Character sketch of Dhania of Godan by munshi premchand
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It was first published in 1936 and is considered one of the greatest Hindi novels of modern Indian literature. Themed around the socio economic deprivation as well as the exploitation of the village poor, the novel was the last complete novel of Premchand. It was translated into English in 1957 by Jai Ratan and P. Lal translation; a 1968 translation by Gordon C. Roadarmel is now considered "a classic in itself".
Godaan was made into a Hindi film in 1963, starring Rajkumar, Mehmood and Shashikala. In 2004, Godan was part of the 26-episode TV series, Tehreer.... Munshi Premchand Ki, based on the writing of Premchand, starring Pankaj Kapur and Surekha Sikri, directed by Gulzar and produced by Doordarshan.
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Three estimates of Premchand exist in English, Munshi Premchand: A litereay Biography by Madan Gopal (Bombay, 1964); Premchand: His Life and Work by Hans Raj Rahbar (Delhi, 1957); Premchand by Indar Nath Madan (Lahore, 1946). Godan is available in English translation by jai Hatan and P. Lal (Bombay, 1957). Another English translation has been competed by Gordon Roadarmel of the Department of near Eastern Languages, University of California, Berkeley, for UNESCO, and will appear shortly. Three selections of Premchand's short stories are also available in English: Short Stories of Premchand, translated by Gurdial Mullick (Bombay, 1946); A Handful of Wheat and Other Stories (new Delhi, 1955); The Secret of Culture and Other Stories, translated by Madan Gupta (Bombay, 1960). Many other stories of Premchand were translated into English and have appeared from time to tome in various Indian and foreign newspapers and magazines, for which reference should be made to "A Bibliography of Premchand" by Carlo Coppola, Mahfil, vol. 1, no. 2; and "A Bibliography of Urdu Short Stories in English Translation", G.C. Narang, to appear in Mahfil.
Godan, generally considered Premchand's masterpiece, is a story of peasant India. It highlights the struggle between the peasant and the money-lender backed by various forces. It depicts an agricultural community with its hard work and simple pleasures, its exploitations and misery, its frustrations and hopes. Premchand's artistry and realism are at their best in the creation of some of the central characters, particularly that of Hori, who emerges as an immortal symbol of the Indian peasantry. Hori as well can be taken as a symbol of Premchand's own life. Though Premchand had a tendency toward idealization, this novel is realistic, controlled in form and disillusioned in spirit.
The excerpt, included here is about a clandestine affair which Gobar, Hori's son, had with Jhunia, Bhola's daughter. Pregnant and frightened that her father will kill her if he discovers this, she turns to Gobar for help. But afraid of the consequences, he stealthily leaves the village. Late in the night Jhunia goes to Hori's hut, but he is in the fields. Jhunia admits her predicament to Dhania, Hori's wife. She rushes to Hori. Upset and angered, they agree not to give shelter to Jhunia. Gradually, however, as they are walking back to the hut, their determination gives away, and their hate turns into affection. They permit Jhunia to stay with them, although they know that this will mean alienating the entire village.
Premchand wrote a bald, simple, factual prose. His language is neither the elegant Urdu not the high-flown Hindi. Instead he used common core Hindustani, the speech of millions in upper India, and a medium particularly suited to his themes.
Godan, generally considered Premchand's masterpiece, is a story of peasant India. It highlights the struggle between the peasant and the money-lender backed by various forces. It depicts an agricultural community with its hard work and simple pleasures, its exploitations and misery, its frustrations and hopes. Premchand's artistry and realism are at their best in the creation of some of the central characters, particularly that of Hori, who emerges as an immortal symbol of the Indian peasantry. Hori as well can be taken as a symbol of Premchand's own life. Though Premchand had a tendency toward idealization, this novel is realistic, controlled in form and disillusioned in spirit.
The excerpt, included here is about a clandestine affair which Gobar, Hori's son, had with Jhunia, Bhola's daughter. Pregnant and frightened that her father will kill her if he discovers this, she turns to Gobar for help. But afraid of the consequences, he stealthily leaves the village. Late in the night Jhunia goes to Hori's hut, but he is in the fields. Jhunia admits her predicament to Dhania, Hori's wife. She rushes to Hori. Upset and angered, they agree not to give shelter to Jhunia. Gradually, however, as they are walking back to the hut, their determination gives away, and their hate turns into affection. They permit Jhunia to stay with them, although they know that this will mean alienating the entire village.
Premchand wrote a bald, simple, factual prose. His language is neither the elegant Urdu not the high-flown Hindi. Instead he used common core Hindustani, the speech of millions in upper India, and a medium particularly suited to his themes.
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