Walt Whitman and the Persian Poets

Walt Whitman and the Persian Poets

Author: J. R. LeMaster

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13:

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Where did Walt Whitman get his religious ideas? This book follows in detail the similarities of the religious beliefs of the American writer/humanist and two major classical Persian poets, Hafez and Rumi. Other books have tried to explain Whitman's religion, but none so far has done justice to the topic. Some critics have labelled Whitman a pantheist and let it go at that. Others have dismissed the topic of religion in Whitman's poems as posturing to gain a readership. This work contends that Whitman took religion very seriously. His poems are full of religious references. He knew the Bible well. He also had read Emerson on the poets of the East as well as some of the same poets in translation. This book postulates that the counterparts of Whitman's ideas about religion are best found in the Orient and that his ideas on religion have much in common with those of the Sufis. The book focuses on the works of the three poets. Lines from Whitman are quoted and compared with lines from Rumi and Hafez to illustrate that the three poets conveyed their message through very human actions and emotions. Their message, which is mystical, is conveyed through a secular language, and their symbolism is unconventional. They attract the reader through their humanness and in doing so attempt to lead the reader to recognition of the divine existing both inside and outside of themselves. Like Whitman, Rumi and Hafez realise that God is both transcendent and immanent and as a result encourage their readers to seek the Divine everywhere, especially within themselves. Man's "true home", they contend, is his Divine origin. Man is infinitely bound up with God, is never separate from God. Whitman's long poem titled "Song of Myself" has created much controversy over the years, and Whitman has often been labelled an extreme egotist. Walt Whitman and the Persian Poets illustrates that all three poets see their egotism as a result of their complete faith in God's omnipresence and their ability to recognise Him in every aspect of creation. As did Emerson, all three hold a belief in the simultaneous transcendence and immanence of God. In short, they see themselves as God-intoxicated, as reflections of God in the phenomenal world. Therefore, as do the Sufi poets, Whitman sees man and God as one.


Book Synopsis Walt Whitman and the Persian Poets by : J. R. LeMaster

Download or read book Walt Whitman and the Persian Poets written by J. R. LeMaster and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where did Walt Whitman get his religious ideas? This book follows in detail the similarities of the religious beliefs of the American writer/humanist and two major classical Persian poets, Hafez and Rumi. Other books have tried to explain Whitman's religion, but none so far has done justice to the topic. Some critics have labelled Whitman a pantheist and let it go at that. Others have dismissed the topic of religion in Whitman's poems as posturing to gain a readership. This work contends that Whitman took religion very seriously. His poems are full of religious references. He knew the Bible well. He also had read Emerson on the poets of the East as well as some of the same poets in translation. This book postulates that the counterparts of Whitman's ideas about religion are best found in the Orient and that his ideas on religion have much in common with those of the Sufis. The book focuses on the works of the three poets. Lines from Whitman are quoted and compared with lines from Rumi and Hafez to illustrate that the three poets conveyed their message through very human actions and emotions. Their message, which is mystical, is conveyed through a secular language, and their symbolism is unconventional. They attract the reader through their humanness and in doing so attempt to lead the reader to recognition of the divine existing both inside and outside of themselves. Like Whitman, Rumi and Hafez realise that God is both transcendent and immanent and as a result encourage their readers to seek the Divine everywhere, especially within themselves. Man's "true home", they contend, is his Divine origin. Man is infinitely bound up with God, is never separate from God. Whitman's long poem titled "Song of Myself" has created much controversy over the years, and Whitman has often been labelled an extreme egotist. Walt Whitman and the Persian Poets illustrates that all three poets see their egotism as a result of their complete faith in God's omnipresence and their ability to recognise Him in every aspect of creation. As did Emerson, all three hold a belief in the simultaneous transcendence and immanence of God. In short, they see themselves as God-intoxicated, as reflections of God in the phenomenal world. Therefore, as do the Sufi poets, Whitman sees man and God as one.

The Persian Whitman

The Persian Whitman

Author: Behnam M. Fomeshi

Publisher: Leiden University Press

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9789087283353

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Walt Whitman, a world poet and the father of American free verse, has been read by diverse audiences from around the world. Literary and cultural scholars have studied Whitman's interaction with social, political and literary movements of different countries. Despite his continuing presence in Iran, Whitman's reception in this country has remained unexplored. Additionally, Iranian reception of Western literature is a field still in its infancy and under-researched, particularly due to contemporary political circumstances. The Persian Whitman examines Whitman's heretofore unexplored reception in Iran. It is primarily involved with the "Persian Whitman," a new phenomenon born in diachronic and synchronic dialogue between the Persian culture and an American poet.


