Culture, Language, Literature: Melancholy Singer Silent Music (Poetry Book اداس ر...

Culture, Language, Literature: Melancholy Singer Silent Music (Poetry Book اداس ر...: Melancholy Singer Silent Music (Poetry Book  اداس راڳي، خاموش ساز) ) by Shakeel Ahmed Reviewed by: Ali Raza   Introduction Th...

Melancholy Singer Silent Music (Poetry Book اداس راڳي، خاموش ساز)) by Shakeel Ahmed

Book Review 5:

Melancholy Singer Silent Music (Poetry Book اداس راڳي، خاموش ساز)) by

Shakeel Ahmed

Reviewed by: Ali Raza 

Introduction

This beautiful piece of writing is penned by the well-known Sindhi poet artist, Shakeel Ahmed, who with his remarkable artistic approach amalgamated the two plausible genres of literature, poetry and prose. This Literary piece of work can be named as prosaic poetry or prosaic poem. Shakeel Ahmed, being expert of genres, poetry and prose witnesses the outstanding techniques of using them together in this singular work. This work is an example of hybrid genre of writing.

Prose Poem Defined

Prose poem is one the most rarely used form of literature mostly occurs when writer writes prose while using poetry techniques. This is noteworthy in this wonderful book of Shakeel Ahmed.

About the Book

Shakeel Ahmed mixes the roles of poetry with prose to form little novel in the shape of this amazing book that speaks of  the altruist love for the lost lover , beauty of lover, freedom of artist, Misperception about religion, Scientific inventions, such as mobile internet and computer as a foe to literary books, rights of woman or issues related to feminism, Patriotism and banishment as bitter poison, Harmony and unity among the people, how the world will look like without artist, persecutions of tyrant states, Mischievous attitude of individual for others and last but not least , shakeel Ahmed defines true love; by utilizing the figures of speech such as metaphor, simile, hyperbole, allusions and personification in order to make this prosaic poetry page-turner and more interesting.

1.  Extreme love for lost lover

While going through this book, I realized that book is totally about the love. Shakeel Ahmed talks about the separation of the woman from his lover and after his isolation how lover feels, that feeling is depicted in his book:

Oh my dear love!

Isolation from you is like banishment from homeland,

You know, slavery and disjunction are not acceptable for me,

Truly asking, reunion with you will be like revolution.  

                                                                          (Page-84, line- 2)

2. Freedom of Artist

We live in the state where apparently, there is freedom of expression for everyone, hiddenly, no one is supposed to raise the slogan against the state, and even the journalists, anchors, and artists are also used as tool for ulterior motives. They are not free to write anything they desire for as if they dwell in era of slavery, one cannot blink the fact that world without artists will look like dull, this is explicated by Shakeel Ahmed in his following words:

Artists are hanged and books are burnt in days of slavery,

And literary artists are prisoned in cage like beautiful birds,

Brought up like a pat animals.

                                                                           (Page-42)

3. Misperception of Religion

This seems to be the prime point of discussion for Shakeel Ahmed as he condemns the misconception and division of sects in the name of religion, and consider the Molvis and Moulanas as the bone of contention for all chaotic situation of division among Muslims. Being the Muslim, he calls Islam as the religion of love, equality and peace.

4. Science as murderer of literary books

It is no doubt true that scientific inventions have made our lives soothing and easy, on the other hand, these technologies such as mobiles, computer and internet have created the space and gap between literary books and human being. Hence, Shakeel Ahmed considers technologies as foe to literary books.

5. Feminism

Shakeel Ahmed, being the man of feministic approach, talks about the vulnerable situation of woman and rights of woman in our Society as they are deprived of their basic rights. Shakeel Ahmed says:

While sent off from parents’ home to husband,

Women fall in the graves,

Husband shows more interest in dowry than to woman,

Woman burry all her desires for husband,

And make her desire only their children.

                                                                          (Page-83-line-01 to 10)

6. Importance of Artist and Art

One cannot deny from the significant importance of artist, because artist vanishes all miseries of life and make our life colorful with his malicious art. World without artist will look like dull, As Shakeel Ahmed shows importance by following lines:

Entire world can never be free from art,

Nothing exist without art neither in nor out,

Even this book is also creation of artist With God gifted art.

Conclusion

Conclusively, Shakeel Ahmed with his captivating art of creating this book proved himself one of the greatest novelist and poet of Sindh because he has exhibited main issues of our society with the combo creation i.e. prosaic poetry. Linguistically, language used by shakeel Ahmed was charming and attractive moreover, technically he has used figures of speech in a way that a book looks pleasing and appealing to the senses. I, being the student of literature, really enjoyed this piece of work.

