-Old Persian- 522 BCE(Achaemenid inscription)-Islamic Conquest of Persia- 633

BCE-Sasanid State-Sasanian Empire- Sasanian Dynasty

scribes and/or bureaucrats-Persians wrote in both Persian (Farsi) & Arabic

History of Persian Literature

Persian Writing

OLD PERSIAN

Persian Poetry-form of “rubai” (quatrains)

OMAR KHAYYAM

SAADI SHIRAZI

HAFEZ

RUBAIYAT OF OMARKHAYYAMBackgroundAuthor: Omar Khayyam (1048-1122)-a Persian Mathematician, philosopher,

astronomer and poetTranslator: Edward FitzGerald

(1809-1883)- an English poet and writer -made five editions of Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat -first published in 1859

SUMMARYSubject: Life and DeathTheme: Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)3rd rubaiAnd, as the Cock crew, those who stood

beforeThe Tavern shouted – "Open then the

Door!You know how little while we have to stay, And once departed, may return no more."

25th rubaiAh, make the most of what we yet may spend, Before we too into the Dust descend;

Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie,

Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and — sans End!

STRUCTUREAlliteration1st rubai1- AWAKE! for Morning in the Bowl of

Night  2 - Has flung the Stone that puts

the Stars to Flight:  3 - And Lo! the Hunter of the East has

caught  4 - The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of

Light

4th rubai

1 - Now the New Year reviving old Desires.  2 - The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,  3 - Where the White Hand Of Moses on the Bough  4 - Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.

Internal Rhyme

68th rubai

1 - For in and out, above, about, below, 

2 - 'Tis nothing but a Magic Shadow-show,  

3 - Play'd in a Box whose Candle is the Sun, 

4 - Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.

64th rubai

1 - Strange, is it not? that of the Myriads who  

2- Before us pass'd the Door of Darkness through  

3 - Not one returns to tell us of the Road,  

4 - Which to discover we must travel too.

Extreme Contrast8th rubai1 - Whether at Naishapur or

Babylon,  2 - Whether the Cup

with sweet or bitter run,  3 - The Wine of Life keeps oozing

drop by drop,  4 - The Leaves of Life keep falling

one by one.

18th rubai1 - Think, in this batter'd

Caravanserai  2 - Whose Doorways are

alternate Night and Day,  3 - How Sultan after Sultan with his

Pomp  4 - Abode his Hour or two and went

his way.

ANALYSISSymbolism -HEAVEN- fulfilled desire-HELL- soul on fire67th rubaiHeav'n but the Vision of fulfill'd Desire,And Hell the Shadow of a Soul on fire,Cast on the Darkness into which

Ourselves,So late emerg'd from, shall so soon expire.

WINE symbolizes the water of life

43rd rubaiAnd if the wine you drink, the Lip you

pressEnd in what All begins and ends in — Yes;Think then you are today what yesterday

you were — Tomorrow you shall not be less.

36th rubai

Then to the Lip of this poor earthen urn

I lean’d the Secret of my Life to learn

And Lip to Lip it murmur’d – “While you live, “Drink! –

For once dead you never shall return

MOVING FINGER -symbolizes fate/destiny

70th rubaiThe Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor WitShall lure it back to cancel half a

Line,Nor all thy Tears wash out a Wordof it.

END. Mamnoon! ممنون

(Thank you)