Critical Analysis of ‘The Chess Players’ of Munshi Premchand

Introduction

The Chess Players or Shatranj Ke Khiladi is a political satire written by Munshi Premchand. It was first published in the year 1924. The story exhibits prevailing pleasure and leisure loving administration. Everyone was involved in consuming opium, alcohol and many other types of intoxicating substances. People belonging to all ages both young and old, and all fields such as literature, arts, industry, administration and others were involved in killing the time by various leisure activities. The story focuses specifically on Mirja Sajid Ali and Mir Roshan Ali, two court members of the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. They are seriously fond of chess playing ignoring their professional and personal lives.

Summary of the Story

Munshi Premchand’s short story, ‘The Chess Players’ (Shatranj Ke Khiladi) is a brilliant satire on the lethargic and leisure nature of the ruling elite and aristocracy during the 19th century in Lucknow, which caused the British annexation of Awadh. The story focuses on two wealthy but lazy aristocrats, Mirza Sajjad Ali and Mir Roshan Ali, who are addicted to playing chess day and night to such an extent that this obsession lead them to neglect their families, social obligations, and the political storm brewing around them. They showed ultimate cowardice under the garb of playing chess to avoid being part of the Nawab’s army against Britishers. Over that, to escape the complaints of Mirza’s wife, they move their endless games to an isolated dilapidated mosque across the river. While they fight over moves on the chessboard, the British East India Company’s army quietly enters the city and arrests their king, Wajid Ali Shah. Instead of fighting for their land, ruler or country they keep on playing chess in complete indifference. Finally, a small dispute over a chess rule turns into a fierce argument. Incited by the pride on the stake, although their pride do not get hurt for the country, they get involved in a duel and kill each other. Premchand masterfully exposes, how self-indulgence and political apathy led to the downfall of an entire civilization.

Themes:

1. Sluggish and Leisure loving Administration: The main theme of the story is enormous extent of laziness in the administration of Wajid Ali Shah. All the court members and personnels of various departments were involved in consuming intoxicating substances and playing various leisurely games like watching partridge fights and Quail fights and play chess. This lackadaisical attitude of the administration was costing the state heavily and very soon the East India company was about to take control over it.
2. Political decadence and Apathy: The characters of Mirza and Mir highlights decadence in state politics and a serious Apathy towards their responsibilities. They ignored the marching of East India company forces towards Awadh to dispose of the Nawab. They kept on playing chess despite knowing the critical situation of the state. They express sorry for what was happening with Nawab but still chess was their first priority.
3. Feudal Decadence: At the end of the story, both aristocrats Mirza and Mir killed each other on a feud rises between them regarding a move in the game. The death of the both highlights the theme of downfall of the feudal class. They were eliminated due to their own acts of excessive indulgence in leisure and lethargic behaviour.
4. Evasion of family life: It is also a significant theme in the play that both Mirza and Mir run away from family life to play chess. It is because their wives did not like their playing chess in the house. But it dismantled their personal life as Mirza’s Begum turned bitter due to excessive involvement of Mirza in the chess playing while the wife of Mir started an extra marital affair.
5. Death of Chivalry: The story very aptly portrays the death of Chivalry. Chivalry means bravery in war, respect and loyalty towards women, justice for weak and many more. Both Mirza and Mir were devoid of these qualities. They were running from the responsibility of fighting in war due to fear of dying. They have neglected their wives and responsibilities towards general public. Hence, chivalry was at the bottom. Over that at the end, both of the aristocrats killed themselves on fake chivalry issue. At one hand, they were hiding from fighting as a part of nawab’s army due to cowardice and at the other side they rise to kill each other on the matter of invoking their family’s background. This chivalry was fake to the core.

Symbolism

The story has various symbols which are significant for its critical interpretation.

1. The Game of Chess: The game of chess reflects changing political dynamics and the power shift. The every move of Mirza and Mir in the game to capture other’s king is reflected by the move of East India company to capture the Nawab and grab the state of Awadh. The game of chess is a microcosm against the macrocosm of the East India Company’s moves to capture Awadh.
2. Capturing of Nawab: At the end of the story, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is captured by the company without any bloodshed as the army of the Nawab and his administration surrendered, ran away or hide themselves like Mirza and Mir. This event symbolises how many princely states surrendered against Britishers and power shifted into the hands of Company (Britishers).
3. Dilapidated Mosque: The mosque in which Mirza and Mir play chess after got ousted from their respective homes is in bad condition and it symbolise how religion gave shelter to incompetent people in the administration. But the change of power and rise of Britishers in India made the trick or move of religion ineffectual in longer run.

Language

It is a simple but powerful story. The writer Munsi Premchand has written it in his usual language of the general public. He used to keep the setting of his stories and novels in common events or incidents of the society. In this story, the characters were royal but their responsibilities towards public and negligence of them put the general public in jeopardy in longer frame of time. Hence, a laymen language raises the voice of common people in a royal setting.

Conclusion

The story is a magnificent reflection of the prevailing political scenario of the times of annexation of Awadh by the British Company. It shows, how a rotten administration, and excessive luxury and lethargy can lead to the downfall of a state and the people at the helm of affairs.

Copyright@Ourguruji 2026. All rights are reserved.