Book Name: Melancholy Singer Silent Tune اداس راڳي خاموش ساز

Genre: Prose-poems

Author: Shakeel Ahmed

Publisher: Karoonjhar Academy Sindh University/Mehrabpur

Pages: 160

Price: Rs 280

Culture, Language, Literature: CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE...

Culture, Language, Literature: CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE...: CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’ IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY Mubarak Ali Lashari...

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’ IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’ IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

Mubarak Ali Lashari1,

Wahid Pervez2

Abstract:

The present study focuses on the aspects of modernism found in the novel. The most findable aspects of modernism are individualism, stream of consciousness, exile, and loss of faith. This paper highlights the role of modernism in changing thoughts and ways of living. Furthermore, it describes modernism as the opener of new door for the people determined to get rid out of the boundaries of family, religion and country. Individualism is the centre of modernistic novel around which all aspects revolve. How modern novel gives preference the inner self of an individual to society’s nets and obstacle? This paper discusses in detail the quest of the protagonist of the novel Dedalus who is in search of new ways to see men’s role in the world.

Keywords: modernism, individualism, stream of consciousness, exile, and loss of faith

1. Introduction

A Portrait of the Artist as a Youngman by Joyce is a harbinger of modernism in a response to rapidly changing concepts in religion, social order and capitalism. These all answers come from the actions of Stephen Dedalus.

Dedalus is the main source of the writer through which he demonstrates the inner feeling of an individual. Dedalus says "I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it call my home, my father land or my church.” (Joyce, p. 191) Dedalus was born in a religious family, was sent to Jesuit school Clongowes Wood College and Belvedere College where the Doctrines of the Catholic faith are instilled in him. His mother and Dean of the studies wanted him to be Jesuit but Dedalus was born to be a writer, not a priest. To become a writer in the country where religion and people would be under some other country was unacceptable to him. He wanted to seek his own identity and meaning in complexity of modern experience through art, rather accepting

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 19

the identity given to him by traditional society and culture. He hates Irish society because it is victim of two empires, the British, which control it politically, and Roman Catholic, which rules it spiritually from Rome. Father Arnall's lecture on hell and heaven greatly affects him but his inner self always guided him to follow his own desires. In chapter four, he rejects religion when he sees a girl on seashore. At her glance his some aesthetic feelings realize that this is actually is his inner feeling which likes to live independently beyond the boundaries of family, religion, and country. Father of Dedalus was the main source of growing gap between him and his family. Dedalus has experienced severe traumas in the early course of his life. For example, repeated financial troubles always distract his mind from his studies. Dedalus is experiencing religious, national and pressure from his family. His journey to seek the person inside him completes with the epiphany when he had a look of a girl stood before him in midstream opened new door of life. After having a look, he felt change in him. He came to know that art is the only field where he can find peace and contentment. By the end of the novel, Dedalus rejects not only Catholicism, but all religions. He said: ‚I tried to love..... It seems now I failed.” Dedalus left for Paris leaving country, religion family and friends.

2. Research Question

How has James Joyce presented the character of Dedalus in his novel: A Portrait of the Artist as a Youngman?

3. Research Methodology

3.1 Descriptive Qualitative Research

The present research in its nature is qualitative and employs textual-narrative analysis of the novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Youngman from the vantage point Literary Discourse. The collected data for the present paper are descriptive and narrative. Therefore, the qualitative tools like definition, explanation, interpretation are employed to analyze the data and draw generalization and conclusion.

According to Kothari the writer of ‚Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques” discusses the major purposes of the descriptive research and description of the state of affairs as present. The research can report what has happened or what is happening. (Kothari, 2008, p. 3). Moreover, in the eyes of Calmorin et al (2007) descriptive research is ‚to find new truth. According to his deep study in the field of research methodology truth may have different forms such as increased quality of knowledge, a new generalization or a new „law‟, an increased insight into factors which are operating the discovery of new causal relationship, a more accurate formulation of the problem to be solved and many others‛ (p. 70)

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 20

4. Data Analysis / Discussion

4.1 Individualism

‚This race and this country and this life produced me, he said. I shall express myself as I am.‛ (Joyce, p. 156).

Individualism is the idea that freedom and thought of action for each person is the most important quality of a society, rather than shared effort and responsibility. (Cambridge Advanced Learners)

Individualism is the main aspect of modernism which gives rise to other aspects of modernism. In this aspect character's personality, his thoughts, likes and dislikes remain primary concern of the writer. In the same way, Dedalus as a modern hero breaks restrictions of family, church and nation to form his own destiny according to his inner light. He defeats the limitations of his cultures and environments, and disentangles himself from these knots and ties.

