Peabody’s Improbable History
Summary
Peabody meets an orphan named Sherman whom he saves from some bullies. He adopts Sherman after a court appearance that also involved him having to get the President and the government to help him out. Upon inventing the Wayback Machine and doing different upgrades, Peabody and Sherman meet various historic figures and help out with their plights. (Wikipedia)
Mr. Peabody and Sherman arriving in ancient Egypt in front of king Khufu/Cheops (Screenshot by the author)
The scheme of the Great Pyramid made by Mr. Peabody (Screenshot by the author)
Egyptomania narratives or motifs
In S04E04 "The Building of the Great Pyramid"(1963), the clever dog Mr. Peabody and the young boy Sherman travel back in time during the reign of Khufu - here called Cheops. The episode is far from being historically accurate, and the figure of the pharaoh is characterised by a series of clichés, which only aim to entertain the public (mainly aimed at children). Nonetheless, some details in the appearance of the king are noteworthy, such as the fact that the pharaoh is wearing a headdress that evokes the Red Crown and holding a cane that clearly recalls the heqa sceptre.
Numerous modern/contemporary goods are presented as Egyptian in nature (such as cream pies or gunpowder), and the erection of the Great Pyramid (originally designed upside down) is claimed to have happened in 40 days. However, the story is intended to amuse a very young audience and help children associate the construction of the Great Pyramid with the name of Khufu/Cheops, goals that the episode perfectly achieves.
Numerous modern/contemporary goods are presented as Egyptian in nature (such as cream pies or gunpowder), and the erection of the Great Pyramid (originally designed upside down) is claimed to have happened in 40 days. However, the story is intended to amuse a very young audience and help children associate the construction of the Great Pyramid with the name of Khufu/Cheops, goals that the episode perfectly achieves.
Author: Valentina Santini
Other information
Meltzer, E. 2021. The Survival of Ancient Egypt in Modern Culture: A Never-Ending Story, in Y. Barbash and K.M. Cooney (eds) The Afterlives of Egyptian History: Reuse and Reformulation of Objects, Places, and Texts in Honor of Edward Bleiberg: 25. Cairo: AUC Press.
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