OULE - 001 Contemporary Urdu Poetry

The Urdu poetic tradition is an emblem of the rich cultural and literary heritage of South Asia. Entwined with the development of the language itself, and at the same time taking it forward, Urdu poetry has a rich history of evolution from its earliest days around the thirteenth and fourteenth century to present times. This course aims to introduce students to the major forms of poetry in the Urdu literary tradition, as well as the works of contemporary poets who have written or are writing in these forms. Thus, through the course, learners will learn about the early history of Urdu Poetry, and engage with Ghazal, Nazm, Masnavi, Qaseeda, Marsiya, and Rubayi, the major forms of Urdu poetry. The students will be able to get the larger picture of Urdu poetry as a whole and will also be acquainted with a diverse range of poets the Urdu tradition flaunts, including major classic poets such as Wali Dakni, Nazir Akbar Abadi, Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Ghalib, and Contemporary Poets such as Iqbal, Majaz, Faiz, Rashid, Sardar Jaffri, Kaifi Azami, and others.