In childhood, Dedalus is completely integrated into his little world. He is hardly able to put together a coherent stream of thought. Dedalus’s confusion as a small boy in a strict Jesuit school, his discontent with his father and the financial situation of the family and his growing feeling of alienation made him mentally exile. In adolescence, Dedalus goes to prostitution and gives in to lust. Later, he becomes religious and even considers entering priesthood. In his ways many walls raised but he demolishes every obstacle comes between him and his desire. At the end of chapter, four at what is really the climax of the novel; Dedalus has vision of becoming an artist. His journey to seek the person inside him completes with the epiphany when he had a look of a girl stood before him in midstream her look opened new door of life for him. After having a look, he felt change in him. He came to know that art is the only field where he can find peace and contentment. By the end of the novel, Dedalus rejects not only Catholicism, but religion all tougher. He said: ‚I tried to love..... It seems now I failed.‛ Dedalus, left for Paris leaving country, religion family and friends.

"When the soul of a man is borne in this country there are nets flung at it to hold it back from flight, you talk to me of nationality, language religion. I shall try to flight by those nets" (Joyce, p. 157)

Joyce wants to say in these lines that Ireland is an independent country but even though it can’t take its decision its own. Its political decisions are taken by England and its Church is controlled by Rome. In Ireland Roman Catholic, religion is strictly followed. A child born in catholic family can’t become anything except a Jesuit. In Ireland English language was spoken that is considered borrowed language. Joyce shows peoples’ unawareness of their own language in the novel. Dedalus also experiences in the novel. His Catholic family, Catholic school and Catholic country

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 21

were main hindrances to his success. He considered to be in Ireland is to be a slave. He even dislikes to live in the country that’s power would be in other country’s hand. Therefore, Dedalus decides to leave everything that comes in his ways. He left for Paris leaving his family, religion and country behind.

‚I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it call itself my home, my father land, or my church and I will try to express myself in some mode of life for art as freely I can and as holy as I can, using for my defense the only arms allow myself to use silence exile and cunning.‛ (Joyce, p. 191)

In discussion with Cranly, Dedalus clearly says that he does not believe in religion and hates to live in his country. In Ireland he was bound between two opposing ideas, one is religious and other is his own thought and feeling. His family and Catholic religion has limited his thought. He wanted to be a writer but his family and school has left only one opportunity for him and that was priesthood. He belonged to such family there he could only become a Jesuit. He had known that to live in Ireland is to live in prison. There was no solution for him except to escape. England and Rome were ruling Ireland. He decides to leave for Paris because there he would be away from bondage of family, religion.

‚I do not fear to be alone or to be spurned for another or to leave whatever. I have to leave. And I am not afraid to make a mistake, even a great mistake, lifelong mistake and perhaps as long as eternity too.” (Joyce, p. 191)

Joyce discusses boldness of modern people. People in modern age took their decision fearlessly. To fulfill their desire they did not care of any loss. To represent an example of modern man Joyce portraits the character of Dedalus. His courage was shown throughout the novel. After realizing his exact interest, he decides to become an artist. He adamantly determined to become a writer for which he was ready to do anything. His experiences since childhood to young hood made him experienced that family, religion, beloved, friend all were those forces which prevent to do what he wanted to do. That’s why Dedalus took out one solution to be saved from all these forces. He took final decision to escape from the country and that was best solution at his glance. Neither he would be available in the country nor could anyone have access to him.

‚Welcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated consciousness of my race" (Joyce, p. 196)

These final lines of the novel proclaim Stephen’s aim to be an artist for the rest of his life. The phrase ‚the smithy of my soul‛ indicates that he strives to be an artist whose individual consciousness is the foundation for all his work. The reference to "the

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 22

uncreated conscience of my race‛ implies that he strives to be an artist who uses his individual voice to create a voice and conscience for the community into which he has been born. The final its reference to ‚old father‛ and ‚old artificer‛ reinforces Stephen’s two fold mission. He invokes his ‚old father‛ which can be read as either Simon Dedalus or Ireland itself to acknowledge his debt to his past. He invokes the ‚older artificer‛ his namesake Dedalus, the master craftsman from ancient mythology to emphasize his role as an artist. He is through his art that Stephen will use his individuality to create a conscience for community.

