Knowledge

Some Words with a Mummy

Source 📝

74:
with their lives centuries later. Allamistakeo again chastises the men for their ignorance of Egyptian history. He then explains that throughout time man has always been monotheistic – the pagan gods were symbols of the various aspects of the one true god. The men ask him, as he is over five thousand years old, if he knows anything about how the universe was created ten thousand years ago. Allamistakeo responds that no one during his time entertained the fantasy that the universe was ever created, but that it always existed, although, some believed that humans were created by spontaneous generation in a
82:
costume. Finally, one of the men asks if the mummy was familiar with "the manufacture of either Ponnonner's lozenges or Brandreth's pills". To this Allamistakeo has to accept defeat and, in triumph, the men disperse. The narrator, having gone home and gone back to bed (or dreamt that he has done so), awakes the following morning, decides that he is unhappy with his own time and circumstances, and resolves to go to Ponnoner's to get embalmed for a couple hundred years.
432: 134: 468: 91: 17: 70:
why they dissect mummies and the scientific importance of it. Satisfied with the explanation and their apologies Allamistakeo shakes hands with the men, who then proceed to patch up the damage caused by their incisions. They gather up proper clothes for Allamistakeo and sit down for cigars and wine.
73:
Allamistakeo explains how he came to be a mummy – ancient Egyptians had a significantly longer life span than modern men, about one thousand years. They were also able to be embalmed – this process arrested the bodily functions allowing them to sleep through hundreds of years only to rise and go on
69:
The doctor lays out instruments for the dissection, but the men suggest using electricity on the mummy and they begin preparations for this at once. The amount of electricity causes the mummy to awaken and condemn the men for their abuse. The men make their apologies to Allamistakeo, explain to him
65:
They cut into the first sarcophagus, remove it and discover the mummy's name, Allamistakeo. The second and third sarcophagi are removed to reveal the body, placed in a papyrus sheath, covered in plaster and decorated with painting and gold gilt. After removing this, they examine the body. They find
81:
The modern men get into an argument with Allamistakeo about whose civilization is superior, theirs or the ancient Egyptians'. He convincingly upholds the vast superiority of his own culture in all aspects, ending with gesturing at the clothes they have dressed him in and grinning when they mention
471: 119:
The story is significant for featuring the earliest known image of a revived Egyptian mummy. In an 1852 anthology of Poe's works published in the UK, an illustration depicted a revived mummy. Poe and the illustrator challenged accepted racial stereotypes and European imperialism.
1316: 198:
and mummies during the time that this story was written. Secondly the prevailing thought that in the West humanity had reached the height of civilization and knowledge due to the scientific and industrial revolutions.
102:
listed "Some Words with a Mummy" as scheduled for publication; Poe likely pulled the article when he was offered more money for it elsewhere. It was ultimately published in the April 1845 edition of
225:
In 2019, a theater organ-based Electro Swing comic opera based on the story was debuted with music by Richard deCosta. The book and the lyrics were written by Thomas Cleveland Lane.
1014: 914: 697: 900: 1146: 66:
it to be in exceptionally good condition, although it does not seem to have been embalmed in the normal way as the skin is red and there are no incisions.
1296: 504: 62:", and then goes to bed for a night's sleep. However, he is soon awakened and taken to Doctor Ponnonner's home to witness the unwrapping of a mummy. 1189: 1161: 746: 436: 1257: 1049: 921: 42: 1301: 1184: 293: 273: 250: 177: 1207: 1156: 1087: 774: 1306: 851: 753: 732: 144: 981: 809: 781: 767: 497: 1241: 1022: 865: 844: 739: 522: 1311: 967: 837: 802: 328:. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, Volume 26, Number 2,, Autumn 1998, pp. 171-192. Retrieved 2020-11-24. 354: 974: 369:
Ali, Zahra A. Hussein. "Toward Epistemic Competence: Poe's Philosophical Discourse in 'Some Words with a Mummy'."
1194: 1136: 1041: 960: 574: 1174: 1121: 816: 725: 530: 490: 457: 159: 662: 401: 1151: 928: 907: 718: 304: 155: 1225: 788: 683: 616: 1265: 1233: 1141: 690: 676: 669: 1249: 995: 988: 886: 872: 858: 760: 94:
First known image of a revived Egyptian mummy in an 1852 UK publication of "Some Words with a Mummy".
