قرة العین حیدر کا ناولٹ ”دلربا “کا کرداری مطالعہ

Character Study of Qurratulain Hyder's Novella “Dilruba”

Abstract

Quratulain Haider’s representative novelat "Dilruba" captures the monumental socio-political, economic, and cultural transformations in late 19th and early 20th-century India, a period marked by the decline of feudalism and the consolidation of British colonial rule. Through a meticulous character study, this article explores the ideological clash between two contrasting social strata: the declining, orthodox Muslim aristocracy of North India and the progressive, adaptable "Dilruba" courtesan community. Representing the patriarchal system, the aristocratic family of Justice Rafaqat Hussain remains rigidly anchored in archaic traditions. Despite their modern education, they fail to grasp the relentless pace of time, resulting in the loss of their estate, property, and eventual moral bankruptcy. Conversely, the courtesan community, led by Gulnar Bai and rooted in a matriarchal structure, exhibits remarkable resilience and farsightedness.

      References in Roman Script:

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