The Form and Criticism of the Ghazal: Is the Ghazal a 'Semi-Barbaric' Genre?
In the history of Urdu literary criticism, the form and structure of the Ghazal have always been a subject of heated debate. Is the Ghazal truly an art form or not? Various opinions have emerged on this question across different eras. Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali was not opposed to the Ghazal; rather, he desired an expansion and reformation of its themes. However, critics like Waheeduddin Salim, Azmatullah Khan, Josh Malihabadi, and Kaleemuddin Ahmed raised fundamental and severe objections to the structure of the Ghazal.
The primary objection of these critics was directed at the Ghazal's 'fragmented imagery' reza-khayali and 'piecemeal craftsmanship' reza-kari. Influenced by Western theories of art, they believed that any work of art must possess thematic continuity, complete with a beginning, middle, and end. Since the Ghazal is a bouquet of diverse and independent couplets without the prerequisite of apparent connection or continuity, Kaleemuddin Ahmed labeled it 'semi-barbaric poetry.' Azmatullah Khan went so far as to declare that for the progress of Urdu poetry, the neck of the Ghazal should be unceremoniously wrung.
In response to these harsh criticisms, supporters of the Ghazal sought refuge in Eastern theories of art. Hamid Hasan Qadri honestly acknowledged that while a 'unity of thought' is absolutely not necessary in a Ghazal, it can certainly possess a 'unity of impression'. The Ghazal was also likened to the Japanese genre of 'Haiku,' where various images combine to create an overall impression. Whether or not the Ghazal qualifies as a work of art by Western standards, it remains a supreme form of art within Eastern traditions.
In the form of the Ghazal, the roles of meter bahr, rhyme qaafiya, and refrain radeef are not merely decorative but psychological and structural. The meter sets the stage, the rhyme illuminates the mind through the principles of repetition and anticipation, and the refrain imparts a sense of crispness. The requirement of a 'matla' the opening couplet where both lines rhyme in a Ghazal was established so that the mind of the reader or listener could be attuned to the specific phonetic system and musicality of the poem. This matla by Mir Taqi Mir is a perfect example:
Ulti ho gaiñ sab tadbīreñ kuchh na davā ne kaam kiyā
dekhā is bīmāri-e-dil ne āḳhir kaam tamām kiyā
oetry
All remedies have failed, no medicine was of use,
See how this disease of the heart has finally brought my end.
oetry
Following this matla, a distinct atmosphere and musicality of the Ghazal settle into the mind. This form of the Ghazal, in which every couplet is a complete entity in itself, is actually akin to light, which travels in discrete leaps rather than in a continuous, smooth flow. This is precisely why structural alterations to the Ghazal, such as the experiments with the 'Free Ghazal', could never succeed; the Ghazal is recognized and defined by its very specific form.
