The Dancing Girl (New Directions Paperbook)
This autobiographical novel, originally entitled Nashtar ( Surgeon's Knife ), was first published in Farsi in 1790, then translated into Urdu in 1893. Known as the first modern Indian novel (influenced by British fiction), this work narrates the tragic love of talented dancer Khanum Jan and Hasan Shah, aide-de-camp to a British officer. After a secret marriage, Khanum Jan becomes ill and dies before her husband can reach her. The author's creative achievements include his interweaving of Indian history of the late 1700s with customs, traditions, and romantic poetry--transforming this tale of doomed love into a creative jewel. Editor/translator Hyder includes helpful footnotes, a foreword, and an afterword. A significant contribution to Indian fiction and its history. Recommended for scholarly collections.- Glenn O. Carey, Eastern Kentucky Univ., RichmondCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.