Postcolonial Perspectives in Urdu Poetry: Utopian Possibilities and the Discourse of Hope.

Abstract

In Urdu poetry, the postcolonial perspective unfolds as a space that reveals layers of imperial oppression, identity and resistance while also envisioning utopian hopes. It is not just a story of wounds but a search for dreams and renewal. Thinkers like Edward Said, Fanon, and Gayatri gave this discourse global scope which critics such as Nasir Abbas Nayyar, Bloch, Ngugi, Graham Hegun and Jameson further enriched. In Hali, Shibli, and Iqbal’s vision, liberation from colonial rule emerges as a dream while Faiz, Josh, and Makhdoom turn poetry into a metaphor of resistance and justice. After Partition, migration and identity shaped new themes while modern poets like Kishwar Naheed, Zehra Nigah and Ahmad Faraz etc. redefined protest through gender, minority and ecological perspectives. This study therefore, not only introduces a new direction in Urdu literary criticism but also positions Urdu poetry as a vital reference point within global interpretations of postcolonial literature.