The Shroud By Munshi Premchand

About Author:

Munshi Premchand is a renowned author of the early 20th century in India. He is one of the greatest Indian writers of Hindi and Urdu social fiction. He is the epitome of Hindi Literature. Premchand was born at Lamhi near Banaras in 1880. He went to madarsa for his childhood education there he learned Urdu. Along with Mahatma Gandhi he actively took part in freedom movement of India.
Indian villages are at the center in his writings. His short stories talk about the pain and suffering of downtrodden, untouchables, women that had been suppressed for centuries. They deal with the realistic issues of the day like dowry, untouchability, bribery, corruption, debt, poverty, colonialism, prostitution, widow remarriage and feudal system. Many of his stories reflected his personal experiences of poverty and misery. 

He died in 1936 and has since been studied both in India and abroad as one of the greatest writers of the century. In short, Premchand was a great revolutionary storyteller.

Major Works of Premchand:

Munshi Premchand left his job of Deputy Inspector to devote himself for writing. He was a versatile writer of short stories and novels. He wrote more than 300 short stories and 12 novels. His stories and novels are pure classic they are associated with experience of life. Premchand was the first Hindi author to introduce realism in his writings. His short stories and novels are the mirror of the Indian society. Premchand’s first story Duniya ka Sabse Anmol Ratan published in 1907. It deals with author’s patriotic feeling. His first collection of short stories, Soz-e Watan appeared in 1908. It was so inflammable and rebellious that it was banned by the imperial government and all the copies of the book were burnt. His famous short stories are Thakur ka Kuwan, Sawa Ser Gehu, Poos ki Raat, Gilli Danda, Eidgaah, Namak Ka Daroga, Bade Ghar Ki Beti and Kafan. Many of his stories have been published in a number of collections as Prem Pachisi, Prem Battisi and Manasarovar. 

Sevasadan, Rangmanch, Gaban, Nirmala and Godan are his best known novels. Several of his works were later adapted into movies, series, and plays. Satyajit Ray made Sadgati and Shatranj Ke Khiladi based on Premchand’s works. Guldasta and Teheer are some famous series based on his works. Most of the critics compare him with Tolstoy, Gorky and Dickens. He translated a number of literary works of other languages into Hindi.

A Summary of "The Shroud":

Premchand’s story, ‘The Shroud’ is a masterpiece in world literature. It brings out the dark humour, irony and tragedy in the life of Ghisu, Madhav and Budhia. The story opens with Ghisu and Madhav sitting in front of fire at the door of their hut; while Budhia, the wife of Madhav is undergoing labour pains inside the hut. Ghisu and Madhav are eating potatoes which they have stolen from somewhere. Ghisu and Madhav are infamous in the whole village as lazy and good-for-nothing workers. There abject poverty is due to their own laziness but partly, it is also because of the vicious cycle of exploitation by the landlords and moneylenders in the village. Ghisu and Madhav do nothing for Budhia except listen to her heartrending wails. Finally, Budhia dies and Ghisu and Madhav go about in the village begging money for her funeral. At this point in the story, Premchand comments through the mouth of Ghisu on the paradox and futility of the custom of buying a new shroud for one who did not have even a rag to cover her living body. Ultimately Ghisu and Madhav spend all the money collected by them in eating, drinking and merry-making. They know that the same villagers who gave them money will help them once more. Thus Premchand’s story ‘The Shroud’ highlights the pathetic plight of ordinary village labourers and portrays their abject poverty.

Major Characters in "The Shroud"

Premchand’s story ‘The Shroud’ opens with the description of Budhia in labour pains. Ghisu, Budhia’s father- in- law and Madhav- her husband, are sitting at the door of the hut in front of a fire which has already gone out. It was a cold night and Budhia was suffering terribly from labour pains. Ghisu and Madhav had no money to arrange treatment for Budhia. Budhia was writhing and wriggling and wailing but Ghisu and Madhav did not move. They sat helplessly leaving Budhia to her fate. Both of them were worried that if one of them goes in to see Budhia, the other would gobble up most of the potatoes. So, they did absolutely nothing and kept eating the potatoes and slept only to find Budia dead the next morning.