I've made my home next door to you, By: Ghalib

Urdu

Hindu syntax + Persian vocabulary

Rhyming phrase

a final word or words that repeats in each couplet; a preceding word, which rhymes with its counterparts in the other couplets

Ghazal

ancient Arabic poetic form within an intricate rhyme scheme; consists of a sequence of generally 5-12 couplets; couplet forms a complete thought; complete rhyming phrase

Ghalib (1797-1869)

comes from a family in minor nobles in the Muslim ruling class of India; wrote in 2 languages-persian and Urdu; his work reflects the intersection of Muslim and Hindu cultures in India; also reflects all the death that he has been surrounded by

Iv'e made my home next door to you, 9-16

he is going to do his best to get her to fall in love with him; she is forcing him to speak and act to it; religious version - silence of God, torment

I've made my home next door to you, 16-24

he shows his love to her, she says the silence is fine at the end of the stanza; religious version - unfaithful, God will know what is in his heart without words being said

I've made my home next door to you, 1-8

he wants to move next door to her to be her lover; she doesn't know he is interested in her; religious version - next door to God or Allah

other important features in Ghazal include

introductory couplet has the rhyming phrase and repetition in both halves of the couplet, not just the latter half of the couplet; the last couplet contains the poets name or pen-name

Persian

official court language

Ghalib

pen-name meaning conqueror

Ghazels concerns

themes of love, longing, melancholy, and metaphysical questions