MODERN URDU POETRY AND EXPERIMENTATION IN FORM

Abstract

In a way modernism is an extension of tradition. Wests modern poetic movements have their basis in the French Revolution. A change in the ways of thinking led to realism, symbolism, futurism, cubism, compositionism and surrealism. Theses movements influenced the world literature, Urdu literature being no exception, and linked poetry to life. Azad, Hali, Tabatabai and Iqbal used poetry to put across their message covering the human life. As a reaction came romanticism. Josh Malihabadai, Akhtar Shirani, Hafiz Jalludhari, Saghar Nizami, Azmatullah Khan and several other poets promoted this romantic trend. Progressive Movement took the flame of realism forward. Prem Chand, Faiz, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Sardar Jaafari helped in promoting political and scientific understanding in literature. Halqa-i-Arbab-Zauq did not break away with the tradition but experimented in several new forms. Modern-day issues forced poetry to take new forms. These experiments were both successes and failures. Only experimentation for experimentation sake wont serve. A good poetry needs extremity of passion, strength of thought and aesthetics to succeed.