Marzieh Gail
Marzieh Gail
| Marzieh Gail | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1, 1908 Boston, Massachusets |
| 💀Died | October 16, 1993 San FranciscoOctober 16, 1993 |
| 🏫 Education | Vassar College and Stanford University |
| 💼 Occupation | Baháʼí writer, essayist and translator |
Early Life[edit]
Born in April 1908 in Boston, Massachusets, Marzieh was the second child to a Persian-American couple. Her parents were requested by ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ to bridge between the East and the West and were the first Persian-American couple in the Baháʼí community. Her father, ʿAliqoli (Ali-Kuli) Khan Nabil-al-Dawla, was the Iranian consul in Washington,[1] , and her mother Florence Breed was a Boston debutante. She first met ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ at the age of four in 1912 when he was on a mission to the West. She was described by ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾas having fire (āteš) and salt (namak) in her. Marzieh has described her upbringing as being both greatly influenced by the East, likely because of her Persian father and the West because she spent most of her childhood outside of Iran. At the age of ten, her parents left the United States for Europe. As her family was constantly traveling more of her education came from private tutors and her friends were mostly her siblings.[2]
College Education and Marriage[edit]
Her parents were adamant that she receive a university education before marrying and in 1924 the family returned to the United States so she could attend school. Her university education began at Vassar College but she ultimately completed her degree at Stanford University in 1929 with honors. While at Stanford, Marzieh published numerous articles in an American Baháʼí periodical called the Star of the West. She was very active in extracurriculars throughout her college degree, often organizing Baháʼí meetups and get-togethers. While at Stanford she met her husband, Howard Carpenter who was studying medicine there. After graduation from Stanford, Marzieh pursued an MA in English at the University of California-Berkeley. [3] Following the completion of her MA, Marzieh and Howard traveled throughout Europe at the bequest of Shoghi Effendi who had asked them to travel to spread the Baháʼí Faith. Shoghi Effendi thought they could act as a link between the East and the West similar to what her parents had done. In 1933 they arrived in Iran. In Tehran, Marzieh worked at an Iranian newspaper as a reporter. She was the first female reporter in the country. However, soon into their life in Tehran, Howard contracted polio and became paralyzed. Their doctors in Iran advised them to return to the United States and seek out medical treatments there. Her husband died a few months after returning to the United States.[4]
Life in the United States[edit]
Marzieh was fluent in numerous languages including English, French, Persian, Arabic, and Russian. Using her proficient language abilities she began translating Baháʼí texts including the Ketāb-e aqdas. In 1939 Marzieh married Harold Gail, a spring manufacturer. Harold became a Baháʼí after their marriage and he proceeded to help her with her organizing and publishing her translations. He was tremendously supportive of her work and allowed her to dedicate all her time to it. [5] In 1954 they left the United States for Europe to spread the Baháʼí faith. They first arrived in Nice, France where they established a Spiritual Assembly there. Following their time in Nice, they traveled to Austria, the Netherlands, and other countries throughout Europe where they continued to help establish Spiritual Assemblies and Baháʼí communities. In 1964 they returned to New Hampshire where they established a Spiritual Assembly. Marzieh focused the rest of her life on writing and translating. In 1981 Marzieh and Harold left New Hampshire and moved to San Francisco. Marzieh continued to write there and translate until she passed away in 1993.[6] [7]
Her Works[edit]
Marzieh wrote dozens of books spanning different topics. One of her most famous works is The Sheltering Branch which was published in 1959. It is a compilation of memories of ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ. Other noteworthy original works include Persia and the Victorians, which discusses the impact of Persian culture on Victorian England [8], Avignon in Flower, written in 1965 details life of the late medieval world and her 1968 work Life in the Renaissance which describes the culture and everyday life of Renassaince Europe from the 14th to 17th century. The book was successful and was translated into numerous other languages. Dawn Over Mount Hira, published in 1976, is a compilation of essays she wrote in her last forty years of her life. The essays deal with existential questions, faith, and her life history. Summons of Remembrance contains a memoir written by her father and notes written by her mother. The book describes her family, memories of her life growing up and family documents. Her work, Arches of the Years, written in 1991 details the Baháʼí faith in the United States. She also discusses ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ's visit to the United States in 1912 in the book. The glossary she compiled in 1955 is the first comprehensive glossary of Baháʼí concepts and terms.[9] Her translation of My Memories of Bahá’u’lláh from Persian to English made the book accessible to a wider Western audience. Her English translation of The Seven Valleys, originally written by Bahá’u’lláh, was pivotal for the English speaking Baháʼí community.[10] Her books have been translated into numerous languages. Her translations include a translation of the Ketāb-e aqdas and answers that ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ gave to those who asked him questions. [11]
Original Works[edit]
- Persia and the Victorians 1951
- Six Lessons in Islam 1953
- Baháʼí Glossary 1955
- The Sheltering Branch 1959
- Avignon in Flower: 1309-1403 1966
- Life in the Renaissance 1968
- The Three Popes 1969
- Dawn Over Mount Hira 1976
- Khanum, The Greatest Holy Leaf 1981
- Other People, Other Places 1982
- Summon Up Remembrance 1987
- Arches of the Years 1991
Translations[edit]
- The Seven Valleys and Four Valleys 1945
- The Secret of Divine Civilization 1957
- Memorials of the Faithful 1971
- Selections from the Writings of ʿAbd-al-Bahāʾ 1976
- My Memories of Bahá’u’lláh 1982
References[edit]
- ↑ Heller, Wendy. "Gail, Marzieh". Iranica Online.
- ↑ "Marzieh Gail". Bahaipedia.
- ↑ Chen, Constance M. "Obituary: Marzieh Nabil Carpenter Gail (1908-1993): Translator and Author, "Patron Saint" of Women Bahá'í Scholars". Bahai-library.
- ↑ "Marzieh Gail". Bahaipedia.
- ↑ Heller, Wendy. "Gail, Marzieh". Iranica Online.
- ↑ "Marzieh Gail". Bahaipedia.
- ↑ Heller, Wendy. "Gail, Marzieh". Iranica Online.
- ↑ Gail, Marzieh. "Persia and the Victorians". Google Books. Routledge.
- ↑ "Author Marzieh Gail".
- ↑ "Dawn over Mount Hira and Other Essays". Bahai-library.
- ↑ "Marzieh Gail". Bahaipedia.
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