LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13 : 2 February 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Woman on Left; Woman on Rights:
Poetic Sensibilities of Parveen Shakir

K. Tejaswani, Ph.D.

Abstract

The article discusses the poetic sensibilities of Parveen Shakir, a woman poet from Pakistan, with the intention to accommodate various voices from Asian countries in the backdrop of writings of women on women’s rights. Parveen Shakir is a woman poet who veered left to the path generally taken by traditional women Urdu poets. She wrote not only on love but her sensibilities towards the commoners and her country’s status are also reflected majorly in her poems. Her ghazals are exclusively on love, man’s infidelity, unrequited love and the manifestation of love by men and women. Shakir’s poetry was on love and socially relevant issues whereas her ghazals were completely dedicated to love and the effects of love on men and women. In her poetry, Shakir also voices her feelings for her country and her countrymen. Her poetry is a testimony to her fight for women’s rights at home and abroad.

Though Shakir was divorced within two years of marriage and lost the custody of her only child to the father of the child due to the country’s patriarchal laws, she did not allow these incidents to become setbacks to her chosen career as a poet. Her personal impediments only proved to be stepping stones in her rise as a poet.

She did not confine her poetry to the traditional modes but included various innovations and creativity in her poetry. Her poetic verses are known for originality and modernity in Urdu literature. There is a steady growth in the popularity and reputation of Shakir’s modern poetic sensibilities.

Keywords: Poetic sensibilities, Urdu literature, Urdu women writers, Urdu romantic poetry and Urdu ghazals.

Introduction to Parveen Shakir

Parveen Shakir (Nov. 24, 1952 – Dec., 26, 1994) was born in Karachi, Sind in Pakistan. Her poetic anthologies include Khushbu (1976) - Fragrance, Sad e barg (1980) – Marsh Marigold, Khud-kalaami (1990) – Talking to Self, Inkaar (1990) – Refusal, Maah-e-Tamaam (1994) – Full Moon, and Kaf-e-Aaina – The Edge of the Mirror. Shakir’s collection of newspaper columns was published as Gosha-eh-Chashm – The Sight Corner. Though originally in Urdu, her poems and ghazals have been translated into English and other languages. Dr. Sabrina Lei, an Italian scholar, is working on translating Shakir’s poems into Italian language.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

K. Tejaswani, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in English
Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management University
Rudraram Village
Patancheru Mandal
Hyderabad 502329
Andhra Pradesh
India
tej_hyd@rediffmail.com
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