ZAKIR USMAN(PPT) Mir nihal moral anguish.pptx

Existentialist study moral anguish

1. Mir Nihal's Moral Anguish: An Existentialist Study of Ahmad Ali's Twilight in Delhi Presenter: Zakir Usman Supervised by: Dr. Syed Hanif Rasool Department Of English KHUSHAL KHAN KHATTAK UNIVERSITY, KARAK (SESSION 2023-2025) 04 -09-2024

2. Statement of the Problem The present study examines the ways in which Mir Nihal's experience reflects existential moral anguish and sorrow as conceptualized by Sartre. Sartre describes this as "bad faith," which is the rejection of one's own freedom and the responsibility that goes along with it. It is shown in his retreat into nostalgia and his inability to make sense of the past and the present. This critical investigation also addresses existential issues of authenticity, freedom, and despair in light of Mir Nihal's internal conflict. It also seeks to determine how Twilight in Delhi embodies Sartre's central existential ideas— Moral anguish, bad faith, and the pursuit of authenticity in the colonial India.

3. Background of the Study The existential freedom notion put out by Jean-Paul Sartre in his existentialist philosophy offers a liberating yet incredibly unsettling perspective on human existence. Sartre essentially contends that although humans are naturally free to choose, this freedom carries a great deal of responsibility and a feeling of "anguish," or existential dread. Sartre contends that because every decision we make has consequences, having freedom overwhelms us. We are unable to foresee the future and the results of our decisions with any degree of precision. "Despair" results from this uncertainty since we know that even with our best efforts, things might not go as planned. Our sense of powerlessness is further increased by the fact that we have no influence over the behavior of others . According to existentialism, sorrow results from realizing that we are entirely dependent on our choices to create meaning in our lives. There's no higher power, no predetermined path, and no escape from making decisions. When we choose, we are responsible not only for the outcome of our actions but also for the moral implications of our choices. This is why Sartre says that in making decisions, we are responsible "for all mankind." This doesn’t mean that each choice will literally affect everyone in the world, but rather that each choice we make contributes to the kind of world we are creating, shaping human values and behaviors.

4. Research Questions How and to what extant does Mir Nihal suffers moral anguish and replicates Sartrian existential anguish in Ahmad Ali’s Twilight in Delhi ? How and what extant is Mir Nihal in conflict between personal value and external socio cultural expectation in the post 1857 British India?

5. Research Objectives To explore the stages of the Protagonist’s journey replicating Sartrian existential anguish in Ahmad Ali’s Twilight in Delhi. To identify and analyze Mir Nihal conflict swaying between personal value and external socio cultural expectation which portrays existential issues particularly authenticity, freedom, alienation and despair leading to existential anguish in the post 1857 British Indian Ahmad Ali’s Twilight in Delhi.

6. Significance of the Study The study enhances understanding in existentialist philosophy, South Asian literary studies, and postcolonial theory. It will provide an interdisciplinary lens that unites philosophy, psychology, and literature, stirring our understanding of both Ahmad Ali’s novel and the existential predicaments faced by individuals during socio-political change. This research further adds to the discussion on how individuals in colonized societies experience modernity not only as an external force but as an internal conflict. It opens up further exploration regarding the psychological impact of colonialism, presenting a nuanced analysis of how historical forces shape personal identity and moral consciousness.

7. Thank you!