FitzGerald, Edward (1809-1883), was an English writer famous for compiling and translating The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a collection of short poems attributed to the Persian poet, astronomer, and mathematician Omar Khayyam. The collection’s melancholy theme of “drink and be merry for tomorrow we die” described the mood of many people in England in the late 1800’s.
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FitzGerald’s translation was first published anonymously in 1859. The translation was ignored until 1860, when the famous English poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti and his circle discovered the work and helped popularize it. FitzGerald prepared three revised editions that were published in 1868, 1872, and 1879. In addition to the Rubaiyat, FitzGerald was known for his translations of Greek and Spanish literature and for his charming letters. FitzGerald was born on March 31, 1809, in Suffolk. He died on June 14, 1883.
See also Rubaiyat.
