Omar Khayyam's Enduring Poetry

Omar Khayyam Wrote the Most Translated Poem in History

On March 18, 1048, Omar Khayyam was born in Nishapur, Persia. By the time he died in 1131, he had written over 1,500 quatrains that would be compiled into the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. This collection of poems would go on to become the most translated poem in history, with versions in over 40 languages.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think Omar Khayyam was just a poet who wrote about wine, women, and song, but the standard story goes that his poetry was superficial, lacking in depth and theological insight. The common understanding is that his work was primarily focused on hedonistic themes, with little attention paid to the spiritual and philosophical aspects of his writing. However, this oversimplification neglects the complexity and nuance of his poetry.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Mohammad Ali Foroughi argues that Omar Khayyam's poetry was deeply influenced by Islamic theology and Sufi mysticism, as evident in his writings from 1075 to 1090. According to Foroughi's book, "The History of Persian Literature", Khayyam's quatrains often explored the tension between worldly desires and spiritual aspirations. By 1120, Khayyam had become a prominent figure in Persian literary circles, and his poetry was widely admired for its lyricism and intellectual depth. The fact that Khayyam was also a respected mathematician and astronomer, who wrote a treatise on algebra in 1070, is often overlooked in discussions of his poetry. Historian E.G. Browne notes in his book "A Literary History of Persia" that Khayyam's poetry was not just about hedonism, but also about the human condition, love, and the search for meaning. As Browne points out, Khayyam's poetry was widely studied and admired in the 12th century, and his influence can be seen in the work of later poets, such as Rumi, who wrote extensively about spirituality and love from 1240 to 1273. By examining Khayyam's life and work, it becomes clear that his poetry was not just a reflection of his personal experiences, but also a product of his intellectual and spiritual pursuits.

The Part That Got Buried

The story of the 10th-century Persian poet's rise to fame was intentionally suppressed by European translators and scholars who sought to sanitize his work for Western audiences. The Catholic Church played a significant role in this suppression, as they deemed the poet's writings on wine, sex, and God to be too explicit and heretical. The decision to omit or alter certain verses was made by prominent translators, such as Sir William Jones, who wanted to make the poet's work more palatable to 18th-century European readers. As a result, the poet's original message was distorted, and his true intentions were lost in translation. The suppression of the poet's work was further compounded by the fact that many of his original manuscripts were destroyed or lost over the centuries, leaving behind only fragments and interpretations. The deliberate suppression of the poet's work by these individuals and institutions has had a lasting impact on our understanding of his poetry and its significance.

The Ripple Effect

The suppression of the poet's work had a direct impact on the development of literature and art in the Western world. The sanitized versions of his poetry that were allowed to circulate influenced the work of later writers, such as Goethe and Emerson, who were inspired by the poet's themes of love and spirituality, but not by his more explicit writings. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the translation of the poet's work into English by Edward FitzGerald, which became a bestseller in the 19th century and helped to popularize the poet's work among Western readers. However, even this translation was not without its controversies, as FitzGerald took liberties with the original text to make it more appealing to Victorian audiences.

The Line That Says It All

The 10th-century Persian poet's most famous work was reduced to a collection of sanitized verses that bore little resemblance to his original writings on wine, sex, and God.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to 10th-century Persian literature and the history of translation and censorship in the Western world.