INTRO TO WORLD LITERATURE

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MESOPOTAMIAN LITERATURE

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE HEBREW LITERATURE

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• THE ANCIENT LITERATURE AND HISTORICAL RECORDS HELP US UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE AND WISDOM OF THESE PEOPLE

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One Land…Two Rivers• Mesopotamia means =

“land between the rivers”–Tigris River and

Euphrates River• Both rivers flooded once

a year and left thick bed of silt.–Silt: rich, new soil

farmers could plant and harvest enormous quantities of wheat and barleyignatius joseph n estroga

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THE SUMERIANS WERE THE FIRST TO SETTLE IN THE

MESOPOTAMIA

SUMERIANS LIVED IN CITY-STATES BUILT AROUND

ZIGGURATS ignatius joseph n estroga

ziggurat

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Hodges Library, Utah

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CULTURE

SUMERIAN’S CREATED…

BEATUIFUL STONE AND METAL WORK SCULPTURES

THE TWELVE MONTH CALENDAR THE FIRST WRITING SYSTEM: CUNIFORM

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PoliticsPower of the Priests• Sumer’s earliest

governments were controlled by temple priests– Farmers believed they

needed blessings for success of their crops

– Priests were the middle man for the Gods

– Priests demanded portion of farmer crops as tax

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Political• Later followed

Hereditary rulers: when the power is passed down to family members

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Economy• Metal tools and weapons (bronze, iron)• Increasing agricultural surplus (better tools, plows, irrigation)• Increasing trade along rivers – traded with Egypt• Development of the world’s first cities• Specialization of labor

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Religion• Polytheistic: Belief in

Many Gods (3,000!!!)• Gods could be angered at

any moment and to keep them happy Sumerians:– Built impressive

ziggurats or temples to sacrifice food, wine and animals

– Souls of the dead wandered in the land of no return ignatius joseph n estroga

Society

Kings and Priests

Wealthy merchants

Ordinary Sumerian people

Slavesignatius joseph n estroga

Women• Could hold property• Join lower ranks of priesthood• There were few women scribes

– Scholars think that girls were not allowed to attend schools

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LiteratureEpic of Gilgamesh• Myths and

legends recorded in this long poem

• One of the earliest works of literature in the worldignatius joseph n estroga

“Gilgamesh, whither are you wandering?

Life, which you look for, you will never find.

For when the gods created man, they let

Death be his share, and withheld life

In their own hands”

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AchievementsScience and

Technology• Invented the wheel,

the sail, the plow• First to use bronze.• Developed system of

writing• Built irrigation

systems, buildings, surveyed flooded fields.ignatius joseph n estroga

THE RISE, REBIRTH AND FALL OF BABYLON

IN 200O BC BABYLONIANS CAME AND OVERPOWERED THE SUMERIANS

THEIR RULER WAS HAMMURABI AND HE IS FAMOUS FOR THE CODE OF HAMMURABI

THE MOST COMMON MESSAGE WAS “AN EYE FOR EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH”

BABYLOIANS OVERTHREW THE ASSYRIANS AND HAD A NEW RULER NAME NEBUCHADNEZZER WHO IS FAMOUS FOR THE HANGING GARDENS

BABYLON FELL TO CYRUS THE GREAT OF PERSIA IN 539 BUT BABYLON STILL REMAIN THE CENTER OF TRADE AND CULTURE

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Hanging Gardens

of Babylon,

Iraq

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Egyptian Literature

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Ancient Egypt is one of the most powerful civilizations the world has ever known

Egypt was called the “gift of the Nile”

The Nile provided water and fertile soil for growing crops

Papyrus is what made Egypt a stable civilization. Papyrus is an early form of paper.. Also created by the Nile River

Egyptian was prosperous for more than twenty-seven centuries. The greatest years were divided into three eras

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Kingdoms

Old Kingdom (2700-2200)Famous Pyramids

Highest Level of Sophistication Middle Kingdom (2000-1800)

Expanding Economy Political Power

New Kingdom (1600-1100) The pinnacle of political power

Known for lyric love poems

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““Pyramid Power”Pyramid Power” Religion was apart of daily life…Religion was apart of daily life… Pharaoh was both a political and spiritual leader Pharaoh was both a political and spiritual leader

Pharaoh Single; powerful ruler

Priest and Scribes

Merchants and Professionals

Workers, Peasants and SlavesThe largest class

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Egyptian Literature Egyptian Literature • Egyptians also had a form of

writing called hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs is a script in which pictures represent ideas

• Because everything that Egyptians did was based on religious belief they constantly thought of the afterlife

• Egyptians even wrote a book that was called the “Book of the Dead”. It was a guide to the afterlife.

