Critical Thinking Questions: The Story of Isis and Osiris

1.     How does the myth explain why the Moon waxes and wanes, and why it is not as bright as the Sun?

2.     How does Osiris become the sole ruler over all of Egypt? Why do you think that this wording (SOLE ruler) was so important? (HINT: think of what you learned about the land of Egypt and images of its rulers, such as Narmer).

3.     Was Osiris a good King? Why or why not?

4.     Isis is allowed to rule Egypt in her husbands absence, which she does wisely and well.  How does this pertain to Hatshepsut? What does the story explain to us as to why priests of Egypt responded to her legacy as they did?

5.     Ancient Egyptian kings/pharaohs (and those that could afford it) had their mummies placed in anthropoidal coffin or sarcophagus. First, what does that word (anthropoidal) indicate that these final resting places looked like and what is the difference between a coffin and a sarcophagus? Then, answer what the story explains is the origins of this tradition.

6.      In class, we saw a ceramic fertility figure from Naqada II whose anthropomorphic form combined that of a woman and a bird. In what way to we see this early, supernatural expression return as an element in this myth? Does the story, and the use of the similar bird/woman imagery, give us a better understanding about what the original intent of such objects might have been? Explain.

7.     When Osiriss brother, Seth (also called Set), fails to destroy him the first time, he finds his body and finishes the job by ripping it into many pieces which he then throws into the Nile. Isis then finds all the pieces that she can, but cannot find one part that has been eaten by Nile fish. What does Isis then do and why does she need to do this? Does that explain anything about ancient Egyptian burial practices to us?

8.     Finally, what animal does Horus give in answer to his fathers question? What is his reason for this answer and what does it tell us about Horuss character? What animal would you have picked and why?

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