ترقی پسند تنقید اور اُردوغزل

Progressive Criticism and the Urdu Ghazal

Abstract

 This study explores the evolution of   20th-century Urdu literary criticism, with a specific focus on the complex relationship between the Progressive Writers' Movement and the Urdu Ghazal. Initially, the movement prioritized "purposefulness" and social revolution over traditional aesthetics, leading to a staunch opposition to the Ghazal. Critics dismissed the genre as a fragmented, decadent remnant of feudalism that lacked the structural capacity to address collective socio-political struggles. However, the research highlights a significant shift toward moderation as prominent intellectuals recognized the Ghazal’s deep-rooted cultural popularity. By adapting traditional metaphors to encompass themes of labor resistance, external reality, and revolutionary struggle, poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz successfully revitalized the genre. The study concludes that while the Progressive Movement initially challenged the Ghazal’s relevance, it ultimately facilitated its modernization, ensuring its survival by expanding its thematic scope from individual romanticism to collective social consciousness.

      References in Roman script:

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