Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: (Oxford World's Classics)
By
Edward FitzGerald (Author) Daniel Karlin (Contributor)
Paperback
In Stock
Quantity
Description
'The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.'
In the 'rubaiyat' (short epigrammatic poems) of the medieval Persian poet, mathematician, and philosopher Omar Khayyam, Edward FitzGerald saw an unflinching challenge to the illusions and consolations of mankind in every age. His version of Omar is neither a translation nor an independent poem; sceptical of divine providence and insistent on the pleasure of the passing moment, its 'Orientalism' offers FitzGerald a powerful and distinctive voice, in whose accents a whole Victorian generation comes to life. Although the poem's vision is bleak, it is conveyed in some of the most beautiful and haunting images in English poetry - and some of the sharpest- edged. The poem sold no copies at all on its first appearance in 1859, yet when it was 'discovered' two years later its first admirers included Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Swinburne, and Ruskin. Daniel Karlin's richly annotated edition does justice to the scope and complexity of FitzGerald's lyrical meditation on 'human death and fate'.
ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
About the Author
Daniel Karlin is Professor of English at the University of Sheffield. His books include Proust's English and Browning's Hatreds.
More Details
- Contributor: Edward FitzGerald
- Imprint: Oxford University Press
- ISBN13: 9780199580507
- Number of Pages: 240
- Packaged Dimensions: 130x196x14mm
- Packaged Weight: 182
- Format: Paperback
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- Release Date: 2010-06-10
- Series: Oxford World's Classics
- Binding: Paperback / softback
- Biography: Daniel Karlin is Professor of English at the University of Sheffield. His books include Proust's English and Browning's Hatreds.
Delivery Options
Home Delivery
Store Delivery
Free Returns
We hope you are delighted with everything you buy from us. However, if you are not, we will refund or replace your order up to 30 days after purchase. Terms and exclusions apply; find out more from our Returns and Refunds Policy.