Ss1212 – Urdu Literature – An Introduction

Lahore University of Management Sciences

B.Sc. Honours

Spring…2008

SS1212 – Urdu Literature – An Introduction


Course Instructor…….Yasmeen Hameed

Duration of Course…. 10 weeks

Number of sessions…. 20

Class Time……………100 minutes

Classes………………..Wednesdays & Fridays: 11.45 am …1.25 pm

Office………………….Room 216, New SS Wing

Course Description and Objectives
The course presents an introduction to various genres of Urdu literature as they developed through the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with greater emphasis on fiction and poetry. Works of prominent writers would be used as a medium to understand the structure and components of these genres.
The course would focus on :

• 
  developing an appreciation for the richness of content and creative output of
  
• 
  creating an awareness about the neglected literary heritage of this region
  
• 
  helping students discover their own potential and interest in the subject
  

Prerequisite : Convenience in reading Urdu


Grading and Attendance Policy
Attendance: 5%

* Class Participation: 15%

** Quizzes: 15%

*** Group Presentation: 15%

Mid-Term Exam: 25%

Final Exam: 25%

* Students may be asked to briefly write answers to questions based on the assigned

reading, at the beginning or end of a session. Marks obtained will be added to CP.

** There will be three announced quizzes during the quarter.
*** Group Presentations will be organized according to the number of students in the class.

Topics will be finalized before the mid term exam. Students will select their topic for

research and have it approved by the instructor.


Course Outline
1/2

An overview of the history of Urdu Literature through the 18^th, 19^th & 20^th centuries.

• 
  The Dehlavi and Lakhnavi schools
  
• 
  Important movements
  
• 
  The age of modernism
  
• 
  Genres of literature in poetry and prose
  
• 
  Definition and understanding of literary terms
  

Reading: Mohammad Khalid Naeem: Taareekh…Zabaan-o-adab-e-Urdu..Advaar, tahreekaat, mauzooaat, Lahore, Abdullah Brothers (undated)…Following essays:

1…Aligarh tehreek…2…Taraqqi pasand tehreek Reading_Package)_3/4_The_ghazal_:_structure,_elements_and_development_from_the_classical_to_the_contemporary_age_Reading_:_Ghazals'>(Reading Package)

3/4
The ghazal: structure, elements and development from the classical to the contemporary age
Reading: Ghazals : Meer Taqi Meer, Mushafi, Insha, Atish, Zafar,Ghalib, Momin, Daagh, Ameer Meenai, Hali, Yagaana, Hasrat Mohani, Iqbal, Sufi Tabassum, Shakeb Jalali, Firaq, Ibn-e-Insha, Faiz, Nasir Kazmi, Saleem Ahmed, Ahmed Mushtaq, Munir Niazi, Ahmed Faraz, Zehra Nigah, Iftikhar Arif, Perveen Shakir, Abbas Tabish, Saud Usmani

(Reading Package)
4/5
The nazm: categorization based on form: pa’aband nazm, nazm-e-muarra, azad nazm and

nasri nazm. Structure, elements and development of the new genres – Nazir Akbarabadi to Haris Khalique.
Reading: Paband nazm: Nazir Akbarabadi, Muhammad Husain Azad, Hali, Iqbal, Faiz,

Josh, Majaz, Majeed Amjad, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi……Nazm-e-muarra: Yusuf Zafar, Zia

Jalundhari……Azad nazm: Meeraji, Noon Meem Rashid, Akhtar Husain Jafri, Munir Niazi,

Fahmida Riaz, Waheed Ahmed, Haris Khalique……Nasri nazm: Asad Mohammad Khan,

Javed Shaheen, Kishwar Naheed, Afzal Ahmed Syed, Izhar-ul- Haque, Nasreen Anjum

Bhatti, Tanveer Anjum, Azra Abbas, Abrar Ahmed, Zeeshan Sahil (Reading Package)

6/7
Masnavi as a form of nazm/ narrative… musaddas as a popular form for narratives…

qata’a, ruba’i, sala’asi and haiku – Mir, Sauda, Daya Shankar Nasim, Iqbal
Reading: Masnavi: Mir Hasan, Iqbal……Musaddas: Hali, Iqbal……Qata’a, Ruba’ai,

Salasi, Haiku…10 of each genre (Reading Package)

8/9
Thematic categorization of nazm: qasida, marsiya, hamd, na’at, sala’am, mankabat

Reading: Qasida: Sauda, Ghalib…… Marsiya: Anis, Josh, Mustafa Zaidi,

Saba Akbarabadi……Hamd, Naat, Salaam and Mankabat (Reading Package)

10
Short fiction: Development, structure, characteristics … transition from Daastaan…early writers … Prem Chand
Reading : Meer Amman : Khawaja sag-parast ki kahani……Premchand: Kafan, Eidgaah


11
MID TERM EXAM

12
Krishna Chandra & Rajindra Singh Bedi

Reading: Krishna Chandra: Kaaloo bhangi……Bedi: Garm kot


13
Ismet Chughtai & Quratulain Haider
Reading: Ismet Chughtai: Nanni ki naani……Qurat-ul-ain Haider: Daalanwala

14
Manto & Ghulam Abbas
Reading: Manto: Naya Qaanoon……Ghulam Abbas: Anandi

15
Mumtaz Mufti & Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi
Reading: Mumtaz Mufti: Apa……Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi: Lawrence of Thalabia

16
Ashfaque Ahmed & Intezar Husain
Reading: Ashfaque Ahmed: Gadaria……Intezar Husain: Aakhri aadmi
17
Khadija Mastoor & Bano Qudsia
Reading: Khadija Mastoor: Thakay Haaray……Bano Qudsia: Dasht-e-imkaan

18
Khalida Husain, Anwar Sajjad & Hasan Manzar
Reading: Khalida Husain: Mein yahan hoon……Anwar Sajjad: Cinderella……Hasan

Manzar: Chamgaadarein

(all short stories in the Reading Package)
19/20
PRESENTATIONS:
Students will present their research and group work on any one poet or fiction writer.

FINAL EXAM

Classroom management policy:

• 
  Cell phones to be switched off and kept in the bags.
  
• 
  Students walking out of the classroom in the middle of the session to be marked absent.
  
• 
  Classroom door to be closed five minutes after the session begins.