Some Words with a Mummy
Conversation with a mummy ( original English Title: Some Words with a Mummy ) is a satirical short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in The American Review in April 1845.
Content
The nameless lasting narrator tells of a severe hangover, which led him, after a frugal dinner, consisting of 5 pounds of Welsh rabbit ( = Welsh rarebit: with cheese baked toast) and as many bottles of brown stout early to visit the bed. But he is being woken up by a message of his friend Dr. Ponnonner ( = Upon honor ). This has finally received permission to examine an Egyptian mummy, the narrator should be added immediately. It now appears that this is a very special Mummy: It was mummified, without being previously viscera and brain were removed, yes, she was embalmed alive in a state of rigid spasm. Tentatively, the mummy is treated with electric shocks - and comes to life. It bears the name Allamistakeo ( = All a mistake, o ), and is addressed as Graf ( Count). The assembled scientists - except Dr. Ponnonner are Mr. Silk Buckingham, archaeologist, Mr. Gliddon, and the narrator and some unnamed Permanent - now try the progressiveness of their time compared to the one from which comes the mummy, to bear bring, but unsuccessfully, Allamistakeo refuted all of their theses: Even 5000 years ago you could already predict Gestirnverfinsterungen that make steam power available, built larger and more imposing building as the Capitol and more resilient roads as the railroad, the fashion was by no means backward, yes even the political system of the United States was already anticipated by Egypt: even there 13 provinces have combined, would have been a wise constitution, but all have ended in a terrible despotism, and the name of the despot was mob. First developed by him lozenges leads as Dr. Ponnonner into the field, the mummy will be abashed and have to admit that it had not given something so Great in ancient Egypt. The narrator returns to bed and typing on the next morning, what he has experienced. At the same time, he decides to let embalm as Allamistakeo because he wants to know who (ie, exactly 200 years after the writing of history ) President of the United States in 2045.
Interpretation
In conversation with a Mummy Poe mocks the belief in progress of his time, who believed on the basis of the inventions of the steam engine and railway to be Past exalted above everything. The fact that the American democracy forfeit his wit, is to blame in the aristocratic ruling class Virginias have grown up hardly.
James Silk Buckingham was a successful British travel writer and contemporary of Poe, as well as the American Egyptologist George Gliddon.
Media
- Conversation with a mummy is also called a out accommodated by Luebbe Verlag audio radio play, which has of course practically in common with Poe's satirical short story, only the title. Speaker of the piece are, inter alia, Ulrich Pleitgen, Iris Berben and Gerald Schaale.
- Under the title fight with a mummy of the audio book publisher has the story, read by Andreas Fröhlich, released as an audio book.