PROBLEMS OF RECREATING RHYTHM AND MELODY IN POETIC TRANSLATION: A STUDY OF OMAR KHAYYAM’S RUBAIYAT AND THEIR ENGLISH RENDERINGS

Abstract

The translation of poetry presents a unique challenge due to the need to preserve both semantic meaning and aesthetic form. Among the most difficult elements to reproduce are rhythm and melody, which are deeply embedded in the phonological and cultural systems of the source language. This paper investigates the problems of recreating rhythmic and melodic structures in the English translations of Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, with particular reference to Edward FitzGerald’s version. Using a comparative qualitative methodology, the study analyzes selected quatrains in terms of meter, rhyme, and sound patterns. The findings demonstrate that complete formal equivalence is unattainable due to systemic linguistic differences between Persian and English. However, translators employ adaptive strategies to achieve functional poetic equivalence. The paper proposes a balanced approach to poetic translation that integrates semantic fidelity with aesthetic compensation.