Existential Anxiety and Individual Identity in "The Sad Generations": An Intellectual and Literary Study

Abstract

This research explores existential anxiety and the crisis of identity in Abdullah Hussain’s landmark novel Udaas Naslain. Set against the backdrop of British colonial rule and the Indian independence movement, the novel presents an intense psychological and philosophical examination of the individual’s struggle in a rapidly changing world. Through the protagonist Naeem and other central characters, the narrative reveals deep existential concerns such as alienation, absurdity, freedom, and the burden of choice. Drawing from existentialist thinkers like Kierkegaard and Sartre, the study analyzes how the characters confront the anxiety of meaninglessness and seek personal authenticity in a society fragmented by war, cultural loss, and historical upheaval. The novel becomes a space where national history and individual existence intersect, and where the psychological landscape reflects the existential trauma of colonization and identity displacement. This research uses a critical-analytical lens combining existential philosophy with literary psychology to highlight the inner conflict and alienation that define the consciousness of the modern colonial subject.

Key Words:  Existentialism, Identity, Alienation, Colonialism, Psychological Conflict, Freedom,