<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This article explores the source and the meaning of the eleven quatrains quoted by modern Japanese writer Dazai Osamu (1909-1948) in his last complete novel, Ningen shikkaku (No Longer Human, 1948). Although dubbed as “rubaiyat”, which would indicate that they are translations of classical Persian poet and mathematician Omar Khayyam (1048-1131), the poems do not seem to match any of the known English translations from his work. This article explores the origin of the Japanese quatrains in Dazai’s novel, as well as their possible relevance for his literary work overall.</p>
</abstract>

This article explores the source and the meaning of the eleven quatrains quoted by modern Japanese writer Dazai Osamu (1909-1948) in his last complete novel, Ningen shikkaku (No Longer Human, 1948). Although dubbed as “rubaiyat”, which would indicate that they are translations of classical Persian poet and mathematician Omar Khayyam (1048-1131), the poems do not seem to match any of the known English translations from his work. This article explores the origin of the Japanese quatrains in Dazai’s novel, as well as their possible relevance for his literary work overall.

A Case of Mistaken Identity in Translation: “Omar Khayyam’s <italic>Rubaiyat</italic>” in Dazai Osamu’s Novel <italic>No Longer Human</italic>

Romanian Journal of English Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A Case of Mistaken Identity in Translation: “Omar Khayyam’s ” in Dazai Osamu’s Novel 

This article explores the source and the meaning of the eleven quatrains quoted by modern Japanese writer Dazai Osamu (1909-1948) in his last complete novel,...

A Case of Mistaken Identity in Translation: “Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat” in Dazai Osamu’s Novel No Longer Human

Publié en ligne: 26 déc. 2021

Pages: 163 - 172

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rjes-2021-0016

Mots clés
Dazai Osamu, Edward FitzGerald, Henry Bertram Lister, Horii Ryōho, Omar Khayyam, translation

© 2021 George T. Sipos, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A Case of Mistaken Identity in Translation: “Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat” in Dazai Osamu’s Novel No Longer Human

Publié en ligne: 26 déc. 2021

Pages: 163 - 172

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rjes-2021-0016

Mots clésDazai Osamu, Edward FitzGerald, Henry Bertram Lister, Horii Ryōho, Omar Khayyam, translation

© 2021 George T. Sipos, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
Dazai Osamu, Edward FitzGerald, Henry Bertram Lister, Horii Ryōho, Omar Khayyam, translation