# I explained — The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

> Chapter companion for The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám by Omar Khayyám.

## What happens

The poem opens with a vivid image of dawn, as the Sun chases away the stars and night, striking the Sultán's turret with light, symbolizing the awakening of a new day.

## Themes in this chapter

### Carpe Diem

The call to 'Wake!' at dawn urges seizing the day, a central carpe diem motif.

## Character check-ins

### Sultán

Mentioned as the ruler whose turret is struck by the shaft of light from the Sun.

## Key lines

> I Wake! For the Sun, who scatter’d into flight The Stars before him from the Field of Night, Drives Night along with them from Heav’n, and strikes The Sultán’s Turret with a Shaft of Light.

I awaken because the Sun, which chases the stars away from the night sky, pushes night out of heaven and shines a beam of light onto the Sultán's tower.

_This opening quatrain establishes the dawn setting and the theme of awakening._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_rub_iy_t_of_omar_khayy_m_se/chapters/i
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_rub_iy_t_of_omar_khayy_m_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_rub_iy_t_of_omar_khayy_m_se/chapters