AbstractsLanguage, Literature & Linguistics

P. Pushkin 127 has previously been labelled a literary text but it is not entirely clear why it is literary and what its purpose is, its meaning. The text presents itself as a letter from an exiled man, Wermai, to the Royal Scribe in Residence, Usermaatre-nakht. It details the various injustices Wermai has suffered and asks for help. This thesis first examines the impact of this source if it were taken at face value. Once this premise is established it uses modern theoretical techniques derived from literary criticism to work out the extent of P. Pushkin 127’s fictionality and general ‘literariness’. Finally it considers the meaning of the text in light of such critical analysis and examines the implications of modern perceptions on explaining Wermai’s sufferings. The overall aim is to define the importance and application of P. Pushkin 127 as a source and to investigate its ‘literary’ character in a more theoretical and holistic approach.