4.2 Stream of Consciousness

The term was coined by Henry James in principal of psychology (1990). The modernist writers excessively used this term in their books that way the novels produced in this period are called stream of consciousness. Cuddon says ‚now an almost indispensable term in literary criticism, it refers to that technique which seeks to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through tne mind.” (Cuddon, p. 866)

Acceding to this term novelist discusses the characters’ ideas. This is basically a technique used in literature to convey how characters feels or what the characters think. The characters’ emotions are portrayed either through hints within dialogue or actions taken by the characters in certain situations.

A portrait of artist as a Youngman is a stream of consciousness novel because the narrator is not only telling a story but also states the state of mind of characters. Joys used this term technically in this novel. He basically discovered the mental state of modern people and to do this Joyce used Dedalus his source to convey this idea. Joyce used the third person to describe the experiences of Dedalus we first encounter stream of consciousness at the beginning of the book when Dedalus is a chilled pores, as, in the opening lines:

‚Once upon a time and very good time it was along the road met a niceness little boy named baby tucked.” (Joyce, p. 1)

The pressures from expectations gradually become a burden and his soul searches finally results in art mea of breaking the cage. To Dedalus art was nevertheless a way of liberating his soul by fulfilling his hunger for meaning not with what was imposed upon him by others but by something originating from inside himself. Stephen’s path to becoming an artist very step while going through the novel. His first eat of courage, Independence and rebellion is where he porters his palm-whipping later on, he would also commit hers say when writing a school essay and reject priesthood. The gradual gap between him and his family especially his father is ever more obvious as time pass. Dedalus has experienced severe traumas in the early course of his life, namely repeated financial troubles which Dedalus was a witness of and the deep are the questions of religion and patriotism with his own family.

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 23

‚As the train streamed out fog the station he recalled his childhood wonder of years before and every event of his first day at Cologowes‛. (Joyce, p. 66)

Dedalus passed crucial days at Colongowes. In childhood, Dedalus was so simple. He was just an observer. In train, he recalled the days when he was having lunch with his family. He remembered how they were having discussion over religion and politics. Dedalus’s experience at school was worst which he never forgot. He was badly treated by bullies of class.

‚And not to have any one person, Cranly said who would be more than a friend, more even than the noblest and truest friend a man ere had.” (Joyce p. 191)

Joyce highlights the feeling and thinking of Cranly. He was disheartened by Dedalus. Dedalus’s straightforward comments of to live alone in another country shocked him severely. In loneliness, Cranly thought that how cruel Dedalus had become that he even had not care of his close friend. To live friendless was main issue on which cranly was thinking. Cranly was upset and pondering over the thinking of his friend.

‛Constant voices of his father and master urge him to be a good catholic above all things. When the gymnasium had been opened he had heard another voice urging him to be strong and manly and health and when the movement towards the national revival had begun to be felt in college yet another voice had bidden him to be true to his country and help to raise up her language and tradition‛ (Joyce, p. 68)

Joyce’s use of stream of consciousness technique in these lines is quite obvious. Dedalus is shown under pressure of family and religion in him. His family’s gradual expectation from him was increasing burden on his personality. The clash between his and his family’s desire put him into the state of dilemma. His family wanted him to be priest and he wanted to be a writer. He always remained in dilemma that what he should choose. But as a modern man, he revealed the secret what an individual should do. In spite of family’s pressure and strict rules of Catholic school, he preferred his desires to them. He had heard the inner voice of hidden man.

4.3 Exile

‚He had known neither the pleasure of companionship with other nor the vigor of rude male health nor flail piety nothing stride within his soul but a cold and cruel and loveless lust. His childhood was died or lost and with it his soul capable of simple joys and he was drifting amid life like the barren shell of the moon.” (Joyce, p. 72-73)

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 24

A person who lives outside his own country either from choice or he is forced to do so. Stephen Dedalus’s nature of exile is twofold. Firstly he was mentally and secondly physically exile. His physical exile at the end of the novel shows that he was not escaping from Ireland but he was escaping with it. His mind was totally different from the rest of family members. His family’s downfall, strict rules of religion and country’s position like a slave caused his mental exile. The sense of separation aroused in him from the time he started searching for the man inside him. The man inside him rejected to follow all imposed rules. His mental exile was due to his nature that never let him accept any law and orders against his desire. He was determined to achieve that suited to his personality. His quest of suitable field for his personality made him mentally exile.

