Start of the Modern Era
The modern era begins in 1801 with the founding of Fort William College. Prose, the novel, drama and modern poetry all developed in this period.
Prose and Facts
The first printed Bengali grammar was written by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed in 1778. The first Bengali newspaper was Samachar Darpan in 1818 from the Serampore Mission. Ishwarchandra Bidyasagar is widely called the father of Bengali prose, and Raja Rammohan Roy was a pioneer. Peary Chand Mitra wrote in the colloquial Alali style. Pramatha Chaudhuri, pen name Birbal, established the colloquial form through the journal Sabujpatra.
Major Writers and Works
Ishwarchandra Bidyasagar: Betal Panchabingshati, Shakuntala, Sitar Banobas and Bhrantibilas.
Michael Madhusudan Dutt: Meghnadbadh Kabya (1861), Tilottamasambhab Kabya, Brajangana, Birangana and Chaturdashpadi Kabitabali. His first play was Sharmistha. He introduced blank verse in Bengali.
Dinabandhu Mitra: Nildarpan (1860).
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay: Durgeshnandini, Kapalkundala, Anandamath and Krishnakanter Uil. He edited Bangadarshan and is called Sahityasamrat.
Rabindranath Tagore: Gitanjali, for which he received the 1913 Nobel Prize, and also Sonar Tori, Manasi, Gora, Ghare-Baire, Chokher Bali, Raktakarabi and Dakghar. He is called Bishwakabi.
Kazi Nazrul Islam: Agniveena, Bisher Banshi, Dolonchapa, Sarbahara, Byathar Dan and Mrityukshudha, along with the poem Bidrohi. He is called the Rebel Poet.
Jibanananda Das: Jhara Palok, Dhusar Pandulipi, Banalata Sen, Rupasi Bangla and Mahaprithibi. He is called the poet of Rupasi Bangla.
Jasim Uddin: Nakshi Kanthar Math and Sojan Badiyar Ghat. He is called the rural poet.
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay: Devdas, Srikanta, Pather Dabi and Palli Samaj.
Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay: Pather Panchali. Manik Bandyopadhyay: Padma Nadir Majhi.
Others: Mir Mosharraf Hossain wrote Bishad Sindhu, Kaikobad wrote Mahashmashan, Begum Rokeya wrote Sultana's Dream, Syed Waliullah wrote Lalsalu, Munier Chowdhury wrote Kabar and Shamsur Rahman wrote Prothom Gan Ditiyo Mrityur Age.
Shortcut
Remember the titles: Tagore is Bishwakabi, Nazrul is the Rebel Poet, Jibanananda is the poet of Rupasi Bangla, Jasim Uddin is the rural poet, Bankim is Sahityasamrat. Memorise three works per writer and eliminate wrong options in the exam.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Who wrote Banalata Sen?
Solution: Jibanananda Das, in his book of poems of the same name.
Example 2: Which work won Tagore the Nobel Prize?
Solution: The English version of Gitanjali, Song Offerings, won him the 1913 prize.
Quick Check
Question 1: Who is the father of Bengali prose in common usage?
Answer: Ishwarchandra Bidyasagar.
Question 2: Who wrote Lalsalu?
Answer: Syed Waliullah.
Question 3: What is Nazrul's title?
Answer: The Rebel Poet (Bidrohi Kabi).