Munshi Premchand Essay Example

later adapted into films. In addition to being a successful novelist, Premchand was also a social reformer and thinker. What sets him apart is his focus on addressing social issues and offering criticism in his writings rather than just providing entertainment. He firmly believed that literature had the power to shape public opinion and aimed for equal opportunities for all through social progress. Even after his death in 1936, Premchand continues to be widely recognized globally as one of the greatest writers of the century.

Initially published in Awaz-e-Khalq, an Urdu Weekly, Premchand's first novella Asrar e Ma'abid was followed by his involvement with Urdu magazine Zamana where he began writing columns on national and international events. The writer gained recognition for consistently conveying a social message and speaking out against prevalent social issues in Indian society. In a time dominated by fantasy fiction and religious writings, Premchand revolutionized Indian literature with his introduction of realism. Through diverse characters facing different circumstances, he embodied societal purpose and criticism. It is widely acknowledged that this esteemed novelist is one of the most prominent authors in 20th century India.

Childhood and Early Life

Premchand, born on 31 July 1880 in a village near Varanasi, India, faced the tragic loss of both his parents during his childhood - his mother when he was seven years old and his father when he was fifteen or sixteen. Despite these difficult circumstances, Premchand took on the responsibility of caring for his stepmother and half-siblings. At a young age, he entered into an arranged marriage which turned out to be painful and led him to end it in 1899.

In 1906, he married Shivrani Devi who happened to be a child widow.

Premchand began working as a schoolmaster at a mission school in Chunar in 1899. Despite his low salary, he had to support his wife, step mother, siblings, and himself. Unfortunately, he was fired from the position and had to return to his village. However, he managed to secure a job as an assistant master at a government school in Varanasi with some effort. In 1902, he became the headmaster of a school near Allahabad before being transferred to Kanpur as the deputy sub-inspector of schools two years later.

Premchand commenced his writing profession in Allahabad, and there he authored numerous short stories as a self-employed author in Urdu. One of his initial works, Asrar e Ma’abid, was released in the Urdu Weekly Awaz-e-Khalq. Additionally, he became part of Zamana, an Urdu magazine, where he penned columns discussing national and international affairs. Concurrently, he composed Soz-e-Vatan, a compilation of short stories written in Urdu. This period marked the initiation of his writing expedition and reinforced his position within Kanpur's literary society.

Premchand gained renown as a writer in Urdu for his literary work that prioritized social issues over mere entertainment. He commenced his writing career during the height of the Indian Independence movement in British India, which greatly influenced him and led to his early writings expressing support for the freedom struggle. In 1910, his collection titled Soz-e-Watan was considered rebellious because it encouraged Indians to fight for their country. This alarmed the British government, resulting in the confiscation and destruction of all copies of the book. During this period,

Premchand wrote under the pseudonym Nawabrai but later adopted the pen name Premchand. Throughout his prolific professional life, he authored more than 300 stories, novels, and several plays.

The writer is known for introducing realism into Hindi literature, which at the time primarily consisted of fantasy stories, fairy tales, and religious works. His creations were published as Maansarovar. In 1921, Premchand left his job to support the Indian independence movement and Gandhi's Swadeshi movement. He then worked in a printing press and eventually became the owner. During this period, he also edited Hindi and Urdu journals to sustain himself financially. Despite being successful as a writer and novelist, it was unfortunate that he struggled with poverty and financial difficulties.

Premchand was not only a novelist and author but also a social reformer and thinker. What sets him apart from his contemporaries is his realistic portrayal of characters in his novels. Unlike other writers of the time who concentrated on fantasy or heroic stories, Premchand's novels primarily tackle important social issues such as dowry, poverty, communalism, colonialism, corruption, and Zamindari. He is regarded as the pioneer of 20th-century literature for incorporating reality into his works.

Premchand authored over 300 works including short stories, novels, essays, letters, and plays. Many of his writings have been translated into English and Russian and some have been turned into movies. His first novel, Godaan, is widely recognized as one of the finest novels of its era and continues to receive great acclaim. Other noteworthy novels by Premchand include Gaban, Kafan Poos ki Rat, Idgah, and Bade Ghar ki Beti. Renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray adapted two of Premchand's

bestselling novels into films: Shatranj Ke Khiladi and SevaSadan.

Premchand believed that literature has the power to educate people, which is evident in his writings. Despite facing financial struggles and health issues, particularly related to his abdomen, he continued to write fiction with social purposes and criticism. He never gave up on writing and even presided over conferences and literature seminars, receiving great applause. In 1936, he chaired the first All-India conference of the Indian Progressive Writer’s Association. Unfortunately, he passed away on October 8th of that year before finishing his last novel, Mangalsootra.