‚I do not fear to be alone or to be spurned for another or to leave whatever. I have to leave. And I am not afraid to make a mistake, even a great mistake, lifelong mistake and perhaps as long as eternity too.” (Joyce, p. 191)

Physical exile of Dedalus was another outlook of his mental state. He hated to live in the country that was despite of being independent ruled by another country, there, leaving national language borrowed language was given preference and spoken. Ireland was politically governed by England and religiously by Rome. It seems as if Ireland was colonized by these two powers. Dedalus even did not accept to live in the country that was itself slave of others. He did not leave only his friends, love, family, religion but to completely untangle himself he left for Paris.

4.4 Loss of faith

‚His destiny was to be elusive of social and religious orders. The wisdom of the priest appeal did not touch him to the quick. He was destined to learn his own wisdom apart from others or to learn the wisdom of others wandering among the snares of the world.” (Joyce, p. 111)

Joyce raised the issue of religion in his novel which shows religion is also one of the main hindrances to success for modern people. In character of Dedalus we see him rejecting religion to become an artist. Joyce used Dedalus as a tool to respond that how an artist can have a journey to achieve his goal. Dedalus grew up in catholic family, he was sent to a strict Catholic boarding school where he spent his childhood days those were painful and unforgettable for him. He was teased by bullies of the school, pandied by teacher unreasonably and forced him to be priest. Dedalus was tied between two different concepts. One is Catholic Church and other is his own thoughts and feelings. His struggle was shown in the novel that how Dedalus since childhood struggled to choose his best. In young hood he had the ability to choose right way, slowly and gradually he experienced and finally found appropriate place in writing.

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 25

He was always said to become a priest but he was never asked what he wanted to be. Modernism highlights issues of individual’s interest that was always crushed by family and religion. His belief in religion was weak. He was compelled to be religious. He never felt desired relief for what he was looking. To find satisfactory place for the man inside him he visited different prostitutes but in their company, he found only source of luscious desire. After lecture of Father Arnal on torment of hell, he returned to religion. He asked forgiveness of God and determined not to return to prostitution. But his confession could not stop him to find out the field which his inner-self demands.

His journey to seek the person inside him completes with the epiphany when he had a look of a girl stood before him in midstream. Her look opened new door of life for him.

“…her image passed into his soul forever and no word had broken the holy silence of his ecstasy. Her eyes called him to and his soul had leaped at the call.” (Joyce, p. 132)

After having a look, he felt change in him. He came to know that art is the only field where he can find peace and contentment. By the end of the novel, Dedalus rejects not only Catholicism, but religion altogether. He said: ‚I tried to love..... It seems now I failed.” Dedalus, left for Paris leaving country, religion family and friends.

5. Conclusion

The study concludes that modern era generated new ideas in people. Modernism provided the main idea of an individual’s importance. Modernism gave rights to every person to live according to their disposition. The term ‚stream of consciousness‛ remained main technique of modern novels. This is also one of the key elements of modern novels. Modern novels propagated an idea under that an individual should not care about anyone or anything if they try to become obstacle in ways of his success. To achieve his goal a person can leave his family, religion, friends, beloved and even country. Different elements of modern novel discuss mental and physical exile of protagonist of the novel Stephan Dedalus. He rejects religion to become an artist. Because, being a member of a catholic family to become an artist was impossible.

References

The Essays of Virginia Woolf, vol III, ed. Andrew Mc. Neillie, London, Hogarth Press, (1986- 1994), p. 435

The Essays of Virginia Woolf, vol III, ed. Andrew Mc. Neillie, London, Hogarth Press, (1986- 1994), p. 435-436

Jose Ortega y Gasset, The Dehumanization of Art and Ideas and the Novel, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1948, p. 38

Mubarak Ali Lashari, Wahid Pervez

CRITICAL STUDY OF JOYCE’S NOVEL ‘A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNGMAN’

IN THE LIGHT OF MODERNISTIC THEORY

European Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2018 26

Deborah Parsons, Theorists of the Modernist Novel: James Joyce, Dorothy Richardson, Virginia Woolf, Routledge Critical Thinkers, London and New York, 2007, p. 15

Kime Scott Bonnie, The Gender of Modernism, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1990, p. 16

The Essays of Virginia Woolf, vol IV, ed. Andrew Mc. Neillie, London, Hogarth Press, (1986-1994), p. 160

One Government In Pakistan Opposed Establishment of University For Social Sciences, Claims Dr. Mubark's Latest Book

One Government In Pakistan Opposed Establishment of University For Social Sciences, Claims Dr. Mubark's Latest Book

September 28, 2019

In his latest thought provoking book, Dr. Mubark Lashari has claimed that one Pakistani government opposed the project of establishing a University of Social Sciences, a project planned by Iqbal Ahmed, Prof: Edward Said and Noam Chomsky. 

