In this essay, I offer a novel interpretation of Rilke’s first elegy of Duino from the perspective of the homelessness of humanity. Starting with his distinction between angels, animals and humans,... Show moreIn this essay, I offer a novel interpretation of Rilke’s first elegy of Duino from the perspective of the homelessness of humanity. Starting with his distinction between angels, animals and humans, we discover that human life is characterized by the boundary situation between life and death, which renders us feeling homeless in the world. Today, God no longer functions as a stable point of reference, as the one who could alleviate this existential homelessness. Even though we are not always aware of our homelessness, our relationship with the world, characterized by an urge to control the variables of life, attests to it. The emptiness we experience must be fully acknowledged and lived through to determine whether an attitude of radical receptivity to life as a whole, encompassing both life and death, can help us find a home in the world. This human fate is challenging to bear, and perhaps finding a home will ultimately prove to be a futile endeavor. This raises the disquieting question: is being human worthwhile? In contrast to the timeless angelic universe, human life feels limited and inferior. Nevertheless, Rilke does not negate our lifeworld, but instead emphasizes the beauty of this singular existence, derived from the incredible fact that in this transitory life, the eternal shines. Show less
Parvin E’tesami (1907-1941) is among the few Persian female poets, who has gained nationwide popularity, while her authorship was disbelieved. She is celebrated in a plethora of publications every... Show moreParvin E’tesami (1907-1941) is among the few Persian female poets, who has gained nationwide popularity, while her authorship was disbelieved. She is celebrated in a plethora of publications every year in Iran and beyond. E’tesami is the only female poet who has remained part of the daily lives of people in her society for about a century. Her poetry appears in school curricula both before and after the Revolution of 1979. People use her poetry on social media, particularly in critical times. It is also used in public speeches by Ali Khamenei (r. 1989-present) the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic. This book engages with E’tesami in the transformational context of the early twentieth century in Iran to investigate the controversies around her identity as a popular female poet. It demonstrates that the reason for E’tesami’s paradoxical popularity was not merely her gender, but the transgression of patriarchal Iranian-Muslim gender norms. Show less
There are many publications dealing with the political career of Ruhollah Khomeini (1902–1989), who transformed the political landscape of Iran and the Middle East after the Islamic Revolution of... Show moreThere are many publications dealing with the political career of Ruhollah Khomeini (1902–1989), who transformed the political landscape of Iran and the Middle East after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Most of the research conducted in the West is on Khomeini’s political strategies, while the influential role of mysticism in all facets of his life is ignored. This book is the first study examining Khomeini’s poetry, mysticism and the reception of his poetry both in Iran and the West. It investigates how Khomeini integrated various doctrines and ideas of Islamic mysticism and Shiiism such as the Perfect Man into his poetry. Show less
