Khalil Gibran

Citation preview

Khalil Gibran From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search

Khalil Gibran

Gubran Kahlil Gubran Born

January 3, 1883 Bsharri, Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, Ottoman Syria (modern day Lebanon)

Died Occupation

April 10, 1931 (aged 48) New York City, United States Poet, Painter, Sculptor, Writer, Philosopher, Theologian, Visual Artist

Nationality

Lebanese-American

Genres

Poetry, Parable, Short Story

Literary movement Notable work(s)

Mahjar, New York Pen League The Prophet

Khalil Gibran (born Gubran Khalil Gubran[1] bin Mikhā'īl bin Sa'ad; Arabic ‫جبران خليل‬ ‫جبران بن ميخائيل بن سعد‬, January 3, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran,[2]

was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer. Born in the town of Bsharri in modern-day Lebanon (then part of the Ottoman Mount Lebanon mutasarrifate), as a young man he immigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. He is chiefly known in the English speaking world for his 1923 book The Prophet, a series of philosophical essays written in English prose. An early example of Inspirational fiction, the book sold well despite a cool critical reception, and became extremely popular in the 1960s counterculture.[3] Gibran is the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and LaoTzu.[4]

Contents [hide]

•

1 Youth o 1.1 In Lebanon o 1.2 In the United States 2 Art and poetry 3 Political thought 4 Death and legacy 5 Works 6 Memorials and honors 7 Mentions in popular culture o 7.1 Movies o 7.2 Music o 7.3 Other 8 References

•

9 External links

•

• • • • • •

[edit] Youth [edit] In Lebanon Gibran was born in the town of Bsharri (in modern day northern Lebanon) to the daughter of a Maronite priest.[5] His mother Kamila was thirty when he was born; his father, also named Khalil, was her third husband.[6] As a result of his family's poverty, Gibran received no formal schooling during his youth. However, priests visited him regularly and taught him about the Bible, as well as the Arabic and Syriac languages. Gibran's father initially worked in an apothecary but, with gambling debts he was unable to pay, he went to work for a local Ottoman-appointed administrator.[7][8] Around 1891, extensive complaints by angry subjects led to the administrator being removed and his staff being investigated.[9] Gibran's father was imprisoned for alleged embezzlement,[3] and his family's property was confiscated by the authorities. With no home, Kamila Gibran decided to follow her brother to the United States. Although Gibran's father was released in 1894, Kamila

remained resolved and left for New York on June 25, 1895, taking Khalil, his younger sisters Mariana and Sultana, and his elder half-brother Peter(/Bhutros/Butrus).[7]

[edit] In the United States

Khalil Gibran, Photograph by Fred Holland Day, c. 1898 The Gibrans settled in Boston's South End, at the time the second largest Syrian/LebaneseAmerican community[10] in the United States. Due to a mistake at school he was registered as Kahlil Gibran.[2] His mother began working as a seamstress[9] peddler, selling lace and linens that she carried from door to door. Gibran started school on September 30, 1895. School officials placed him in a special class for immigrants to learn English. Gibran also enrolled in an art school at a nearby settlement house. Through his teachers there, he was introduced to the avant-garde Boston artist, photographer, and publisher Fred Holland Day,[3] who encouraged and supported Gibran in his creative endeavors. A publisher used some of Gibran's drawings for book covers in 1898. Gibran's mother, along with his elder brother Peter, wanted him to absorb more of his own heritage rather than just the Western aesthetic culture he was attracted to,