Juan Cole

University of Michigan

Juan Cole is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan.

Rumi and Shakespeare

Two of humanity’s greatest literary masters show a particular interest in how seemingly intractable conflicts can be resolved through forms of reconciliation.

“Jalaluddin Rumi (d. 1273) has sometimes been called “the Shakespeare of the East.” The comparison is just: Both authors powerfully shaped the languages in which they wrote—Persian and English, respectively—and both explored the full dimensions of the human experience. Both also showed a particular interest in how seemingly intractable conflicts can be resolved through forms of reconciliation. We can learn a lot by comparing and contrasting two tales from each of these authors on the themes of regret, forgiveness, and reunion.” —Juan Cole

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