Existentialism in Intizar Hussain's Fiction

Abstract

The philosophy of existentialism is the philosophy of human life. Extant is in every respect primary, unique, self-aware, and self-reflective. Existentialism is a movement based on the inner struggle of the individual. War, conflict, and industrial development have adorned literature with existential themes such as fear, mental confusion, lack of recognition, alienation, sense of loneliness, moral and spiritual decline, futility, and the desire for death. Due to the partition of India and political and social uncertainty, we find all these qualities in Intizar Hussain's fiction. The characters in his stories are victims of existential anguish, torture, and a sense of guilt. They mourn the loss of individual identity as well as national identity. His stories have an atmosphere of strange helplessness, hopelessness, and inaction.