Routledge In Search of Omar Khayyam - RLE Iran Series Historical Biography

Explore the life and legacy of Omar Khayyam through this scholarly examination by Ali Dashti, offering the first comprehensive English-language study of the Persian poet by a Persian scholar. Since Edward Fitzgerald's 1859 publication of the Rubaiyat, Khayyam has fascinated literary critics and historians alike. This edition addresses the fundamental challenge of authenticating Khayyam's quatrains, as many works have been attributed to him without conclusive proof. Dashti constructs a detailed portrait of the poet by examining contemporary references from his peers and analysing Khayyam's own scholarly works in philosophy, mathematics and astronomy. This rigorous approach provides readers with a grounded understanding of Khayyam's intellectual contributions and poetic identity. Part of the Routledge Library Editions: Iran series, this volume brings together historical context, biographical detail and textual analysis for students of Persian literature, Islamic intellectual history and medieval philosophy.