Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, and Salámán and Absál: Together with a Life of Edward Fitzgerald and an Essay on Persian Poetry by Ralph Waldo Emerson

In Short

This volume collects Edward FitzGerald’s famous English verse translations of Persian literature alongside biographical and critical commentary. It opens with a tribute by Lord Tennyson and a sketch of FitzGerald's life, followed by Omar Khayyám’s Rubáiyát, a meditation on mortality, fate, and the fleeting nature of existence. It continues with Jámi’s narrative allegory Salámán and Absál, depicting a prince's struggle between earthly passion and spiritual enlightenment. The collection concludes with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on Persian poetry, examining how Eastern bards transform earthly motifs into profound philosophical truths.

The Story

The volume constructs a literary bridge between Victorian England and classical Persia through biographical context, poetic translation, and critical appraisal. It begins with Lord Tennyson’s verse greeting to "Old Fitz," praising his quiet life in Suffolk and his translation of Omar Khayyám. A biographical introduction follows, detailing FitzGerald’s early years in France and England, his schooling at Bury St. Edmunds, and his lifelong friendships formed at Trinity College, Cambridge. The biography traces how FitzGerald translated Persian quatrains by expanding brief original couplets into haunting English stanzas.

The collection then presents the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. The speaker reflects on the inevitability of death, noting that historical monarchs like Jamshýd, Kaikobád, and Bahrám have all returned to the earth. Wisdom and intellectual debates offer no lasting answers, as human existence resembles pieces moved across a chessboard by Destiny. Rather than despairing over unanswerable theological questions, the speaker advocates seizing the present moment—enjoying a loaf of bread, a flask of wine, and verse under a bough. In the Kúza-Náma sequence, the narrator observes talking vessels in a potter’s shop, where the pots debate their creation, purpose, and whether a loving Maker would break the vessels He fashioned.

The focus shifts to Jámi’s allegory Salámán and Absál. The narrative opens with the aging poet Jámi reflecting on his declining strength before recounting the tale of Prince Salámán. Born without a mother through royal desire, Salámán grows into a brilliant, highly accomplished youth. However, he falls deeply in love with his nurse, Absál. Entangled in passion, the lovers flee society to an isolated island paradise where they spend a year in secluded joy. Troubled by his son's neglect of royal duty, the Shah views them through a magic, world-reflecting mirror. When verbal appeals and reason fail to break the spell, the Shah exerts his spiritual will. Distressed by their forbidden love and social reproof, Salámán and Absál construct a massive bonfire in the desert and leap into the flames together. Directed by the Shah's will, the fire consumes Absál but leaves Salámán unharm. Purified of earthly lust, Salámán mourns until he receives a divine vision of the heavenly maiden Zuhrah, ultimately ascending to his rightful throne as a wise ruler.

The volume concludes with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on Persian poetry. Emerson surveys the cultural roots of Eastern bards, noting how Arabs and Persians find intense joy in verse. He explores the rich imagery of poets like Hafiz, Enweri, and Ibn Jemin, showing how they blend themes of love, wine, and nature with elevated moral insight.

How It Unfolds

A friendship commemorated Lord Tennyson praises Edward FitzGerald’s quiet life in Suffolk alongside his remarkable ability to translate Omar Khayyám’s verse into magnificent English poetry.

The translator's background A biographical sketch outlines FitzGerald’s education at Cambridge, his enduring capacity for deep friendships, and his method of crafting expansive English stanzas from original Persian couplets.

Reflections on mortality Omar Khayyám contemplates the transient nature of power and life, observing that ancient kings have vanished and that human efforts cannot alter the decrees of fate.

The debate of the pots Inside a potter’s shop at the close of Ramazán, animated clay vessels question the nature of their creator, debating whether their maker would design them only to destroy them.

The royal temptation Prince Salámán grows to grand perfection but abandons his duties after falling into an absorbing, secluded romance with his nurse, Absál.

Trial by fire Driven to despair by societal judgment, the lovers leap into a fiery pile, where divine power consumes Absál while preserving and purifying Salámán.

The poet's insight Ralph Waldo Emerson analyzes Persian verse, illustrating how poets like Hafiz transform themes of wine, passion, and nature into spiritual wisdom.

The People

• Edward FitzGerald: The English translator who leads a quiet life in Suffolk. Known for his genius for friendship and literary skill, he crafts lasting English versions of classical Persian poems.
• Omar Khayyám: The Persian astronomer, mathematician, and poet. He writes quatrains reflecting on the swift passage of time, the certainty of death, and the wisdom of enjoying earthly pleasures.
• Salámán: A prince not born of woman who possesses extraordinary intellect and physical prowess. He strays from his royal duties due to his love for Absál but ultimately undergoes spiritual purification to become a wise monarch.
• Absál: Prince Salámán’s nurse and beloved. She draws the young prince into a secluded life of romance and is ultimately consumed in the desert fire.
• The Shah: Salámán’s father and ruler. He attempts to guide his son back to responsibility using reason, a magic mirror, and his spiritual will.
• Jámi: The aging Persian poet who frames the tale of Salámán and Absál, reflecting on his own physical decline while using verse to convey higher truths.
• Hafiz: A celebrated Persian poet featured in Emerson’s essay. He uses vibrant imagery of love and wine to express deep philosophical thoughts.

In Its Own Voice

"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."

The translator captures Omar Khayyám’s central conviction regarding the absolute unyielding nature of fate.

"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough, / A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse—and Thou / Beside me singing in the Wilderness— / And Wilderness is Paradise enow!"

These famous lines express the speaker's desire to abandon worldly ambitions in favor of simple, present delights.

"A friend is he, who, hunted as a foe, / So much the kindlier shows him than before; / Throw stones at him, or ruder javelins throw, / He builds with stone and steel a firmer floor."

In Emerson's essay, poet Dschami illustrates the unwavering strength and nobility inherent in true friendship.

What It's Really About

Underneath its rich imagery and poetic forms, the book explores the tension between mortal transience and spiritual longing. Omar Khayyám confronts the brevity of human existence, arguing that since human wisdom cannot unravel destiny or prevent decay, one must embrace the immediate present. In contrast, Jámi’s Salámán and Absál uses narrative allegory to examine the conflict between earthly temptation and higher spiritual purpose, demonstrating that raw passion must be burned away for the soul to achieve true enlightenment. Emerson's concluding essay unifies these perspectives, arguing that Persian poetry elevated earthly symbols—such as wine, roses, and romantic desire—into expressions of divine truth and moral fortitude.

Why Read It Today

This collection offers readers a direct look at the historic meeting of Victorian literary sensibilities and classical Persian philosophy. Readers who enjoy reflective poetry, classical allegories, and literary history will find immense value in seeing how FitzGerald rendered Eastern thought into timeless English verse. The collection carries a melodious, contemplative atmosphere, balancing solemn reflections on mortality with vivid romantic imagery.

The book does present certain historical difficulties. Modern readers must navigate nineteenth-century translation conventions, archaic spelling variations, and structured verse forms. Additionally, the allegorical narrative of Salámán and Absál reflects patriarchal period attitudes regarding gender roles and royal duty, presenting Absál's destruction as a necessary step for royal purification. Nevertheless, the volume rewards patience. The unforgettable cadences of the Rubáiyát and Emerson’s keen commentary on Persian verse remain deeply moving, offering a timeless reflection on the human search for meaning in a fleeting world.

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