Ancient Egypt's Robinson Crusoe!

There is no doubt that Ancient Egyptian literature has a special position among the other ancient civilizations' literature. This story bridges between "The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor" and "Robinson Crusoe."

The prominent archaeologist and author, Enas El-Shafie, traced the origins of Ancient Egyptian history and she gave many examples of the relationship between Ancient Egyptian literature and World Literature.

El-Shafie explained: “The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor” was based on recalling various stories by a young sailor who wanted to ease his leader's fear and sorrow after his failure in a mission assigned by the king.

So, he narrated how he was survived from sinking, after the sea threw him on an unknown inhabited island that full of trees, and plants, the magical land.

Shortly after, the hero faced a huge serpent which predicted that the sailor will return safely to his homelands, and will gain a huge fortune.

Its events are very similar to “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe, considered one of the earliest novels written in the English language.

The plot of "Robinson Crusoe" was also simple and it was based on the story of a young man who decided to face his own fate after being cast away on an uninhabited island.

He faced the same existential thoughts the old sailor had: the meaning of life, the moral of the journey, and the will to survive.

Crusoe questioned his own faith and attempted to explore the minor existence where he was trapped, which was similar to the trips of discovery the sailor had on such a strange land.

On the cultural level, Defoe's novel was re-approached from a colonial perspective as it carried the earliest notion of the English colonial ambition in literature.

Regarding "The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor," it expressed the old beliefs of the ancient Egyptians regarding the far lands of Punt according to professor Joshua J. Mark.

"The story was written long before Hatshepsut's reign during which it is detailed clearly as an actual region and partner in trade.

It is interesting, however, to see Punt depicted so early as a "magical island" and the Lord of Punt as a gigantic talking serpent," Mark explained.