Book Synopsis The Persian Whitman by : Behnam M. Fomeshi

Download or read book The Persian Whitman written by Behnam M. Fomeshi and published by Leiden University Press. This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Walt Whitman, a world poet and the father of American free verse, has been read by diverse audiences from around the world. Literary and cultural scholars have studied Whitman's interaction with social, political and literary movements of different countries. Despite his continuing presence in Iran, Whitman's reception in this country has remained unexplored. Additionally, Iranian reception of Western literature is a field still in its infancy and under-researched, particularly due to contemporary political circumstances. The Persian Whitman examines Whitman's heretofore unexplored reception in Iran. It is primarily involved with the "Persian Whitman," a new phenomenon born in diachronic and synchronic dialogue between the Persian culture and an American poet.

A Reader's Guide to Walt Whitman

A Reader's Guide to Walt Whitman

Author: Gay Wilson Allen

Publisher: Syracuse University Press

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 9780815604884

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Author of the biography of Whitman and several other books about the poet, general coeditor of The Collected Writings, and for 25 years the leading scholar of Leaves of Grass, Allen has now produced a critical guide for an intelligent reader's analysis and evaluation of current interpretations and approaches to Whitman's poetry. Its five sections are concerned with: a) the Whitman man-or-beast myth; 2) the 'long foreground' to the Leaves; 3) the nine editions, 1855-1892, of Whitman's book...; 4) the central themes or subject matter that give it unity, and the views of critics...; and 5) its form and structure as seen in a dozen individual lyrics. The result is a useful, valuable, and even remarkable capstone to a long career devoted to the study of 'A Bible for Democracy' (Whitman's phrase for Leaves of Grass).


Book Synopsis A Reader's Guide to Walt Whitman by : Gay Wilson Allen

Download or read book A Reader's Guide to Walt Whitman written by Gay Wilson Allen and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 1997 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author of the biography of Whitman and several other books about the poet, general coeditor of The Collected Writings, and for 25 years the leading scholar of Leaves of Grass, Allen has now produced a critical guide for an intelligent reader's analysis and evaluation of current interpretations and approaches to Whitman's poetry. Its five sections are concerned with: a) the Whitman man-or-beast myth; 2) the 'long foreground' to the Leaves; 3) the nine editions, 1855-1892, of Whitman's book...; 4) the central themes or subject matter that give it unity, and the views of critics...; and 5) its form and structure as seen in a dozen individual lyrics. The result is a useful, valuable, and even remarkable capstone to a long career devoted to the study of 'A Bible for Democracy' (Whitman's phrase for Leaves of Grass).

Elements of Sufism in the Poetry of Rumi and Whitman

Elements of Sufism in the Poetry of Rumi and Whitman

Author: Gn Memon

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2021-08-24

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13:

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This research work is a comparative study of the Persian poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi and the American poet Walt Whitman. The first question which arises here is how far it is feasible to study these two poets, remote not only in time and space but also in culture, tradition, language, and nationality. The key phrase in this topic is 'Comparative Study.' Comparative Literary Study can be defined as an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expressions across linguistic, national, and disciplinary boundaries. It "performs a role similar to that of the study of international relations, but work with languages and artistic traditions, to understand cultures from the inside." In short, Comparative Literature is "literature without borders." The present comparative study tries to investigate the common Sufi and transcendental elements in Rumi and Whitman and also the former's influence on the latter. Despite geographical, linguistic, and historical differences, certain common ideas seem to exist between the two poets and this makes this research on comparative study an interesting one. To compare and examine the Sufi notions Rumi's Mathnavi Manavi and Divan Shams and Whitman's Leaves of Grass have been considered in this research work. A glance at the previous studies of Rumi and Whitman reveals that the elements of 'Sufism' have been ignored in the poetry of Whitman. In the present study, the following questions have been enquired: What is 'Sufism'? How did it arise? What are its essential features? What is classical Persian Sufi poetry? Who are the masters of classical Persian Sufi poetry and how they have influenced Rumi? How has 'Sufism' influenced both Rumi and Whitman? Has Rumi influenced Whitman? What are the common Sufi elements in Rumi and Whitman? All in all, the mystical thoughts of both poets are so close, and because Rumi's mystical thoughts are interpreted in the field of 'Islamic mysticism' which is 'Sufism', hence, the strong affinity between the two poets has been investigated in terms of Sufi aspect. Evidence represented that Whitman was familiar with Persian poetry and Islamic mysticism, and he was inspired by the beauty of Sufi poetry. Both poets considered self-knowledge as the only way for salvation. Rumi and Whitman emphasized the soul of man, which is mixed with the Nature of immortality. They believed human eternal love is widespread in all creations. In their idea, annihilation can be achieved by love, which is the most important element of creation.


