Kahlil Gibran
Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist.
Kahlil Gibran, born Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān on January 6, 1883, was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist. He is best known as the author of *The Prophet*, first published in the United States in 1923, which has since become one of the best-selling books of all time, translated into more than 100 languages. Though often considered a philosopher, he himself rejected that title. He died on April 10, 1931, at age 48 from cirrhosis and incipient tuberculosis in one lung.
- born
- January 6, 1883, in Bsharri, Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, Ottoman Empire
- died
- April 10, 1931, at age 48
- field
- Writer, poet, visual artist
- nationality
- Lebanese-American
- known_for
- Author of The Prophet
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Gibran was born into a Maronite Christian family in the village of Bsharri in the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate. In 1895, he immigrated with his mother and siblings to the United States, settling in Boston's South End. His creative abilities were quickly noticed by a teacher who presented him to photographer and publisher F. Holland Day. At age fifteen, Gibran was sent back to his native land to enroll at the Collège de la Sagesse in Beirut, where he studied Arabic literature and learned French. He returned to Boston upon his youngest sister Sultana's death in 1902, and lost his older half-brother Boutros and his mother Kamila the following year, thereafter relying on his remaining sister Marianna's income from her work at a dressmaker's shop. In 1904, his drawings were displayed for the first time at Day's studio in Boston, and his first book in Arabic was published in 1905 in New York City. With financial help from benefactress Mary Haskell, he studied art in Paris from 1908 to 1910, where he came in contact with Syrian political thinkers promoting rebellion after the Young Turk Revolution.
Reader's Guide
Gibran's significance lies in his role as a bridge between Eastern and Western literary traditions, and his enduring influence on Arabic poetry and literature. Salma Khadra Jayyusi called him 'the single most important influence on Arabic poetry and literature during the first half of [the twentieth] century,' and he is celebrated as a literary hero in Lebanon. His visual artwork, incorporating spiritual and mythological symbolism, was shown at Montross Gallery in 1914 and at the galleries of M. Knoedler & Co. in 1917. *The Prophet*, published in 1923, had already been translated into German and French by the time of his death. Gibran's life was 'often caught between Nietzschean rebellion, Blakean pantheism and Sufi mysticism,' and his writings explored diverse themes and literary forms. In 1920, he re-founded the Pen League with fellow Mahjari poets. His body was transferred to his birth village of Bsharri (in present-day Lebanon), to which he had bequeathed all future royalties on his books, and a museum dedicated to his works now stands there.
Did You Know?
- Gibran's first book in English, *The Madman*, was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1918.
- He had been corresponding remarkably with May Ziadeh since 1912.
- His father Khalil was imprisoned for embezzlement in 1891, leading the family to immigrate to the U.S. in 1895.
- Gibran's drawings were first displayed at F. Holland Day's studio in Boston in 1904.
- He bequeathed all future royalties on his books to his birth village of Bsharri.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kahlil Gibran?
Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist born in 1883 in Bsharri, Lebanon, who became globally renowned for his lyrical, spiritually themed prose poetry. He spent much of his adult career in New York City, where he helped shape the artistic circle known as the Brotherhood of the Spirit.
What is Kahlil Gibran's most famous work?
His signature book, The Prophet, is a collection of poetic meditations on love, work, sorrow, freedom, and other facets of daily life, first published in the United States in 1923. It has since been rendered into more than 100 languages and stands as one of the best-selling books ever printed.
Was Kahlil Gibran a philosopher?
Many readers and critics have called him a philosopher, but Gibran himself consistently rejected that label. He preferred to be identified as a poet, writer, and visual artist whose work explored spiritual and emotional questions.
When and where did Kahlil Gibran die?
Gibran passed away on April 10, 1931, in New York City at the age of 48. He was interred in his hometown of Bsharri, Lebanon, and his grave there has since become a well-known site of pilgrimage for admirers around the world.
Why is Kahlil Gibran important in literature?
Gibran bridged Eastern and Western literary traditions by writing in both Arabic and English, weaving mystical imagery with accessible, conversational prose. His influence on 20th-century prose poetry and spiritual writing continues to be felt by readers and writers alike.
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