Artistic prose in modern Urdu literature

Abstract

Although verse and its various forms are widespread in Urdu classical literature in line with Eastern traditional literature, prose works are also gaining attention in contemporary Urdu fiction. The literary heritage of writers who lived and worked in the 20th century and at the beginning of the new century is rich in examples written in the narrative genre. Ahmad Nadim Qasimi, Saadat Hassan Manto, Mirza Adib, Intizar Hussain and others are among the outstanding writers of the last two centuries. In the 20th century and at the beginning of the new century, the dissemination of stories for Pakistani prose is widely observed. Modern Urdu prose is rich in various topics that reflect political, social, socio-economic, family, domestic, spiritual values and a huge variety of issues that they affect. Writers have traditionally preferred short stories and wrote about topics taken from life in a romantic and realistic style. Sometimes satirical tendencies, sarcasm and criticism came to the fore in the stories, and sometimes writers paid attention to philosophical questions and spiritual aspects. These stories were original artistic exemplars with their stylistic overtones, choice of subject, development, literary style and gave impetus to the development of Pakistani literature, especially Urdu prose, with new trends.