威廉堡学院和乌尔都语文学的现代转型

Fort William College and the Modern Transformation of Urdu Modern Literature

成立于1800年的威廉堡学院在乌尔都语文学的现代转型过程中发挥了重要作用,学院印度斯坦语系系主任约翰·吉尔克里斯特组织印度当地作家翻译编写了大量乌尔都语作品。这些作品从语言风格、词汇选用、题材选择以及印刷排版等方面上均开辟了乌尔都语文学发展的新路径,而文学作品所引发的文学观念变革也被南亚穆斯林精英继承,他们借助文学建构身份认同,传达政治诉求,在印度民族主义运动中发挥了重要作用。

Established in 1800,Fort William College marked a significant milestone for the start of Urdu modern literature.A great number of works by Indian Urdu writers and scholars were produced at the college under the superintendence of J.B Gilchrist,who was the dean of the college’s Hindustani Department.The Urdu works produced in the college set up a new standard for Urdu prose in terms of linguistic style,vocabulary,theme and printing and publishing.By examining the evolution of Urdu modern literature,one can observe that the college’s effort created a new aesthetic and cultural system based on Western values.This concept of art was inherited by secular Muslims in India,who played a significant role in the process of struggle for independence and partition.