The scope and variety of this material has been likened to the analysis of Hamlet and other notable works of literature.[1] Scholars debate the reason why Sinuhe flees Egypt, with the majority ascribing panic over a perceived threat.[6] The tale is full of symbolic allusions. Sinuhe's name (="Son of the Sycamore") is seen as providing an important link in understanding the story. The sycamore is an ancient Egyptian Tree of Life,[9] associated with Hathor (the Goddess of fertility and rebirth and patroness of foreign countries), who features throughout the work.[6]