YUNOVA · Urdu
Module 11: Urdu literature
Mirza Ghalib poetry explained
Key points
- Mirza Ghalib was a 19th-century poet famous for his Urdu and Persian ghazals.
- His couplets often explore love, loss and the meaning of life.
- Each sher (couplet) can stand alone with a complete thought.
Faiz Ahmed Faiz poetry explained
Key points
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz was a 20th-century poet who joined romance with social themes.
- His poems use classic imagery to speak about justice and hope.
- His nazms and ghazals are widely sung and recited.
Premchand Urdu stories
Key points
- Premchand wrote in both Urdu and Hindi about ordinary village and town life.
- His stories deal with poverty, injustice and human dignity.
- He wrote in simple, clear language, which suits learners.
Nazm and ghazal difference
Key points
- A ghazal is a series of independent couplets with a fixed rhyme and refrain.
- A nazm is a poem that develops one theme from start to finish.
- A ghazal's couplets can stand alone; a nazm reads as a whole.