My thesis looks at the use of narratives in Ptolemaic and Roman era petitions from Egypt. These are essentially complaint letters sent by local residents to officials, their subjects varying from debt to violence to fake contracts to ungrateful children, and more. All these letters contain recounts of events that triggered the creation of these petitions, which turns each of them into little narratives with rhetorical purpose, since petitions are mostly aimed at convincing the addressee to facilitate the petitioners’ request. Through them, I want to consider how narratives are used in day-to-day lives for a rhetorical purpose, thus bringing the study of narratives beyond the literary and academic context.
This topic is inspired by my experience working with texts from South Africa’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for my MA, which looked at the reception of Oresteia in South Africa during and after Apartheid. I was intrigued by the fact that the testimonies made during the TRC are at once formal documents that record the experiences of victims and perpetrators, and expressive works of narratives with heavy emotions.
Beyond petitions and reception, I am interested in all kinds of narratives found in ancient literature, especially the ancient novels.