• Egyptians also began a love for poetry. Especially pastoral poetry-displays everyday life in pleasant terms

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• Hieroglyphs are written in rows or columns and can be read from left to right or from right to left. 

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Hieroglyphic categoriesHieroglyphic categories1. Alphabetic signs represent a single sound.

Unfortunately the Egyptians took most vowels for granted and did not represent such as 'e' or 'v'. So we may never know how the words were formed. 

2. Syllabic signs represent a combination of two or three consonants.

3. Word-signs are pictures of objects used as the words for those objects.  

4. A determinative is a picture of an object which helps the reader.

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Hebrew LiteratureHebrew Literature

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Hebrew LiteratureHebrew Literature The Hebrew people were wanderers who created a rich The Hebrew people were wanderers who created a rich

culture based on their religious beliefsculture based on their religious beliefs The Hebrew were

monotheists-worshipping one God (Yahweh)

Their beliefs were Their beliefs were recorded in a the recorded in a the Hebrew Bible (Old Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) Testament)

The Hebrew Bible is The Hebrew Bible is considered the GREAT considered the GREAT monument left by the monument left by the ancient Hebrews ancient Hebrews

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The Early Hebrew PatriarchsThe Early Hebrew Patriarchs Abraham was the Abraham was the

founding father and founding father and his wife’s name was his wife’s name was Sarah Sarah

Hebrews lived in Canaan Hebrews lived in Canaan for, four generations… for, four generations… SONSON Isaac and his Isaac and his GRANDSONGRANDSON Jacob Jacob

Jacob’s name was Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and changed to Israel and his people became his people became the Israelitesthe Israelites

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Hebrew Literature Hebrew Literature “Hebrew Family Drama” “Hebrew Family Drama”

Jacob’s (Abraham’s grandson) son Joseph was sold into Jacob’s (Abraham’s grandson) son Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers slavery by his brothers

Joseph won favor with the Pharaoh and saved his family Joseph won favor with the Pharaoh and saved his family from starvation from starvation

The Israelites were enslaved by Pharaoh and then later set The Israelites were enslaved by Pharaoh and then later set free by Moses. The Israelites were so large they created free by Moses. The Israelites were so large they created tribes tribes

Moses heard from Yahweh and created the Ten Moses heard from Yahweh and created the Ten Commandments which is the code of moral conduct Commandments which is the code of moral conduct

Moses died in the desert and his follower Joshua led Moses died in the desert and his follower Joshua led Israelites to CanaanIsraelites to Canaan ignatius joseph n estrogaignatius joseph n estroga

Hebrew Literature Hebrew Literature The Promised Land, Peace and StabilityThe Promised Land, Peace and Stability

The Israelites arrived to see that Canaan had people living there ; they struggled to find out who they were

The first King was Saul; The first King was Saul; under his rule the under his rule the Israelites became a Israelites became a powerful group in Canaan powerful group in Canaan

After Saul was David and After Saul was David and the Israelites were very the Israelites were very successful and peaceful successful and peaceful

David captured the David captured the Jebusites and made Jebusites and made Jerusalem the capital city Jerusalem the capital city

David’s son Solomon David’s son Solomon built the Temple of built the Temple of Jerusalem an important Jerusalem an important symbol of spiritual unity symbol of spiritual unity

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Hebrew Literature Hebrew Literature Conflict… Division… ExileConflict… Division… Exile

Once Solomon died there was confusion in the twelve Once Solomon died there was confusion in the twelve

tribes. The tribes divided into two kingdoms but still tribes. The tribes divided into two kingdoms but still thought of themselves as one spiritual body thought of themselves as one spiritual body

The Assyrians came and conquered Israel; the tribes The Assyrians came and conquered Israel; the tribes dispersed and are now referred to as the “Ten Lost dispersed and are now referred to as the “Ten Lost Tribes” Tribes”

King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, destroyed the King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem and took the Hebrews into slavery. Temple of Jerusalem and took the Hebrews into slavery. Creating the most bitter periods in Hebrew history; Creating the most bitter periods in Hebrew history; “Babylonian Exile” “Babylonian Exile”

Cyrus the Great came and freed the slaves, they returned Cyrus the Great came and freed the slaves, they returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt everything that was destroyed. to Jerusalem and rebuilt everything that was destroyed. Their belief stayed strong Their belief stayed strong ignatius joseph n estroga

Hebrew Literature The Hebrew Identity • The Jews always saw God as their

source of unity. They believed that God provided a special agreement (covenant) with them

• The terms of the covenant were God would always protect them. Even when they lost their homeland; they found a sense of belonging in their relationship with Yahweh

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• www.myjewishlearning.com/.../Literature/Heb

• www.britannica.com/.../Hebrew-literature

• www.answers.com/topic/hebrew-literature

• www.jewishvirtuallibrary.orgignatius joseph n estroga