Abstract
After an extensive exploration of the multifaceted forms and networks of sociability, cultural historians have turned their attention to the study of those who, voluntarily or not, have been located at the margins of society or outside them: in other words, those who have been alone. Relative to ancient Egypt, this thesis hopes to offer preliminary thoughts toward an understanding of when and how aloneness was experienced and, more so, expressed by the Egyptians. The topic is challenging since aloneness lacks definitional standardization both within and across social science disciplines. It additionally implies to explore cultural representations that may be unfamiliar to the modern ‘us’. Despite being an anthropological constant, the expression of aloneness is, indeed, culturally anchored. This thesis, mainly based on literary primary sources, follows three avenues of research. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis topic while providing a historiography and background research. Chapter 2 offers an analysis of how aloneness was expressed in the ancient Egyptian language and explores the various nuances that the words and expressions may convey: ‘positive’ aloneness (solitude), ‘neutral’ aloneness, and ‘negative aloneness’ (loneliness). Chapter 3 focuses on the topographies and temporalities of aloneness: the condition, it seems, has favorite places and times to emerge, which are, for the ancient Egyptian culture, the island (or any place separated by a body of water), the desert, and the night. Chapter 4 investigates aloneness through the prism of community and social solidarity, the latter of which is defined in the ancient Egyptian culture by the concept maat. In addition to summarizing the key points of this thesis, the conclusion introduces, as an area for future research, the idea of death as the ultimate form of isolation.
School
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department
Sociology, Egyptology & Anthroplology Department
Degree Name
MA in Egyptology & Coptology
Graduation Date
Spring 6-18-2025
Submission Date
7-29-2025
First Advisor
Dr. Salima Ikram
Second Advisor
Dr. Anne-Claire Salmas
Committee Member 1
Dr. Salima Ikram
Committee Member 2
Dr. Anne-Claire Salmas
Committee Member 3
Dr. Marie-Lys Arnette
Extent
127p.
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
Not necessary for this item
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Shakespeare`, V. E.
(2025).Being Alone in Ancient Egypt [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2570
MLA Citation
Shakespeare`, Victoria E.. Being Alone in Ancient Egypt. 2025. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2570
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