Book Synopsis Elements of Sufism in the Poetry of Rumi and Whitman by : Gn Memon

Download or read book Elements of Sufism in the Poetry of Rumi and Whitman written by Gn Memon and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2021-08-24 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research work is a comparative study of the Persian poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi and the American poet Walt Whitman. The first question which arises here is how far it is feasible to study these two poets, remote not only in time and space but also in culture, tradition, language, and nationality. The key phrase in this topic is 'Comparative Study.' Comparative Literary Study can be defined as an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expressions across linguistic, national, and disciplinary boundaries. It "performs a role similar to that of the study of international relations, but work with languages and artistic traditions, to understand cultures from the inside." In short, Comparative Literature is "literature without borders." The present comparative study tries to investigate the common Sufi and transcendental elements in Rumi and Whitman and also the former's influence on the latter. Despite geographical, linguistic, and historical differences, certain common ideas seem to exist between the two poets and this makes this research on comparative study an interesting one. To compare and examine the Sufi notions Rumi's Mathnavi Manavi and Divan Shams and Whitman's Leaves of Grass have been considered in this research work. A glance at the previous studies of Rumi and Whitman reveals that the elements of 'Sufism' have been ignored in the poetry of Whitman. In the present study, the following questions have been enquired: What is 'Sufism'? How did it arise? What are its essential features? What is classical Persian Sufi poetry? Who are the masters of classical Persian Sufi poetry and how they have influenced Rumi? How has 'Sufism' influenced both Rumi and Whitman? Has Rumi influenced Whitman? What are the common Sufi elements in Rumi and Whitman? All in all, the mystical thoughts of both poets are so close, and because Rumi's mystical thoughts are interpreted in the field of 'Islamic mysticism' which is 'Sufism', hence, the strong affinity between the two poets has been investigated in terms of Sufi aspect. Evidence represented that Whitman was familiar with Persian poetry and Islamic mysticism, and he was inspired by the beauty of Sufi poetry. Both poets considered self-knowledge as the only way for salvation. Rumi and Whitman emphasized the soul of man, which is mixed with the Nature of immortality. They believed human eternal love is widespread in all creations. In their idea, annihilation can be achieved by love, which is the most important element of creation.

The Rebellion of Forms in Modern Persian Poetry

The Rebellion of Forms in Modern Persian Poetry

Author: Farshad Sonboldel

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2024-02-08

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13:

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An analysis of the aesthetic, cultural and political aspects of alternative poetic movements and individual poets in three periods: the Constitutional Revolution (1900–1920), the post-constitutional era (1920–1940), and the ascendency of modernism (1940–1960). Farshad Sonboldel shines new light on the history of modern Persian poetry by re-imagining the roles that the aesthetic experimentations of alternative poets played in different phases of the literary revolution in modern Persian poetry. Dominant narratives portray modern Persian poetry as a gradual, rational, and moderate change in the classical regime of aesthetics as well as a response to – and reflection of – cultural and socio-political changes within Iranian society. They also disregard the significance of radical experiments by alternative poets and undervalue the part they played in the initiation and progress of the so-called "literary revolution." These mainstream narratives minimize the socio-political engagement of literary works with the direct reflection of the social reality, and thus neglect the way many alternative poems struggle with socio-political issues through deconstructing the old and constructing new aesthetic systems. Each chapter of The Rebellion of Forms in Modern Persian Poetry is centred around poems chosen for their potential to showcase notable experiments of pioneer movements and individuals in each given period. Examining the formal and thematic aspects of these poems, this book reformulates the story of modern Persian poetry and unravels the relationship between radical aesthetic changes in the practice of poetry and resistance against political and cultural domination in society.