Dr. Mubark Lashari is a renowned scholar and Sindhi writer, he has penned down five books most of them are on literary criticism. Dr. Lashari is a Ph.D scholar and he is considered among the very first Sindhi writers who wrote about "Post-Modernism" a vital literary trend.

Dr. Mubark's latest book is named "Simaj Ain Siyasat Jo Grammar" (The Grammar of Society and Politics), published by Murk Publication, Karachi in 2019. This book consists 35 important essays dealing with different aspects of social sciences, the society in which we live and the politics around us.

In the introductory note of his latest book Dr. Lashari writes:

"In this regards the world of scholarship has two important subjects, i.e. social science and natural science. There are great scholars of both these fields. Man of letters, writers, politicians, anthropologists, economists and social activists are considered as scholars of social sciences, while biologists, physicists, experts of chemistry, astronomy and geography are considered scholars of natural sciences.

The main difference between both these sciences is that natural science is based upon tangible facts on the basis of observations and experiments, and apparently the knowledge gathered from such experiments seems less flexible, unless some future theory or experiment proves them vice versa, otherwise, the research and theories of natural science are less flexible.

As compared to it the theories of social science are much more complex and flexible as social science is based upon behavior, ideologies and thinking. Another great difference is that natural scientists is not dependent on other subjects, while the phenomena in its background is also independent. Meanwhile the very foundation of social science is dependent."

Dr. Mubark has masterfully elaborated the fact that how politics in societies like Pakistan has direct and negative influence, as he writes:

"Social scientists are not only considered important personalities, but in many societies they are also considered to be very dangerous. For example Prof: Edward Said was called "Professor of Terror" in America.

 The Spanish dictator General Franco killed many writers and intellectuals during his reign from 1936 to 1945, during a campaign named "White Terror", he approximately killed 2 lac people, majority of them were social scientists, educationists, intellectuals and writers. The doors of educational institutes of Brazil were closed upon a man of Paulo Freire's stature by calling him "the most ignorant man of the country".

In Pakistan, establishment of a university for social sciences was opposed, just because Iqbal Ahmed, Noam Chomsky and Prof: Edward Said had planned that project. The main reason behind opposing such a university was that these dangerous minds would produce other dangerous well-educated social scientists. We couldn't even imagine that the proposal given by that trio was opposed by international imperialists as well as the local ruling party."

Dr. Mubark Lashari teaches at Institute of English Linguistics and Literature, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, he divides his time among teaching and writing. He lives in Jamshoro. 

(A news of publication of book by Kaleem Butt, Thanks wise sindh

https://wisesindh.blogspot.com/2019/09/one-government-in-pakistan-opposed.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR2t7exBf3fDtm9c0VP86qM3lb_TZ6zbhW76KK87VvOKpNq3x0vDgR3obfA )

Culture, Language, Literature: The Poetry of ‘To Dream with Eyes Open’! اوجاڳيل ...

Culture, Language, Literature: The Poetry of ‘To Dream with Eyes Open’! اوجاڳيل ...: Book Review 4: The Poetry of ‘To Dream with Eyes Open’! اوجاڳيل اکين جا سپنا Reviewed By: Dr Mubarak Lashari   Poetry is con...

The Poetry of ‘To Dream with Eyes Open’! اوجاڳيل اکين جا سپنا by Amar Sindhu

Book Review 4:

The Poetry of ‘To Dream with Eyes Open’!

اوجاڳيل اکين جا سپنا

Reviewed By: Dr Mubarak Lashari 

Poetry is considered as the expression of emotions in verse traditionally but there are people and poet giants who make it weapon to eradicate injustice and suppression. And there are few people whose entire life is that kind of poetry. There is such a poetess and poetry, called Amar Sindh and her poetry collection, ‘Ojageel Akhyan Ja Sapna’ Jagti Ankhon ke Sapne, Dreams With Open Eyes. It is verily complex to disengage poetry from the composer and composer from the poetry. She herself is a poetry; the poetry of defy, the poetry of cry, the poetry of soreness and suffering and she herself is practically that. For her, her preface writer Fehmida Riaz quotes Iranian poetess Farokh Farukhzad, as;

I am talking from the height of darkness,

Whenever, you may come to me,

You must bring at least a lamp with you!

Accordingly, she is always in conversation from darkness, that’s the plight of Sindh, Pakistani and Third World and women of this land she is always talking on and about. She is well known feminist of Pakistan generally and Sindh particularly. She is dissent voice. And this poetry book is portrayal of her voice, not just a voice of that single individual but there are millions of suppressed voices from religio-tribo-feudal elements, as Auratazad Women’s Research & Publications puts on, as publisher of the book.

