The Reception of Persian Poetry in the Victorian Era

This article investigates the impacts of Persian poetry in England during the Victorian era as perceived by British authors and critics. I will argue that most of Persian classic poets were discussed in literary circles during the Victorian era but none of them as intensely as Omar Khayyam whose poems were translated by Edward FitzGerald under the title of Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám. The publication of FitzGerald’s work in 1859 reinforced the interest of British literary figures in Persian literature and paved the way for the introduction of more Persian Poets to British readers. Meanwhile, due to the expansion of the British Empire in India, Persian language and literature became more significant in Britain. Actually, because of British commercial and political interests in India in which many statesmen spoke in Persian language, political motivations brought the study of Persian literature to the mainstream of British literary circles

Keywords:

Omar Khayyam , FitzGerald , William Jones , literature , mystical