Compare And Contrast Nefertiti And Akhenaten

Though credited as one of the most powerful leaders to oversee Egypt, little is known about Nefertiti. Specifically, the early life and origin of the former queen is often debated. Scholars have argued whom her parents were and whether she was of noble or common birth. Regardless, Nefertiti rose to great affluence and went on to produce six daughters with her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten. By sharing the throne with her husband, Nefertiti stretched gender norms and laid a new path for how leadership of the time was conducted, specifically for women.
Nefertiti and Akhenaten, “revolutionized Egyptian religion and society by replacing the worship of many gods with the worship... of the sun god Aten” (Sweeney, 2008). Their reign often coincided with societal upheaval because Nefertiti and Akhenaten changed the …show more content…
Scholars still argue the reasons for the sudden change from centuries of polytheism in Egyptian religion. Regardless, Nefertiti gained importance through the religious change as she represented the feminine side of Aten, replacing the female goddesses such as Isis. She served as a balance between the feminine and masculine qualities of Egyptian religion. Throughout artwork and architecture erected during her reign, Nefertiti is portrayed more frequently with her husband than any other Egyptian queen. She is often shown in “equal footing with the king, smiting the enemies of Egypt or driving a chariot” (Sweeney, 2008). In many of the depictions, she is shown worshipping Aten alone, which was highly unusual for a woman at the time. Women were generally only allowed to worship alongside their husbands but the royal couple wanted to show the nation they fully supported and believed in their new faith. Additionally, Nefertiti is often depicted as equal in size as Akhenaten and in one representation is shown with her husband “as a single figure with a double outline” (Sweeney, 2008).