A History of Hindi Literature
Overview
Frank Ernest Keay’s A History of Hindi Literature (1920) provides a comprehensive survey of Hindi literary development from the medieval period through the early 20th century. Published as part of the Heritage of India Series by the Association Press and Oxford University Press, this 136-page work systematically examines the evolution of Hindi as a literary language and the major movements that shaped its canon.
Historical Context
Written during the colonial period by a Church Missionary Society scholar based in Jubbulpore, this work reflects early 20th-century Western scholarly engagement with Indian vernacular literatures. The Heritage of India Series aimed to make Indian cultural and literary traditions accessible to English-speaking audiences.
Content and Structure
The work is organized chronologically, covering:
Early Period (1150-1400): Bardic chronicles and the emergence of Hindi as a literary language distinct from Sanskrit and Prakrit.
Bhakti Movement: Detailed analysis of devotional poetry, including the Krishna and Rama cults. Particular attention to major poets like Tulsi Das, whose Ramcharitmanas became central to Hindi literary culture.
Kabir and His Successors: Examination of the mystic poet Kabir and the nirgun bhakti tradition that emphasized formless divinity.
Mughal Court Period (1550-1800): The development of Hindi literature under Mughal patronage and its relationship with Persian literary culture.
Modern Developments: Early movements toward modern Hindi prose and the beginnings of the Hindi literary renaissance.
Significance
Keay’s work represents an important early attempt to systematize Hindi literary history for an English-speaking audience. While written from a colonial perspective, it provided valuable documentation of Hindi literary traditions and contributed to broader recognition of vernacular Indian literatures in academic scholarship.
Bibliography
The volume includes a bibliography of sources, reflecting the state of Hindi literary scholarship in the early 20th century.
How to Access
Available through Internet Archive as a digitized scan from the University of California Libraries collection. Public domain, freely accessible for research and education.