Description:

Title: The Transparent Eyeball Materialized: Emerson Reads Persian Poetry

Description: Early in his 1858 essay entitled "Persian Poetry," Ralph Waldo Emerson speaks of a telescopic characteristic in Persian poetry, diagnosing its ability in communicating as extracts. He continues his essay by reading Persian Classical literary figures as diverse as Ferdowsi, Sa'di, Hafez and others, aiming at revealing such communicability in their work. In my paper, I primarily look into Emerson's interest in Persian poetry as communicable extracts, trying to trace the origins of this interest. I ask to what extent is Emerson reading Persian poetry? To what extent is Emerson re-reading himself in "Persian poetry"?

Commentary by Foroogh Farhang, doctoral student in anthropology and MENA, to follow.