king. The skies struggled to please the king by making wind before his nose. The plants respected his command since they germinate when the king ordered them to do so. The king was respected to an extent that the hymnist believed he was God’s assistant on earth.

Osiris had special responsibility from God to lead the world in the best direction. The earth was in the hands of the king, including everything in it, such as water, insects, and animals. Whenever the Egyptian heir to the throne visited places, he was welcomed and referred to as the son of Isis, even though the king’s sister never had a son. This shows that the upbringing of a child was not the role of the biological mother, but instead the entire community (Lichtheim 84). Based on this, it is accurate to conclude that leadership in the ancient Egyptian kingdom was a communal matter as opposed to an individual issue. This justifies the conception that leaders are born, but not made. The heir to the throne was expected to behave in a certain manner, as per the set standards.

He had to possess certain qualities, which were transferred through the process of socialization. The royal family had a responsibility of ensuring that the heir to the throne was brought up in accordance with the set standards. Isis made it her responsibility to ensure that the family maintained its status as the most respected in the community. This brings out clearly the position of women in ancient societies, as they were expected to participate in the making of leaders. The community believed that leaders are sent from heaven hence any king was supposed to serve as a worldly, as well as a spiritual leader. Each individual, irrespective of class, origin, and tradition, was expected to respect and worship the king. Osiris had the power to exterminate the life of an individual in case the individual failed to follow the laid down rules and regulations.

Works Cited

Lichtheim, Miriam. The Great Hymn to Osiris: Ancient Egyptian literature. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. Print.

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The Great Hymn to Osiris

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