Willie Chen, Period 5, 12/16/20

Willie Chen
12/16/20
Period 5
Modern Mythology 2021


    Prior to our previous class, we were assigned two videos to watch, which described the Book of the Dead, the history of Ancient Egyptian burial practices, and the archaeological history of the Egyptian ruins. A key aspect of Ancient Egyptian burial practices was the Book of the Dead, a papyrus scroll that served essentially as a guide to make it through the trials and dangers of the afterlife to achieve the ultimate goal: eternal happiness in the field of reeds. The idea of an eternal paradise after death is present throughout the world in a vast array of cultures, but the Book of the Dead sets Ancient Egypt apart from the rest, as the knowledge it contained was considered necessary for a soul to survive its journey through the afterlife.

    An interesting aspect about the Book of the Dead was that it was often customized by those who could afford to do so, meaning that the wealthier a client was, the more spells and magic they could imbue in their scroll. In addition to the use of Shabti, which were dolls bought to perform the labor of the owner in the afterlife, the monetary customization of the Book of the Dead illustrates the association of wealth and status with Egyptian beliefs about death. The expensiveness of tombs, scrolls, and various accessories that were thought to aid souls on their journey through the afterlife makes it clear that the Egyptian paradise was achieved by wealth, often restricting it to the upper class. Even still, the utmost importance of the afterlife in Egyptian culture persisted among the lower classes, who buried their dead near the tombs of kings or elites in hopes of using the pathways of the upper class to achieve their goal. The difficulty and allure of the afterlife made it a crucial aspect of Egyptian life, likely making it the life goal of many Ancient Egyptians.

    Although I do not believe in any life after death, I can empathize with the importance that the Ancient Egyptians placed on burial practices and preparation for death. As depicted by one of the videos, the Ancient Egyptians’ efforts to ensure their success in the afterlife could border on obsession, which reflects a sentiment in modern society. The attitude of the Egyptians can be seen in our lives today, with death being replaced by employment, retirement, and the most topically relevant to us all, college applications. For many of us, we’ve spent much of our childhoods sitting in tutoring centers after school, on Saturdays, and on school breaks. What for? The general progression seems to go like this: to get into a good middle school, then a good high school, then a good college, then a good job, and finally retirement. There always seems to always be an emphasis on what comes next, and for Egyptians, eternal happiness in the Field of Reeds was simply another, albeit last, step in that process. This concern is depicted in the video’s portrayal of Ani’s life, in which he loses sleep constantly worrying about being properly prepared for death.

    As sensible and essential it is to prepare ourselves for success in the future, this mentality has ultimately led to a big problem. Happiness always comes later. As a student, this means that every moment not spent studying, completing assignments, writing up college applications, or getting some sense of productivity inevitably brings about feelings of guilt and frustration. Much of what we do in high school ends up being motivated by our desire to bolster our applications to look pretty for colleges instead of doing what we enjoy or want to pursue. There should be a balance between looking towards the future and being happy in the present. Instead of pushing aside our emotional states and promising that we’ll find happiness at the next step, there should exist a compromise in our lives, where we still allow ourselves to enjoy the moment. As a final thought, immortality and eternal life have been recurring ideas across many cultures, and by nature, we often seek to immortalize ourselves by leaving a lasting legacy that we hope can outlive our fleeting lives. Upon reflecting on the Egyptian perception of the dead, I find that maybe I do not want there to be eternal life or any life waiting for me after death. The existence of an end to that cycle of looking forward gives meaning to our brief time in life, and it motivates us to cherish it. Perhaps there is solace in the idea that one day, after living my life to the fullest, I can simply rest in peace.