Human Suffering and the Crisis of Individual Identity in Modern Urdu Short Story

Abstract

The narrative of human anguish and meaninglessness in modern Urdu short story reflects the inner restlessness, existential crisis and decline of values of modern man. Although modern industrial and scientific development has provided convenience to human life, as a result, man has also suffered from loneliness, meaninglessness and spiritual emptiness. This same condition is revealed in the form of meaninglessness in modern fiction writers, where the characters seem to be wandering in search of their identity, purpose of life and meaning of existence. In these fictions, social chaos, moral decline, breakdown of relationships and distance from ancient values have been presented in symbolic and allegorical form, through which the anguish, anxiety and intellectual disorientation of modern man are effectively highlighted. Their names and themes are as follows. Intizar Hussain has presented migration, civilizational decline, loneliness, existential anguish, and the recovery of the past in his stories. Anwar Sajjad presents the psychological complexity, internal conflict, and existential meaninglessness of modern man in a symbolic manner. Thus, Balraj Main Ra, in his writings, gives space to modern urban life, uncertainty, waiting, and existential feelings in his stories.

Keywords: Modern Urdu short story, Human Anguish, Meaninglessness, Intizar Hussain, Anwar Sajjad, Balraj Main Ra, Uncertainty, Existentialism, Psychological Complexity, Internal Conflict.