Asghar's Wife Analysis

He was desperate to marry her. But Mir Nihal would never agree to this marriage as she belonged to a low class family. After huge amount of effort Asghar convinced his father and married Bilqeece. Initially Asghar showed his deep concern and love for her lady. They had a daughter. But after a year, he was least bothered about his wife. His domestic life remains disturbed just because his poor wife is a domestic lady and is unaware of the tactics of a dancing girl. Asghar used to see other girls after his marriage. He was not happy with his wife as she was not able to satisfy him. Even before the marriage he had a mistress, Mushtari Bai. But after realizing his love for Bilqeece, he left her. Bilqeece was under depression as Asghar did not treat her properly. She became a victim of dengue and died. Only after six months of her death, Asghar fell for Zohra, younger sister of Bilqeece. He used his daughter as a reason to fulfill his selfish interests, i.e. to marry Zohra.

Mir Nihal’s youngest daughter Mehro was married to an ugly man. She was very young when she got married and Miraj, his husband was elder to him. She was not consulted before their marriage. On the day of the wedding Mir Nihal saw his son-in-law’s face but could not call off the marriage due to the fear of the society. Women were not consulted before choosing the person with whom she has to spend her life with. This represents

Twilight means the time of the day just after the sunset or before dawn when the sun is below the horizon. The title is significant enough showing the decline of the Mughal power and the deterioration of the old Muslim culture and society. The twilight was not only experienced by the Mughal Kingship but also every common man residing in Delhi during the pre-independence era. Mir Nihal, the central character of the story was also the victim of this disaster. He was born and brought up in Delhi, in this culture and society, felt strange in his own city due to the advent of the colonial power when it was occupied by the British. Asghar, his son gets impressed by this new foreign culture and is eager to follow this. He wears English shoes, English dresses. By realizing this, Mir Nihal’s pride and hopes get shattered altogether. Begam Nihal gets blind. The death of his mistress, Babban Jaan gives a severe shock to him. Mir Nihal is unable to bear these uncertainties of life. As a consequence, he becomes a victim of paralysis and a permanent twilight prevails in his life. His paralysis symbolizes the paralysis of the Muslim society. The novel revolves around Mir Nihal and his, the day to day happenings of their lives, Twilight in Delhi records of what is going on in the streets