The Awakening Wine: A Contextual and Philosophical Reading of Khayyam's Rubaiyat.

This article offers a philosophical and contextual analysis of the metaphor of "wine" in Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat, challenging reductive interpretations that associate Khayyam solely with hedonism and secularism. Drawing upon a clearly defined corpus of quatrains authenticated by leading Khayyam scho...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Çankaya University Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 157 - 174
Autor principal: Gojar, Nayeb Ghodrat
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Cankaya University Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences Jun2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=195639806&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: hlh
    uiTerm: 195639806
    longDbName: Humanities International Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        13096761
        MZM0
      jtl: Çankaya University Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences
      issn: 13096761
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Jun2026
      vid: 20
      iid: 1
      pid: 90273
      pub: Cankaya University Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences
    artinfo:
      ui:
        195639806
        10.47777/cankujhss.1795962
      ppf: 157
      ppct: 17
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: The Awakening Wine: A Contextual and Philosophical Reading of Khayyam's Rubaiyat.
      aug:
        au: Gojar, Nayeb Ghodrat
        affil: İstanbul Galata University
      su:
        Metaphor
        Translating & interpreting
        Poets
        Poetry studies
        Existentialism
        Reflection (Philosophy)
        Poetry (Literary form)
        Self-realization
      sug:
        subj:
          Metaphor
          Translating & interpreting
          Poets
          Poetry studies
          Existentialism
          Reflection (Philosophy)
          Poetry (Literary form)
          Self-realization
      keyword:
        authenticity
        cultural context
        hamriyye tradition
        Omar Khayyam
        Persian poetry
        philosophical themes
        Rubaiyat
        wine symbolism
      ab: This article offers a philosophical and contextual analysis of the metaphor of "wine" in Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat, challenging reductive interpretations that associate Khayyam solely with hedonism and secularism. Drawing upon a clearly defined corpus of quatrains authenticated by leading Khayyam scholars, including Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob, Abdolhamid Gheibi, and Abdülbaki Gölpınarlı, the study argues that Khayyam's frequent invocation of wine functions as a profound metaphor for spiritual awakening, existential inquiry, and intellectual liberation. Rather than promoting literal intoxication, Khayyam employs wine to critique religious hypocrisy, emphasize the fleeting nature of life, and advocate for a conscious, wisdom-driven engagement with the present. The article examines the deep roots of wine symbolism within the Persian hamriyye (wine poetry) tradition, tracing its development from pre-Islamic ritual through Sufi mystical appropriation. It also examines how specific Western translators, including Edward FitzGerald, Friedrich Rückert, and J. B. Nicolas, have distorted Khayyam's original metaphysical intentions by reinterpreting his symbolic motifs within culturally alien frameworks. By situating Khayyam's poetry within its historical, linguistic, and intellectual contexts, and by engaging closely with authenticated Persian quatrains alongside their English translations, the study reclaims the richness of his symbolic language and restores the philosophical integrity of his worldview. Therefore, the article highlights how Khayyam's quatrains transcend cultural and temporal boundaries, offering a timeless call to self-awareness, moral clarity, and existential authenticity.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: Y
      dt:
        @attributes:
          year: 2026
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N