Editing History of literature (section)

=== Ancient Egypt ===
{{Main|Ancient Egyptian literature}}
Literature of the [[Old Kingdom of Egypt]] developed directly from practical use during the [[Fifth Dynasty of Egypt|Fifth Dynasty]]. Lists of offerings to the gods were rewritten as prayers, and statistical information about state officials was expanded into [[Autobiography|autobiographies]]. These autobiographies were written to exemplify the virtues of their subjects and often incorporated a free flow style that blended prose and poetry. Kings were not written about beyond clerical recordings, but poetry was performed during the funerals of kings as part of a religious ritual. The ''Instructions'', a form of [[wisdom literature]] that was popular during most of Ancient Egyptian history, taught maxims of [[Ancient Egyptian philosophy]] that combined pragmatic thought and religious speculation.<ref name=":0" />

These literary traditions continued to develop in the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt]] as autobiographies became more intricate. The role of the king in literature expanded during this period; royal testaments were written from the perspective of the king to his successor, and celebrations of the king and advocacy of strong leadership were included in autobiographies and ''Instructions''. [[Fiction]] and analysis of [[good and evil]] also developed during this period.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1525/9780520973619-005/html |title=Ancient Egyptian Literature |date=2019-05-07 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-97361-9 |volume=I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms |language=en |chapter=Literary Genres and Literary Styles |pages=31–44 |doi=10.1525/9780520973619-005 |s2cid=240659212 |access-date=2022-08-25 |archive-date=2022-08-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825110152/https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1525/9780520973619-005/html |url-status=live }}</ref> During the [[New Kingdom of Egypt]], the popularity of wisdom literature and educational works persisted, though the use of teachings and stories was prioritized over the use of discourses. Entertainment literature was popular among the nobility during this period, incorporating aspects of narrative myth and folklore, religious hymns, love songs, and praise for the king and the city.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moers |first=Gerald |title=A Companion to Ancient Egypt |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-405-15598-4 |editor-last=Lloyd |editor-first=Alan B. |pages=685–708 |chapter=New Kingdom Literature}}</ref>