At 22, Ramses is idealistic and romantic. His initial ascent is marked by a desire for military glory and a rejection of the priests' cautious, knowledge-based governance.
Prus, a positivist writer, utilized the sociological theories of Herbert Spencer to depict ancient Egypt as a single, living organism. In this metaphor, the represented the mind, the pharaoh the will, and the people the body. The "ascent" of the protagonist, Prince Ramses (later Ramses XIII), is not merely a climb to the throne but an attempt to assert the "will" over a "mind" (the clergy) that had become stagnant and corrupt. 2. The Narrative Ascent: From Prince to Reformer Faraon - Ascent
As he matures, Ramses belatedly learns that power is inextricably linked to science and hidden knowledge. The priests' use of a solar eclipse to manipulate the masses serves as the ultimate demonstration that intellectual superiority often trumps military might. 3. The Tragic Peak and Fall At 22, Ramses is idealistic and romantic