동 지중해 문학에 나타난 ‘귀향’ 모티프의 역사적 의미

Abstract

This paper deals with "homecoming" or "notos" motif in East Midterranean Sea. Although C. H. Gordon and G. A. Rendsburg had already studied this motif, there is still a room to further study. This study pursues historical connection of "homecoming" motif between Egypt, Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Greece. The first homecoming story attested in Egyptian literature is 'Sinuhe story' and 'The shipwrecked sailor' which belong to Middle Kingdom. 'The report of Wenamun' belongs to New Kingdom. Among Mesopotamian literatures, the homecoming motif appears in 'Gilgamesh Epic' of Standard Babylonian Version. The homecoming motif was flowered in 'Odysseia' in Greek literature, and 'Bible' in Canaanite literature. Among East Midterranean homecoming stories, a lot of common features are shown as well as differences. In this study, the writer argues that the common features among homecoming stories are evidence of cultural transmission. It has been suggsted that the orgin of homecoming motif would be ancient Egypt from where the motif was transmitted into Mesopotamia, Greece, and Canaan. The direction of transmission is accorded with one proposed by C.H. Gordon and M. Bernal. This study is not enough by itself to prove that the motif started in Egypt and transmitted into East Midterranean Sea, but it leads to the same direction with many other samples argued by other scholars such as M. Bernal.