823: 567: 107: 581: 110:". The story was republished without changes shortly after in the November 1, 1845, issue of the 448: 1273: 795: 553: 289: 269: 246: 1095: 879: 630: 539: 409: 112: 1103: 1068: 623: 513: 37: 935: 655: 413: 222:
published by Eureka in an adaptation by Rod Lott with illustrations by Kevin Atkinson.
1290: 1131: 711: 588: 373:, no. 1 (2017): 15-38. Accessed December 1, 2020. doi:10.5325/edgallpoerev.18.1.0015. 212: 339: 1179: 830: 55: 305:
Day, Jasmine. "Allamistakeo awakes: The earliest image of an ambulatory mummy" in
359:. London, Henry Vizetelly, 1852, "Some Words with a Mummy", illustration, p. 216. 1201: 637: 33: 387: 309:, edited by Eleanor Dobson. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2020. 46:
in April 1845. It is an important early portrayal of a revived Egyptian mummy.
1166: 431: 195: 75: 1126: 602: 546: 442: 43:
The American Review: A Whig Journal of Politics, Literature, Art and Science
382:
Hansen E.J. (2018). "Poe, Egypt, and 'Egyptomania'." In: Phillips P. (eds)
90: 942: 560: 477: 16: 609: 595: 323: 106:, which also included Poe's revised poems "The Valley of Unrest" and " 704: 449:"Some Words with a Mummy" reprinted in the November 1, 1845 issue of 191: 162:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. 482: 89: 59: 15: 1317:
Works originally published in The American Review: A Whig Journal
402:"Sequential Poe-try: Recent Graphic Narrative Adaptations of Poe" 486: 324:
Pike, Judith E. "Poe and the Revenge of the Exquisite Corpse".
127: 286:
The Poe Log: A Documentary Life of Edgar Allan Poe, 1809–1849
243:
The Poe Log: A Documentary Life of Edgar Allan Poe, 1809–1849
384:
Poe and Place. Geocriticism and Spatial Literary Studies
151: 357:
Tales of Mystery, Imagination, & Humour; and Poems
1217: 1114: 1079: 1060: 1033: 1006: 952: 647: 529: 443:Publication history of "Some Words with a Mummy" 1015:The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket 915:The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether 698:The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall 498: 194:of two things. First the popular interest in 8: 901:The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade 388:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96788-2_12 307:Victorian Literary Culture and Ancient Egypt 445:at The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore 288:. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1987: 522. 245:. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1987: 484. 505: 491: 483: 340:Pettit, Edward. "Unwrapping Poe’s Mummy". 207:The story was adapted as a one-act opera, 260: 258: 178:Learn how and when to remove this message 54:The narrator eats a very large amount of 344:. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2020-11-24. 268:. New York: Checkmark Books, 2001: 224. 284:Thomas, Dwight & David K. Jackson. 241:Thomas, Dwight & David K. Jackson. 234: 747:The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion 313:. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-24. 1258:Edgar Allan Poe: Once Upon a Midnight 462:, April 1845, Vol. I, no. IV, p. 363. 