The collection of the poetry cited above is anthology of poems written in free verse form. The book is published by Auratazad Women’s Research & Publications Hyderabad. The book consists of Sindhi- Urdu poetry of a poetess, who is head of Department of philosophy at University of Sindh, Jamshoro. The poetry is extended to 100 pages and after every two or more pages there are several Black-n-white art pictures. The very pleasant and lavish pages are used. The preface of the book is written by giant feminist and progressive poetess Fehmida Riaz, whose stature is at a pinnacle in contemporary female poetesses and progressive-feminists specially. The back title is written by famous literary figure and writer Asif Farukhi. Asif Farukhi in my eyes is a bridge of languages and literature, who also is found weaving the knots of Pakistani literature from one language to another all the time.

The most powerful side of the book and the poetry is its resisting voice and challenge to the status-quo. She is appreciated by the contemporary writers a lot. Zahida Hina opines that, “Her poetry shows how she keeps resistance and revolutionary thoughts alive”. Writer Fehmida Riaz also appreciated Sindhu’s poetry, which is written in Sindhi and translated into Urdu. Sindhu’s poetry is a hope for the youth, she said, adding that her recent work depicted her extraordinary personality. Some writers are of the opinion that Sindhu is Parveen Shakir of Sindhi poetry. But I would add to it saying that, she is much more Parveen Shakir on the one side; she is progressive and enlightened ones on the other. Ms Sindhu is not only just dissent voice in saying or poetry but she is practically activist and can be found at some nook and corner resisting discrimination, injustice and cruelty towards females and society generally.

The book is much more than what is said and quoted above. The ambitious and avid readers can find the taste of poetry from romance to revolution in both the rich Pakistani languages, i.e Sindhi and Urdu. It is practically the dream of open eyes to awaken the sleeping and slumbering lot under the umbrella of fancy. The poetry and its advent is success and brighter anticipation as “This generation is lucky enough to be able to give true dreams a reality,” Ms Sindhu said. Thus, in the light of above a few glimpses of the richest poetic vision, one must go for the book and has a good and sound read. I believe that a good read literary library and creative literary circle would be incomplete without reading and preserving ‘Ojageel Akhyan Ja Sapna’ Jagti Ankhon ke Sapne, Dreams With Open Eyes.

 اوجاڳيل اکين جا سپنا

Jagti Aankhon ke Sapne

Poetry: Urdu/Sindhi

Publisher - Auratazad Women’s Research & Publications Hyderabad

Pages 100

Price PK Rs. 400/- US $ 10/-

ISBN 978 969 9698 00 2

Culture, Language, Literature: A Tale of a Town (Novel) شهر جي ڳالهه

Culture, Language, Literature: A Tale of a Town (Novel) شهر جي ڳالهه: A Tale of a Town (Novel)  شهر جي ڳالهه Book Review 3: A Tale of a Town (Novel) شهر جي ڳالهه Reviewed by Dr Mubarak Lashari Boo...

A Tale of a Town (Novel) شهر جي ڳالهه

A Tale of a Town (Novel) شهر جي ڳالهه

Book Review 3:

A Tale of a Town (Novel) شهر جي ڳالهه

Reviewed by Dr Mubarak Lashari

Book Name: Hik Shehr ji Galh (A Tale of a Town)

Author: Akbar Soomro

Pages: 232

Publisher: Kavita Publication Hyderabad

Year of Publication: Second edition 2009 (First edition, 1998).

Price: Rs 250

ISBN: 978-969-9329-03-6

One of the wonderful novels ever written in Sindhi language, A Tale of a Town is superb illustration of the account of recent past of our country and its phenomenon. While reading this, one can imagine the satirical novel of Amar Jaleel in his ‘Nethh Gongy Galhayo’ (Thus the dumb spoke) in the context of a city/town Islamabad where Islam is sought for. There is great difference of art in telling the tales. Despite all of such things, what commonalities are there, are draconian bleak period of General Zia, the emergence of favoritism, power game, corruption, saluting to the rising Sun, targeting and marginalizing opponents, imposing despotic laws, self-interpreted super-natural codes etc. are always part of the discourse of the day. One more commonality is the account/tale of Islamabad city, as center of all the experiments of power game. It is depicted with all its charms and deceptive attracts including rains, disloyal weathers, wandering clouds, ever changing colour of azure sky, buildings, houses, people, big vehicles, beaurocrates, politicians etc. vividly.