Book Synopsis The Rebellion of Forms in Modern Persian Poetry by : Farshad Sonboldel

Download or read book The Rebellion of Forms in Modern Persian Poetry written by Farshad Sonboldel and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2024-02-08 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An analysis of the aesthetic, cultural and political aspects of alternative poetic movements and individual poets in three periods: the Constitutional Revolution (1900–1920), the post-constitutional era (1920–1940), and the ascendency of modernism (1940–1960). Farshad Sonboldel shines new light on the history of modern Persian poetry by re-imagining the roles that the aesthetic experimentations of alternative poets played in different phases of the literary revolution in modern Persian poetry. Dominant narratives portray modern Persian poetry as a gradual, rational, and moderate change in the classical regime of aesthetics as well as a response to – and reflection of – cultural and socio-political changes within Iranian society. They also disregard the significance of radical experiments by alternative poets and undervalue the part they played in the initiation and progress of the so-called "literary revolution." These mainstream narratives minimize the socio-political engagement of literary works with the direct reflection of the social reality, and thus neglect the way many alternative poems struggle with socio-political issues through deconstructing the old and constructing new aesthetic systems. Each chapter of The Rebellion of Forms in Modern Persian Poetry is centred around poems chosen for their potential to showcase notable experiments of pioneer movements and individuals in each given period. Examining the formal and thematic aspects of these poems, this book reformulates the story of modern Persian poetry and unravels the relationship between radical aesthetic changes in the practice of poetry and resistance against political and cultural domination in society.

Walt Whitman in Context

Walt Whitman in Context

Author: Joanna Levin

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-05-31

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13: 1108314473

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Walt Whitman is a poet of contexts. His poetic practice was one of observing, absorbing, and then reflecting the world around him. Walt Whitman in Context provides brief, provocative explorations of thirty-eight different contexts - geographic, literary, cultural, and political - through which to engage Whitman's life and work. Written by distinguished scholars of Whitman and nineteenth-century American literature and culture, this collection synthesizes scholarly and historical sources and brings together new readings and original research.


Book Synopsis Walt Whitman in Context by : Joanna Levin

Download or read book Walt Whitman in Context written by Joanna Levin and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-05-31 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Walt Whitman is a poet of contexts. His poetic practice was one of observing, absorbing, and then reflecting the world around him. Walt Whitman in Context provides brief, provocative explorations of thirty-eight different contexts - geographic, literary, cultural, and political - through which to engage Whitman's life and work. Written by distinguished scholars of Whitman and nineteenth-century American literature and culture, this collection synthesizes scholarly and historical sources and brings together new readings and original research.

Reorienting Modernism in Arabic and Persian Poetry

Reorienting Modernism in Arabic and Persian Poetry

Author: Levi Thompson

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2022-12-08

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 1009196200

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Re-orienting Modernism in Arabic and Persian Poetry is the first book to systematically study the parallel development of modernist poetry in Arabic and Persian. It presents a fresh line of comparative inquiry into minor literatures within the field of world literary studies. Focusing on Arabic-Persian literary exchanges allows readers to better understand the development of modernist poetry in both traditions and in turn challenge Europe's position at the center of literary modernism. The argument contributes to current scholarly efforts to globalize modernist studies by reading Arabic and Persian poetry comparatively within the context of the Cold War to establish the Middle East as a significant participant in wider modernist developments. To illuminate profound connections between Arabic and Persian modernist poetry in both form and content, the book takes up works from key poets including the Iraqis Badr Shakir al-Sayyab and Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati and the Iranians Nima Yushij, Ahmad Shamlu, and Forough Farrokhzad.


Book Synopsis Reorienting Modernism in Arabic and Persian Poetry by : Levi Thompson

Download or read book Reorienting Modernism in Arabic and Persian Poetry written by Levi Thompson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2022-12-08 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Re-orienting Modernism in Arabic and Persian Poetry is the first book to systematically study the parallel development of modernist poetry in Arabic and Persian. It presents a fresh line of comparative inquiry into minor literatures within the field of world literary studies. Focusing on Arabic-Persian literary exchanges allows readers to better understand the development of modernist poetry in both traditions and in turn challenge Europe's position at the center of literary modernism. The argument contributes to current scholarly efforts to globalize modernist studies by reading Arabic and Persian poetry comparatively within the context of the Cold War to establish the Middle East as a significant participant in wider modernist developments. To illuminate profound connections between Arabic and Persian modernist poetry in both form and content, the book takes up works from key poets including the Iraqis Badr Shakir al-Sayyab and Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati and the Iranians Nima Yushij, Ahmad Shamlu, and Forough Farrokhzad.

