Project Title
Exploring the Intersection of Philosophy and the Queer Experience
Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)
Jennifer Flaherty
Abstract
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translated by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859, washed over the English world. The collection of poetry brought forth a new imagination in the meaning of life and the afterlife as it brought to focus celebrations and the enjoyment of one's life. Fitzgerald constructs a secular universe that is not constrained or governed by reason throughout the many poems. While seeking and accepting the joys derived from their experiences, the poems engage with the real, tangible world. Similarly, Oscar Wilde created a space for expression and freedom of identity through his work, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Throughout the novel, many individuals showcase this idea of individualism and hedonism. In joining the two texts together Wilde embraces the homoerotic nature and exemplifies the meaning of hedonism within the of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In using a queer theory lens, I aim to showcase The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam as inspiration for the reshaping of the cultural landscape in The Picture of Dorian Gray towards hedonistic desire.
Exploring the Intersection of Philosophy and the Queer Experience
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translated by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859, washed over the English world. The collection of poetry brought forth a new imagination in the meaning of life and the afterlife as it brought to focus celebrations and the enjoyment of one's life. Fitzgerald constructs a secular universe that is not constrained or governed by reason throughout the many poems. While seeking and accepting the joys derived from their experiences, the poems engage with the real, tangible world. Similarly, Oscar Wilde created a space for expression and freedom of identity through his work, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Throughout the novel, many individuals showcase this idea of individualism and hedonism. In joining the two texts together Wilde embraces the homoerotic nature and exemplifies the meaning of hedonism within the of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In using a queer theory lens, I aim to showcase The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam as inspiration for the reshaping of the cultural landscape in The Picture of Dorian Gray towards hedonistic desire.