Second Wife

As an example of woman-centric literature which faithfully portrays its social milieu and era, The Second Wife stands in its own class. The novel marks the progress of the literary revolution generated by Premchand whereby realism and social relevance replaced the fantasy genre as central themes in Hindi literature.

Charming and cultivated, the 15-year old Nirmala is married off to a middle-aged lawyer with three children...Human emotions like suspicion, compassion, jealousy, regret, anger and insecurity interplay with each other to give the novel its own ruthless logic which carries it forward to the ultimate tragedy.

This book, titled Nirmala in Hindi, is the most recommended of Premchand's novels because of its narrative force and literary quality.

The translator, Dr. David Rubin, American scholar and novelist, received his Doctorate in Comparative Literature at Columbia University, USA, and later taught Hindi literature at the same university.