The novel commence with the account of Martial law of 80s when Gen Zia ousted and hanged Bhutto and occupied the seat of presidency in Islamabad. Some employees of parliament are living in an apartment where many employees from higher to lower rank near parliament lodges are living with various opinions and points of views. In them, there is an unemployed Ali Raza, a position holder in engineering, is also living and looking for job in the centre of the country. There are some other friends including Siraj, a village mate are also residing there. Its fascinating part is the description of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto that haunts not only the whole novel but its content and context of Zia ul Haq as “He (Bhutto) became the Ghost of Pakistan’s Streets & Parliament! Off course, he became…he became….” This context haunts the political scenario of Pakistan then and now. Ali is getting to think of the condition of the political system and practical happening throughout the story along with his search for job, search for bodily needs, obsession with instincts and their fulfilment.

The twist in the story comes when Ali meets a girl in a party where they perform break dance with the girl Kaldeep Kaur, an Indian Sikh girl who now green card holder of Pakistan. The girl is symbol of Indian atrocity with Sikh community in India. Her whole family was brutally killed and she herself was targeted and victimized in the turmoil and mobocracy but remains successful to reach Pakistan to his uncle who was personal friend of president of the country. Ali gets involved in emotional attachment even in his first meeting and then setting time for the date but it remains unfulfilled. There comes a good break in an artistic way in the novel and the novelist gets chance to covert readers’ attention to other conditions like unemployment, political and beauracratic hegemony, favoritism, and other issues related to the country due to Martial law and dictatorial codes of Zia regime. In the meantime, Ali gets disappointed not only from meeting with Kaldeep but also from job and employment seeking as there is no merit, consequently, decides to leave the city and go back to his village. On the day of departure a moments before he meets Kaldeep where she emphasizes him to postpone his program of leaving for village. He agrees to stay there. From there, starts his love-affair with Kaldeep with so fascinating description and analysis of love, spirituality, physical love, ideological agreements and disagreements etc. He wishes to have physical relations with Kaldeep but she refuses or avoids in one or the other way due to her bodily inability or disability that was top secret for Ali. Finally, in one night when Ali gets over-obsessed with the need of physical love or sex, she discloses everything and shows handicapped body parts which were crippled for any marital relations.

Once again, Ali gets disappointed from Job, Kaldeep’s love, democracy, and merit and leaves Islamabad for his village. Thenceforth, Ali gets admission in a university in Sindh and gets involved in politics but picked by enforcing agencies and murdered for not accepting the crimes he never committed.

Ali’s character is central one as a protagonist along with Kaldeep Kaur, a seasoned journalist but physically crippled but very beautiful girl. Ali not only is having many positive characteristics but as a genuine or real symbol of the society he lives in he is also having some traits of having sex with the paid boy. On the other, Kaldeep Kaur is depicted as innocent, sensitive and sincere one.

The novel is consisted with many stories in the story but major issues can be seen as political turmoil and tyranny of Zia regime, injustice and involvement of law enforcing agencies in public or social affairs, love affair or ground reality of human psyche and needs.

The novelist seems having an inordinate art of delaying tactics and literary craftsmanship in weaving incidents. The readers get attracted by many small incidents, jokes, lighter mood of the characters, great scenic impact like things make this novel subtle art in Sindhi fiction. There can be seen existentialist expression, for example “Yar Ali (Dear Ali) Raeny changed the topic, ‘why were we born in this world?...just to toil and get exhausted? Or to work and have broods and to die?’ Raeny said in haste’ ‘I also don’t find any reason that why were brought in this world’ Ali said while thinking deeply”….

There are certain elements and deep touches of surrealism, realism, modernism and postmodernism in the novel along with theoretical approaches like Marxism, feminism, post-colonialism. This novel can be very much helpful for the students and learners who want to find various themes in Sindhi novels and fiction. It also can be helpful in historical evolution of various menaces under the shade of military dictatorships and interference of military agencies in civilian systems. Social aspect of the novel cannot be ignored as well.

There can be seen certain things inappropriate with unities of time, place and characters as well. At one place there is mentioned that Harry potter series in Zia regime or 80s which actual emerged much later. The depiction of so beautiful character and fitness of Kaldeep in spite of her physical handicapped conditions from genital organs to entrails, belly, breasts all in such a fascinating fittings and the character of Italian couple Raeny and her wife do not seem much fitting. There are certain things that can be pondered from other points of view. Despite all, the novel is really a great contribution to Sindhi literature and the writer Akbar Soomro deserves profound appreciation. 

26/09/19