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| Kahlil Gibran |
Who Was Kahlil Gibran?
Kahlil Gibran moved to
the United States in 1895 and was exposed to Boston's artistic community.
Initially showing promise as an artist, he also began writing newspaper columns
and books in Arabic, drawing attention for his prose poems. After moving to New
York City, Gibran began writing books in English, including his most famous
work, The Prophet (1923). The popularity of The Prophet endured well after the
author's death in 1931, making him the third-best-selling poet of all time.
What is the message of
"The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran?
The message of "The
Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran is that various life experiences, be it good or
bad, to some degree are warranted gratitude. They brings about a deeper
understanding of one's humanity.
Why is Kahlil Gibran famous?
Kahlil Gibran was a
well-known poet and writer, as well as a distinguished artist. He is one of the
most influential Lebanese writers in the United States.
Early Childhood (1883 – 1895)
- Khalil Gibran, his father – whose name the child inherited – was a tax collector in Bsharri. His mother Kamileh Rahmeh, the daughter of a Maronite clergyman, was thirty when she begot Gibran from her second husband Khalil. Gibran had an elder half-brother, Peter, and two younger sisters, Mariana and Sultana.
- Very early, Gibran showed a passion for drawing; and if there was no paper in the house, he would just go outside and spend hours sketching on fresh snow. At four, he would already dig some holes in the ground and carefully plant tiny scraps of paper, hoping that the summer harvest would provide him with a plentiful supply of paper.
- At six he got fascinated by some old Leonardo Da Vinci prints given to him by his mother. He was never to forget this definitive moment, and the discovery of this "incredible man" acted for Gibran "like a compass needle for a ship lost in the mists of the sea" awakening in him a yearning to become an artist.
- From an early age, the little boy was spirited and single-minded. As a child of three, he would tear off his clothes and run out into the fierce storms that lashed the mountain.
- Storms similar to the ones at home, where his father's heavy drinking fueled his imperious temper. Indeed, Gibran's father barely shouldered the responsibilities of his family and quickly frittered away his small income: this atmosphere of distressing poverty and bitter recriminations weighed on the family and on Gibran…
- Amidst intrigue and corruption, the father found himself facing charges of embezzlement. Although Kamileh tried to clear his name, her husband was found guilty and all his property was confiscated. Like many before her, Kamileh had to make a stark choice: either to endure a life of increasing poverty, or to embark on an arduous journey to the U.S. to seek a better life for her children.
- Gibran was active in a New York-based Arab American literary group called the Pen League, a subset of the Mahjar movement, whose members promoted writing in Arabic and English. Throughout his life he would publish nine books in Arabic and eight in English, which ruminate on love, longing, and death, and explore religious themes.
- He died of cirrhosis of the liver on April 10, 1931, in New York City.