Abacus of Loss

Abacus of Loss

Author: Sholeh Wolpé

Publisher: University of Arkansas Press

Published: 2022-03-21

Total Pages: 124

ISBN-13: 1682261980

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"In Sholeh Wolpé's memoir in verse, the poet wields an abacus as an instrument of remembering. Bead by bead, she takes the reader on a journey of love and exile, loss and triumph"--


Book Synopsis Abacus of Loss by : Sholeh Wolpé

Download or read book Abacus of Loss written by Sholeh Wolpé and published by University of Arkansas Press. This book was released on 2022-03-21 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In Sholeh Wolpé's memoir in verse, the poet wields an abacus as an instrument of remembering. Bead by bead, she takes the reader on a journey of love and exile, loss and triumph"--

Poem Unlimited

Poem Unlimited

Author: David Kerler

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2019-09-23

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 3110594870

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Questions of genres as well as their possible definitions, taxonomies, and functions have been discussed since antiquity. Even though categories of genre today are far from being fixed, they have for decades been upheld without question. The goal of this volume is to problematize traditional definitions of poetic genres and to situate them in a broader socio-cultural, historical, and theoretical context. The contributions encompass numerous methodological approaches (including hermeneutics, poststructuralism, reception theory, cultural studies, gender studies), periods (Romanticism, Modernism, Postmodernism), genres (elegy, sonnet, visual poetry, performance poetry, hip hop) as well as languages and national literatures. From this interdisciplinary and multi-methodological perspective, genres, periods, languages, and literatures are put into fruitful dialogue, new perspectives are discovered, and suggestions for further research are provided.


Book Synopsis Poem Unlimited by : David Kerler

Download or read book Poem Unlimited written by David Kerler and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2019-09-23 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Questions of genres as well as their possible definitions, taxonomies, and functions have been discussed since antiquity. Even though categories of genre today are far from being fixed, they have for decades been upheld without question. The goal of this volume is to problematize traditional definitions of poetic genres and to situate them in a broader socio-cultural, historical, and theoretical context. The contributions encompass numerous methodological approaches (including hermeneutics, poststructuralism, reception theory, cultural studies, gender studies), periods (Romanticism, Modernism, Postmodernism), genres (elegy, sonnet, visual poetry, performance poetry, hip hop) as well as languages and national literatures. From this interdisciplinary and multi-methodological perspective, genres, periods, languages, and literatures are put into fruitful dialogue, new perspectives are discovered, and suggestions for further research are provided.

Walt Whitman, Philosopher Poet

Walt Whitman, Philosopher Poet

Author: John W. McDonald

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2007-02-20

Total Pages: 251

ISBN-13: 0786423889

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Was Walt Whitman--celebrated poet of freedom and democracy--a determinist at heart? A close study of Leaves of Grass shows that Whitman consistently acknowledges the inevitability of all things. As John McDonald argues, this seeming contradiction lies at the heart of Whitman's poetry, a fact continually overlooked in the more than 100 years that critics have written about the poet and his magnum opus. This volume contains an extensive study of Walt Whitman's poetry that explores both Whitman's guiding philosophy and its uses to unlock meaning within Leaves of Grass. Beginning with a detailed explanation of determinism, the author examines Whitman's use of indirection, which the poet referred to at times as a game played to evade the reader's comprehension. The work seeks to define a philosophy which was, in the author's opinion, the most significant influence in Whitman's thought and in his art. Various poems are examined in depth, including Song of Myself, Passage to India and the particularly significant With Antecedents. Gathered here will be evidence from Whitman's poems and prose and from his notes and quoted remarks, enough evidence to show beyond doubt that determinism was indeed his most significant influence. An innovative look at one of America's greatest poets.


Book Synopsis Walt Whitman, Philosopher Poet by : John W. McDonald

Download or read book Walt Whitman, Philosopher Poet written by John W. McDonald and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2007-02-20 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Was Walt Whitman--celebrated poet of freedom and democracy--a determinist at heart? A close study of Leaves of Grass shows that Whitman consistently acknowledges the inevitability of all things. As John McDonald argues, this seeming contradiction lies at the heart of Whitman's poetry, a fact continually overlooked in the more than 100 years that critics have written about the poet and his magnum opus. This volume contains an extensive study of Walt Whitman's poetry that explores both Whitman's guiding philosophy and its uses to unlock meaning within Leaves of Grass. Beginning with a detailed explanation of determinism, the author examines Whitman's use of indirection, which the poet referred to at times as a game played to evade the reader's comprehension. The work seeks to define a philosophy which was, in the author's opinion, the most significant influence in Whitman's thought and in his art. Various poems are examined in depth, including Song of Myself, Passage to India and the particularly significant With Antecedents. Gathered here will be evidence from Whitman's poems and prose and from his notes and quoted remarks, enough evidence to show beyond doubt that determinism was indeed his most significant influence. An innovative look at one of America's greatest poets.