Abstract
The Egyptian auto/biography is a complex and primarily commemorative genre that spans almost the entire existence of ancient Egyptian culture. The reason for the longevity of the genre lies primarily in its usefulness for the deceased - the auto/biography serves to create and maintain a good reputation for its owner, and through this, ultimately, his (social) immortality.
The aim of the present paper is to examine the value system represented in Middle Kingdom auto/biographies using the definitions of reputation and its opposite, respectability, as coined by the anthropologist Peter Wilson. It is especially useful to examine the sphere of private life, which belongs primarily to the domain of respectability, and is generally considered to be absent from Egyptian auto/biographies in general.
Yet, Middle Kingdom texts offer several apparent exceptions. The moments when the course of life does come to the fore in Middle Kingdom auto/biographies include three motives: that of birth, that of childhood and youth, and that of old age.
The present study examines these cases and take a closer look at the private life and life cycle and the tension between the realms of reputation and respectability.