Evolution of Progressive Short Stories in Urdu Literature

Abstract

In the literary world, every movement arises as a response to the one that came before it. Most literary movements emerge in reaction to the dominant ideas and purposes of earlier trends. Sir Syed’s movement, which emphasized practicality and reform, was followed by a different literary impulse. Writers such as Mir Nisar Ali Dihlvi, Maulvi Abdul Haq, and Maulana Muhammad Hussain Azad raised the banner of literature for life and knowledge. In contrast to purely utilitarian thinking, they highlighted individual existence and social awareness. At times, individualism was stressed even at the expense of collective concerns. This gave rise to the slogan of “art for art’s sake,” which encouraged romanticism in literature. Lyricism and romantic expression gained popularity and shaped the literary taste of the era.

Yet changing times and harsh social realities once again redirected literature toward society and the individual. Writers began to look beyond a single artistic path and sought higher knowledge through broader engagement. Literature became a means of awakening both the elite and the common people. As a result, the Progressive Movement emerged worldwide as a reaction against capitalist and feudal systems. Its influence spread across Europe, Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

SajjadZaheer and his associates published the manifesto of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in London, which laid the foundation for this literary shift. The movement gained strength through the publication of several journals and magazines in Lucknow, and soon spread rapidly throughout the subcontinent. Fiction writers, in particular, embraced realism and used their work to highlight social issues. This platform played an important role in the struggle for human rights and social justice.

However, the movement also raised revolutionary slogans, which led to resistance from authorities. As a result, writers faced restrictions, and the movement was eventually banned by the government in 1953. Despite this, it continued to function for a considerable period in the subcontinent. Even today, its influence, relevance, and importance cannot be denied. Just as romantic literature evolved into progressive forms, progressive literature itself is now undergoing transformation in Pakistan and India, adapting to new social and cultural realities.