220:Graphic Classics #10: Horror Classics 7: 1050:Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque 922:The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar 218:In 2004, the story was featured in 1208:Tales of Mystery & Imagination 414:10.1111/j.1754-6095.2006.tb00186.x 14: 1297:Short stories by Edgar Allan Poe 1157:Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum 466: 430: 132: 1122:Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe (wife) 1142:Rosalie Mackenzie Poe (sister) 852:A Tale of the Ragged Mountains 733:The Fall of the House of Usher 1: 1088:The Conchologist's First Book 982:The Philosophy of Composition 782:Never Bet the Devil Your Head 768:The Murders in the Rue Morgue 371:The Edgar Allan Poe Review 18 78:manner in different places. 24:, April 1845, Vol. I, No. IV. 1242:The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe 1023:The Journal of Julius Rodman 775:A Descent into the Maelström 406:Poe Studies/Dark Romanticism 400:Royal, Derek Parker (2006). 386:. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. 40:. It was first published in 1137:William Henry Poe (brother) 968:The Philosophy of Furniture 803:The Masque of the Red Death 476:public domain audiobook at 326:Studies in American Fiction 158:the claims made and adding 1333: 975:Morning on the Wissahiccon 810:The Mystery of Marie Rogêt 1302:Works adapted into operas 1042:Tamerlane and Other Poems 520: 817:The Pit and the Pendulum 726:The Man That Was Used Up 458:Original publication in 58:, accompanied by "brown 929:The Cask of Amontillado 908:The Imp of the Perverse 894:Some Words with a Mummy 719:The Devil in the Belfry 473:Some Words with a Mummy 437:Some Words with a Mummy 390:. Retrieved 2020-12-01. 266:Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z 30:Some Words with a Mummy 1162:National Historic Site 1132:David Poe Jr. (father) 961:Maelzel's Chess Player 617:A Dream Within a Dream 408:. 39–40 (1–2): 55–67. 95: 25: 1307:Fiction about mummies 677:MS. Found in a Bottle 663:The Duc de L'Omelette 93: 19: 1250:The Man with a Cloak 996:Eureka: A Prose Poem 989:The Poetic Principle 887:The Purloined Letter 873:The Angel of the Odd 859:The Premature Burial 761:The Man of the Crowd 451:The Broadway Journal 1190:film and television 824:The Tell-Tale Heart 568:The City in the Sea 460:The American Review 108:The City in the Sea 104:The American Review 86:Publication history 36:by American writer 22:The American Review 1312:1845 short stories 1185:In popular culture 1127:Eliza Poe (mother) 582:The Conqueror Worm 575:The Haunted Palace 355:Poe, Edgar Allan. 143:possibly contains 100:Columbian Magazine 96: 26: 1284: 1283: 1274:The Pale Blue Eye 796:The Oval Portrait 554:Sonnet to Science 435:Works related to 188: 187: 180: 145:original research 98:In January 1845, 32:" is a satirical 1324: 1096:The Balloon-Hoax 880:Thou Art the Man 754:The Business Man 507: 500: 493: 484: 470: 469: 453:, Vol 2. No. 17. 434: 418: 417: 397: 391: 380: 374: 367: 361: 352: 346: 336: 330: 321: 315: 302: 296: 282: 276: 262: 253: 239: 190:This story is a 183: 176: 172: 169: 163: 160:inline citations 136: 135: 128: 113:Broadway Journal 1332: 1331: 1327: 1326: 1325: 1323: 1322: 1321: 1287: 1286: 1285: 1280: 1226:Edgar Allen Poe 1213: 1110: 1104:The Light-House 1075: 1056: 1029: 1002: 948: 643: 525: 516: 514:Edgar Allan Poe 511: 467: 427: 422: 421: 399: 398: 394: 381: 377: 368: 364: 353: 349: 337: 333: 322: 318: 311:Manchester Hive 303: 299: 283: 279: 263: 256: 240: 236: 231: 205: 184: 173: 167: 164: 149: 137: 133: 126: 88: 52: 38:Edgar Allan Poe 12: 11: 5: 1330: 1328: 1320: 1319: 1314: 1309: 1304: 1299: 1289: 1288: 1282: 1281: 1279: 1278: 1270: 1262: 1254: 1246: 1238: 1230: 1221: 1219: 1215: 1214: 1212: 1211: 1204: 1199: 1198: 1197: 1192: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1164: 1159: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1134: 