history

The following is an exercise in historical role play. The setting is Ancient Egypt. You choose your character: a) an Egyptian priest or priestess of Bastet; b) a member of the Egyptian Royal Family; c) a scribe in charge of grain supplies; or 4) a farmer in Ancient Egypt. Write an essay in the form of a letter to the Vizier, the highest ranking officer in the Egyptian government. In that letter, explain how the cat, the last domesticated animal in Western culture, is a central feature of your life. Include what the cat means to you as a person, how it is critical to your economic existence, and its role as a religious symbol. The more detail, the better. Continue your letter with a discussion of the cat’s overall role is in Egyptian culture. Remember to address the Vizier as “My Lord Vizier” and to explain who you are (obviously a prince or princess of Egypt is above the Vizier socially, a farmer or scribe is beneath his dignity, a priest is a social equal--so adjust your tone as appropriate to your rank and station), and end the letter with your title and your EGYPTIAN name (look one up—Fred, Ahmed, Nguyen, or Julie are NOT Egyptian names).

Please read the rules for postings on the Discussion Boards page prior to posting. Allow 48 to 72 hours for your posting to become visible. Be sure to proofread your posts before submitting them--you will not be allowed to edit them. Only posts to the Discussion Board will be graded--do not send posts by e-mail, etc. Posts submitted after the deadline for this assignment will not be graded.