Here is a collection of informative and perceptive essays on some landmark figures of Urdu literature. Divided into three sections-poetry, fiction and drama, in that order-the galaxy is headed by Ghalib and Iqbal, the two fabled poets of Urdu. Flanking them are five outstanding modern poets, viz., Faiz, Sardar Jafri, Makhdoom Muhiuddin, Akhtarul Iman and Munibur Rehman. A general essay on the secular and humanist traditions of Urdu literature precedes the studies.
Among the novelists are some of the perennials-Prem Chand, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Quratul-Ain Haider-flanked by two significant modern writers-Anwar Azeem and Pegham Afaqi. A comprehensive essay on Urdu drama and dramatists makes up the third and final section. Trends in theatre movements are also discussed in the essay.
What kind of readership does one envisage for this uncommon work? Writers in other languages and students researching on Urdu literature are of course the obvious targeted readers. It may also be of interest to the younger generations of Urdu-knowing families who are interested in Urdu literature but are not well-versed in the script. And above all, we hope this book will be read by lovers of Urdu poetry and literature all over the world.
Zahida Zaidi, who retired as Professor of English from Aligarh Muslim University is a distinguished bi-lingual writer in English and Urdu, poet, dramatist and stage director. She has her Honours in English from Cambridge University. In her poetry great depth of feeling and freshness of imagery are balanced by a perfect grip over form and technique. As a dramatist, she is considered to be one of the best at present. Professor Zaidi does the direction and staging of her plays herself. In addition she has staged, directed and translated into Urdu most of the acclaimed modern dramatists and literary giants of the West. Chekhov, Pirandello, Sartre, Beckett and Ionesco are among the greats of the Western world she has translated and staged. Among the Indian giants she has tackled with characteristic finesse and fervour Krishan Chandar, Wamiq Jaunpuri, Ismat Chugtai and Sardar Jafri. Hers is a truly global range.
This book-Glimpses of Urdu Literature-is not a history of Urdu literature, but a collection of essays on important and representative Urdu poets and writers. It has been divided into three parts., viz, Poetry, Fiction and Drama.
The Poetry section, which is more extensive than the others, contains eleven essays and studies. The first of them is a general study of secular and humanistic traditions of Urdu poetry. The remaining ten essays are on selected important poets including Ghalib, Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ali Sardar Jafri, Makhdoom Muhiuddin, Akhtarul Iman and Munibur Rehman. There are three studies of Iqbal and two of Akhtarul Iman. Other poets are represented by one essay each.
I am deeply aware of the fact that this selection is not exhaustive, nor even representative. On account of the limitations of time and space many of the great and representative poets like Mir Taqi Mir, Altaf Husain Hali, Hasrat Mohani, Josh, Firaq, Jazbi, Majaz and several younger poets are not included in this selection. But I assure my readers that if this book is well received I shall try to cover them in the next volume, companion to this.
In the second section, which is entitled "Fiction" only five writers, viz. Prem Chand, K.A. Abbas, Anwar Azeem, Quratul Ain Haider and Pegham Aafaqi have been inlcuded. There are two essays on Quratul-Ain Haider covering three of her important novels. Other novelists are represented by a study of their most significant novel. Here, too, the omission of several important writers like Mirza Hadi Ruswa, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Krishan Chandar, Ismat Chughtai, Saleha Abid Husain, Joginder Pal, Jelani Bano, Sajida Zaidi, Iqbal Majeed and many others may be felt. And I do hope that some expert of fiction will write a comprehensive book in the English language on the landmarks in Urdu fiction.
In the third part, i.e., Drama, there is an extended essay on Modern Urdu drama, in which an attempt is made to mention and briefly discuss all the important dramatists whose plays have either been staged or are printed and are available for stage presentation. This is primarily a study of Urdu drama, but whenever necessary, theatre movements and trends are also discussed briefly to give a total picture of dramatic activity in Urdu.
Due to the limitation of space and time, I have considered only Indian poets and writers. Faiz Ahmad Faiz is an exception as he had made his mark before the partition of India and the picture of Indian Urdu poetry would remain incomplete without him.
In this book my target readers are three fold. Firstly, the younger generation of Urdu knowing families, who are interested in Urdu literature, but do not know the Urdu script and so, cannot develop their interest further. Secondly, writers and intellectuals of other Indian languages, who would like to know more about Urdu literature, and foreign scholars who have undertaken research in Urdu literature.
And I have addressed myself finally, to English knowing readers all over the world who are interested in the literatures of other languages and particularly of Urdu-the language of Ghalib and Iqbal, Faiz and Firaq, Prem Chand and Quratul-Ain Haider.
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