1129: 1124: 1118: 1116: 1112: 1111: 1109: 1108: 1100: 1092: 1083: 1081: 1077: 1076: 1074: 1073: 1064: 1062: 1058: 1057: 1055: 1054: 1046: 1037: 1035: 1031: 1030: 1028: 1027: 1019: 1010: 1008: 1004: 1003: 1001: 1000: 992: 985: 978: 971: 964: 956: 954: 950: 949: 947: 946: 939: 936:Loss of Breath 932: 925: 918: 911: 904: 897: 890: 883: 876: 869: 866:The Oblong Box 862: 855: 848: 845:The Spectacles 841: 834: 827: 820: 813: 806: 799: 792: 785: 778: 771: 764: 757: 750: 743: 740:William Wilson 736: 729: 722: 715: 708: 701: 694: 687: 680: 673: 666: 659: 656:Metzengerstein 651: 649: 645: 644: 642: 641: 634: 627: 620: 613: 606: 599: 592: 585: 578: 571: 564: 557: 550: 543: 535: 533: 527: 526: 521: 518: 517: 512: 510: 509: 502: 495: 487: 481: 480: 464: 455: 446: 440: 426: 425:External links 423: 420: 419: 392: 375: 362: 347: 331: 316: 297: 277: 264:Sova, Dawn B. 254: 233: 232: 230: 227: 204: 201: 186: 185: 140: 138: 131: 125: 122: 87: 84: 51: 48: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1329: 1318: 1315: 1313: 1310: 1308: 1305: 1303: 1300: 1298: 1295: 1294: 1292: 1276: 1275: 1271: 1268: 1267: 1263: 1260: 1259: 1255: 1252: 1251: 1247: 1244: 1243: 1239: 1236: 1235: 1231: 1228: 1227: 1223: 1222: 1220: 1216: 1210: 1209: 1205: 1203: 1200: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1187: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1169: 1165: 1163: 1160: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1119: 1117: 1113: 1106: 1105: 1101: 1098: 1097: 1093: 1090: 1089: 1085: 1084: 1082: 1078: 1071: 1070: 1066: 1065: 1063: 1059: 1052: 1051: 1047: 1044: 1043: 1039: 1038: 1036: 1032: 1025: 1024: 1020: 1017: 1016: 1012: 1011: 1009: 1005: 998: 997: 993: 990: 986: 983: 979: 976: 972: 969: 965: 962: 958: 957: 955: 951: 944: 940: 937: 933: 930: 926: 923: 919: 916: 912: 909: 905: 902: 898: 895: 891: 888: 884: 881: 877: 874: 870: 867: 863: 860: 856: 853: 849: 846: 842: 839: 838:The Black Cat 835: 832: 828: 825: 821: 818: 814: 811: 807: 804: 800: 797: 793: 790: 786: 783: 779: 776: 772: 769: 765: 762: 758: 755: 751: 748: 744: 741: 737: 734: 730: 727: 723: 720: 716: 713: 712:A Predicament 709: 706: 702: 699: 695: 692: 688: 685: 681: 678: 674: 671: 667: 664: 660: 657: 653: 652: 650: 646: 639: 635: 632: 628: 625: 621: 618: 614: 611: 607: 604: 600: 597: 593: 590: 586: 583: 579: 576: 572: 569: 565: 562: 558: 555: 551: 548: 544: 541: 537: 536: 534: 532: 528: 524: 519: 515: 508: 503: 501: 496: 494: 489: 488: 485: 479: 475: 474: 465: 463: 461: 456: 454: 452: 447: 444: 441: 439:at Wikisource 438: 433: 429: 428: 424: 415: 411: 407: 403: 396: 393: 389: 385: 379: 376: 372: 366: 363: 360: 358: 351: 348: 345: 343: 342:The Rosenbach 335: 332: 329: 327: 320: 317: 314: 312: 308: 301: 298: 295: 294:0-7838-1401-1 291: 287: 281: 278: 275: 274:0-8160-4161-X 271: 267: 261: 259: 255: 252: 251:0-7838-1401-1 248: 244: 238: 235: 228: 226: 223: 221: 216: 214: 213:Giulio Viozzi 210: 202: 200: 197: 193: 182: 179: 171: 168:November 2010 161: 157: 153: 147: 146: 141:This section 139: 130: 129: 123: 121: 117: 115: 114: 109: 105: 101: 92: 85: 83: 79: 77: 71: 67: 63: 61: 57: 49: 47: 45: 44: 39: 35: 31: 23: 20:Published in 18: 1272: 1264: 1256: 1248: 1240: 1232: 1224: 1206: 1180:Edgar Awards 1167: 1102: 1094: 1086: 1067: 1048: 1040: 1021: 1013: 994: 893: 831:The Gold-Bug 523:Bibliography 472: 459: 450: 405: 395: 383: 378: 370: 365: 356: 350: 341: 334: 325: 319: 310: 306: 300: 285: 280: 265: 242: 237: 224: 219: 217: 209:Allamistakeo 208: 206: 189: 174: 165: 142: 118: 111: 103: 99: 97: 80: 72: 68: 64: 56:Welsh rabbit 53: 41: 29: 27: 21: 1277:(2022 film) 1269:(2012 film) 1261:(2004 play) 1253:(1951 film) 1245:(1942 film) 1237:(1915 film) 1229:(1909 film) 1202:Poe Toaster 1152:Poe Cottage 1034:Collections 638:Annabel Lee 203:Adaptations 34:short story 1291:Categories 1218:Portrayals 1168:The Stylus 1147:Poe Museum 229:References 196:Egyptology 152:improve it 1266:The Raven 1234:The Raven 631:The Bells 603:The Raven 547:Al Aaraaf 540:Tamerlane 215:in 1954. 