The novel 'Godan' by Premchand was published in 1936. It has been revered as one of the greatest Hindi novels of the Indian literature. The main theme of the novel was based on Indian peasantry.
The theme includes:
(i) socio-economic deprivation.
(ii) exploitation of rural people.
(iii) caste segregation.
(iv) varied concept of dharma as held by different people.
(v) impact of industrialization on the various sections of Indian community.
(vi) condition of women in society, child marriage and dowry.
'Godan' is an epic of Indian peasant Hari and his wife Dhania who were cheated by the landlords, money lenders, priests and colonial bureaucrates. They formed a network of oppression, robbed their land and converted them to landless Labourers. In the end, the couple died with dignity.
