Polishing a Rusted Mirror: Adrienne Rich’s Creative Adaptations of Mirza Ghalib’s Urdu Ghazals

Abstract

In this paper, I offer an alternative perspective to appreciate Rich’s translations of Ghalib’s ghazals. For those who adhere to the principle of faithfulness, Rich’s creative adaptations may be considered unacceptable or controversial. However, it is crucial to understand that Rich embraced the request of Ahmad, who encouraged Rich and other poets to create ‘versions’ in response to Ghalib’s Urdu ghazals, prioritizing the production of poetry instead of academic translations. Reading her translations, it is evident that she endeavored to engage with Ghalib’s poetic spirit, transcending time and space, to draw some inspiration for a new mode of poetry while challenging the patriarchal system of signification. Moreover, it is undeniable that her translation experiences played a crucial role in her creation of American ghazals, such as “Ghazals: Homage to Ghalib” and “The Blue Ghazals,” as she sought to represent ‘the untranslatable’ aspects of American women’s lives. Thus, raising a reasonable doubt about previous studies which have analyzed Rich’s ghazals in the context of Ghalib’s influence, I will explore the originality of Rich’s ghazals, examining how they evolved from creative adaptations to original ghazals. Specifically, I will show that Rich’s ghazals are several steps removed from Ghalib’s Urdu ghazals except for retaining five couplets, thence making it more appropriate to identify them as American ghazals. I will conclude this paper with a positive assessment that Rich polished the rusted mirror of the Urdu Ghazal both inside and outside to reflect the disorder of American society in her time, just as Ghalib polished the rusted mirror of the Persian Ghazal to reflect the tumult of Mughal-Indian society as it transitioned into a British colony in his time.