156:verifying 76:polygenic 1170:magazine 1069:Politian 991:" (1846) 984:" (1846) 977:" (1844) 970:" (1840) 963:" (1836) 945:" (1849) 943:Hop-Frog 938:" (1846) 931:" (1846) 924:" (1845) 917:" (1845) 910:" (1845) 903:" (1845) 896:" (1845) 889:" (1844) 882:" (1844) 875:" (1844) 868:" (1844) 861:" (1844) 854:" (1844) 847:" (1844) 840:" (1843) 833:" (1843) 826:" (1843) 819:" (1842) 812:" (1842) 805:" (1842) 798:" (1842) 791:" (1841) 789:Eleonora 784:" (1841) 777:" (1841) 770:" (1841) 763:" (1840) 756:" (1840) 749:" (1839) 742:" (1839) 735:" (1839) 728:" (1839) 721:" (1839) 714:" (1838) 707:" (1838) 700:" (1835) 693:" (1835) 686:" (1835) 684:Berenice 679:" (1833) 672:" (1832) 665:" (1832) 658:" (1832) 640:" (1849) 633:" (1849) 626:" (1849) 624:Eldorado 619:" (1849) 612:" (1847) 605:" (1845) 598:" (1843) 591:" (1843) 584:" (1843) 577:" (1839) 570:" (1831) 563:" (1831) 561:To Helen 556:" (1829) 549:" (1829) 542:" (1827) 478:LibriVox 124:Analysis 1115:Related 691:Morella 670:Bon-Bon 610:Ulalume 596:Eulalie 150:Please 1107:(1849) 1099:(1844) 1091:(1839) 1072:(1835) 1053:(1840) 1045:(1827) 1026:(1840) 1018:(1837) 1007:Novels 999:(1848) 953:Essays 705:Ligeia 589:Lenore 292:  272:  249:  192:satire 1195:music 1175:Death 1080:Other 648:Tales 531:Poems 211:, by 60:stout 1061:Play 290:ISBN 270:ISBN 247:ISBN 50:Plot 410:doi 154:by 1293:: 404:. 257:^ 116:. 987:" 980:" 973:" 966:" 959:" 941:" 934:" 927:" 920:" 913:" 906:" 899:" 892:" 885:" 878:" 871:" 864:" 857:" 850:" 843:" 836:" 829:" 822:" 815:" 808:" 801:" 794:" 787:" 780:" 773:" 766:" 759:" 752:" 745:" 738:" 731:" 724:" 717:" 710:" 703:" 696:" 689:" 682:" 675:" 668:" 661:" 654:" 636:" 629:" 622:" 615:" 608:" 601:" 594:" 587:" 580:" 573:" 566:" 559:" 552:" 545:" 538:" 506:e 499:t 492:v 416:. 412:: 338:. 181:) 175:( 170:) 166:( 148:. 28:"

Index


short story
Edgar Allan Poe
The American Review: A Whig Journal of Politics, Literature, Art and Science
Welsh rabbit
stout
polygenic

The City in the Sea
Broadway Journal
original research
improve it
verifying
inline citations
Learn how and when to remove this message
satire
Egyptology
Giulio Viozzi
ISBN
0-7838-1401-1


ISBN
0-8160-4161-X
ISBN
0-7838-1401-1
Day, Jasmine. "Allamistakeo awakes: The earliest image of an ambulatory mummy" in Victorian Literary Culture and Ancient Egypt, edited by Eleanor Dobson. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2020. Manchester Hive. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
Pike, Judith E. "Poe and the Revenge of the Exquisite Corpse". Studies in American Fiction. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, Volume 26, Number 2,, Autumn 1998, pp. 171-192. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
Pettit, Edward. "Unwrapping Poe’s Mummy". The Rosenbach. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales of Mystery, Imagination, & Humour; and Poems. London, Henry Vizetelly, 1852, "Some Words with a Mummy", illustration, p. 216.

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.