FitzGerald’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: From Personal Therapy to Social Therapy

Document Type : Research Article

Author

• Kareem Lowaymi Mutlaq

Assistant Professor in English Language and Literature, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran.

10.22067/jls.2025.87349.1563

Abstract

In the realm of world literature and cross-cultural intellectual exchanges, few poets have wielded as profound an influence as Omar Khayyam and his Rubaiyat, particularly in shaping the cultural, literary, and intellectual landscape of Europe, especially Victorian England. During this period, the middle class, bolstered by wealth from commercial and colonial endeavors and grounded in Protestant Christian values, dominated England’s economic, social, and cultural spheres. However, by the mid-19th century, this dominance faced significant challenges from revolutionary thinkers such as Darwin, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, whose ideas sparked spiritual and social upheaval, particularly among intellectuals, writers, and artists. It was in this climate of instability that Edward FitzGerald’s translation of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám emerged. This article explores the reasons behind the enthusiastic reception of FitzGerald’s translation during this transformative era. It argues that two key factors contributed to its success: the translator’s personal circumstances and the broader social, cultural, and intellectual conditions of the time. Initially, the translation served as a form of personal therapy for FitzGerald, reflecting his own struggles and worldview. However, through its adoption and promotion by influential figures in the intellectual, cultural, and literary fields, the Rubaiyat transcended its personal origins to become a source of collective solace and reflection, effectively functioning as a form of social therapy for a society grappling with existential uncertainties.

Keywords

• Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
• Fitzgerald
• Victorian Period
• Middle Class
• Therapy

Main Subjects

• Literary Studies

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