URDU LITERATURE 2

The Urdu literature 2 course aims at deepening those notions pertaining to urdu literary culture already introduced during the first year of study (Urdu literature 1) and to offer students an insight into the developments that have taken place in the muslim literary milieu of South Asia during the period of European, viz. British colonialism, during the 19th and early 20th century.
The course thus completes the linguistic and literary formation of those students who have chosen urdu as a second language during their three year undergraduate study program within the Licsaam degree course.

On the basis of the issues and topics raised and discussed during classes and the additional information provided by the texts included in the bibliography, students are expected to acquire a solid complementary knowledge of the richness that characterizes the cultural and the literary environment of South Asia. Moreover, it is intended to arise the awareness among students attending the course of the complexity that characterizes the intellectual environment and the causes for its development continuously kept alive by the protagonists involved in the process. In this way, the role and interaction played and displayed by Islamic civilization on one side and pre-Islamic Indian culture on the other should become clear thus contributing to the understanding of some key factors and core elements defining the literary culture of South Asia in particular and the implications for shaping Indian civilization in particular.

A preliminary knowledge of the history and principal characteristics of Urdu and Hindi literature during the pre-modern period, as taught in the Urdu Literature 1 and Hindi Literature 2 courses is desirable, but not essential.
Working knowledge of the urdu language is an advantage for direct access to textual material distributed during classes.

- the impact of modernity on the thought structure and mentality and the re-definition of language and religious identity during the colonial period;
- an overview of the principal literary genres in modern urdu literature and the principal literary achievements and works and its authors;
- the role of Muhammad Iqbal in redefining Muslim identity in South Asia and beyond;
- the emergence of new, imported literary genres and their use among urdu writers;
- the progressive literature and social critic as the new standard for useful literature: the writers of the Progressive Writer's Movement and their importance for re-shaping the mind of urdu language writers in South Asia;
- the literature of Partition, from Faiz Ahmad Faiz to Sa'adat Hasan Manto;
- the literature of the post-colonial period in India and in Pakistan: new, separate identities.

Selected Bibliography:
- Dubrow, Jennifer (2018): Cosmopolitan Dreams: The Making of Modern Urdu Literary Culture in Colonial South Asia, University of Hawaii Press.
- Faruqi, Mehr Afshan (a cura di) (2008): The Oxford India Anthology of Modern Urdu Literature: Fiction: Volume II (The Oxford India Collection), Oxford University Press.
- Pritchett, Frances W.: "A Long History of Urdu Literary Culture, Part 2: histories, performances and masters", in Literary Cultures in History: Reconstructions from South Asia (S. Pollock editor), New Delhi: OUP, 2004, pp.864-911. (a printed copy is available for consultance in the university's library at: Ca' Foscari BALI-Studi Europei e Postcoloniali : COMMONW (D 820 POL/Lit)
- Qureshi, Omar (1996): "Twentieth Century Urdu Literature", in Handbook of Twentieth Century Literatures of India (ed. Nalini Natarajan, Westport, 1996. (an electronic version of the text is available at the Columbia University's website: www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00urdu/3mod/txt
-Schimmel, Annemarie (1975): Classical Urdu Literature from the Beginning to Iqbal, in A History of Indian Literature Series (edited by Jan Gonda), Vol. VII, Fasc. 3, Wiesbaden: Otto Harassowitz. ISBN 3-447-01671-X (reperibile presso la biblioteca di Ca' Cappello)

The oral exam will consist of a discussion of about 20-25 minutes during which students are expected to focus their attention on the main topics dealt with during classes and dealt with in the texts provided through the bibliography listed. Special emphasis will be put on the topics as discussed and addressed during classes and capacity of interpretation and independent analysis will be appreciated.

Frontal classes, possibly complemented by the discussion of issues raised by students in the course of each class.

Italian

Students are strongly advised to attend classes regularly and punctually.

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development