THE ANCIENT LITERATURE

The oldest sample of written literature of Azerbaijan is ‘Avesta’, appeared in the VI century b.c. in the territory of Midia, the author of which was Zardusht (Zoroastr). Dualist world outlook of Azerbaijan people, the ideas of a primitive man about the struggle between the good and the bad found here their literary reflection. The ideas of old people about the good and the bad powers controlling the world and the society, found their literary-figurative reflection in ‘Avesta’, written in the form of addresses of Zardusht to the head of good powers Ahura Mazda(Hormuzd). ‘Gatlar’(‘Layers’), the most beautiful literary part of ‘Avesta’, reflect philosophical-moral ideas of Zardusht about anuman being and the society, the nature and an individual. We have not received ‘Avesta’ in its primary, i.e. full form. This work was burned by Alexander from Makedonia in the IV century and only separate arts of it had remained in the memories of priests of zoroastrism, gathered together and translated to pahlavi language. The major features of mythological world outlook of Azerbaijan people found their reflection in ‘Avesta’ and reached our times. Mythological motives about creation of the world, the first man, ‘golden period’ of the society, the first fault and anger of the God and punishing of people with trouble, disease, disaster are widely-extended elements of world mythology.

‘Dada Gorgud’ eposes, having found their root in mythological world outlook, were written under the name of ‘Kitabi-Dadem Gorgud’ in the XI century of our era, those copies that we possess today are manuscripts copied in the XVI century. According to Fridrix fon Didts, the first who investigated the monument, some mythological subjects of the epos, for instance, the topic of Tapagoz(Oneeyed), gave the beginning to the same topics appeared in ancient Greece. The character of Tapagoz in ‘Kitabi-Dada Gorgud’ is elder in comparison with the character of Polifem in epos ‘Odissea’ by Homer.

Two manuscripts of ‘Kitabi-Dada Gorgud’ are known today. One of them, Drezden copy, contains a foreword and twelve boys(separate tales in the epos) was taken to Germany by Germanic orientalist F.fon Dits and presented to the library of Drezden, the second copy, containing a foreword and six boys, was found in Vatican in the 50-s of the XX century.

According to the tradition the authorship of the eposes belongs to Dada Gorgud. Aybek ad-Devadari and Fazlullah Rashideddin, the historians of the XIV century, wrote that he lived in the period of Prophet Muhammed and was sent to him as a messenger by turkish people. The foreword of the epos also proves that Dada Gorgud was the contemporary of Prophet Muhammed. The main subject of the eposes are reflected in the following twelve boys: ‘The boy of Bugaj, the son of Dirsa khan’, ‘The boy about spoliation of home of Salur Gazan’, ‘The Boy of Bamsi Beyrek, the son of Baybura’, ‘The boy of conviction of Uruz bek, the son of Gazan bek’, ‘The boy of Deli Domrul, the son of Duxa Goja’, ‘The boy of Ganturali, the son of Ganli Goja’, ‘The boy of Yeynek, the son of Gazilig Goja’, ‘The boy of killing Tapagoz by Basat’,'The boy of Emra, the son of Bakil’,'The boy of Segrek, the son of Ushun Goja’, ‘The boy when Salur Gazan was prisoned to release his son Uruz’, ‘The boy when Ich Oguz and Dish Oguz joined and kill Beyrak’.

In some of the boys of Dada Gorgud epos one may come across the signs of mythological world outlook. For instance, in the boy of ‘Dali Domrul’ reflects the remnants of worship of death and the explanation of it according to the religious ideas of the period when the epos was written. The character of Azrail, as in many other boys of the epos, was added to the epos after the acceptance of Islam and adapted to the general spirit of the epos. According to this the same boy has much in common with ancient legends and myths of shumers, vavilonians, egiptians about dying and enlivened Gods. The period of copying out of the manuscripts of ‘Kitabi-Dadam Gorgud’, remaining up today, dates to the XVI century. Though the prose and the poetry alternate in the boys, as in our middle century eposes, those extracts of the poetry less meet the demands of rules of middle age poetry. According to some research workers, firstly ‘Kitabi- Dada Gorgud’ was written in prose, as well as other ancient Turkish eposes, later only motives that had been remembered were written in the form of the prose.

The main idea of Dada Gorgud boys embraces the defense of motherland and people, the struggle of old Oguses, representing the good power against the foreign occupants-the bad power, and many of moral-didactic views, actual up today. In the 50-s of the past century under the ideological depression of totalitar sovet regieme the ‘Dada Gorgud’ epos was forbidden as the monument instigating national quarrel, and was rehabilitated only to the beginning of 60-s.

A Turkish proverb found in China sources belonging to 328 b.e. and scripts on stones of VI-VIII centuries a.d., made in the status of Turkish literature are in common Turkish context the specimens of written Azerbaijan literature after ‘Avesta’. Those scripts have the character of epitaph-chronicles to heads of the states, but their literary quality is also high and reflects some idea about the development of Turkish literary language, and the formation of the system of images. The work of Mahmud Kashgarli is important for he recorded many of the samples of Turkish mythology and folk-lore, thus stabilized them. For example, the elegy dedicated to the death of Alp er Tonga, Turkish leader, lived in VII-VI b.c., reflects all the tenderness and beauty of old Turkish literary thinking.

Albanian literature should be considered one of the sources of classic written literature, for being created in the territory of Azerbaijan, the writing of which dates back to the V century. The elegy written by Devdek and dedicated to Javanshir, the leader of Albania, has mush the same with that of dedicated to Alp er Tonga.

The poems of Azerbaijan poets Abu Muhammed ibn Bashar, Musa Shahavat and Ismail ibn Yesar, lived and created in Madina and Mekka, the centers of Islam Khilafatin VII-VIII centuries, differs from that time Arabic poetry for its struggling critical spirit, original artistic peculiarities. This fact was also approved by specialists. The tradition of writing literary works in Arabic language continued till XI-XII centuries, Khatib Tabrizi, Masud ibn Namdar creates the works in this language, thus enriched the literature of Azerbaijan.

Khatib Tabrizi, the great philologist of his time, had great contribution into the study of literature. His work ‘Sherhul-Hemase’ remains its authority among orientalists and literary critics for thousand year. A lot of scientific research works are written about this work.

With the creativity of Gatran Tabrizi (1012-1088) in the XI century, Azerbaijan poetic generation passes to a new stage of development, the use of skin language. ‘Divan’ of Gatran Tabrizi, existing today, contains mostly medhiye-qeside(praising gesides) dedicated to the governors of the time, foreword of these gasidas reflect admirable description of the nature and had a great role in further development of Azerbaijan poetic school.

In 1054 Azerbaijan is included into Seljugilar state created by Oguz Turkish people, which gave the start to the development of science, art and literature, and completed the formation of turkish-language Azerbaijan folk. In works of Gatran Tebrizi, one of the greatest Azerbaijan poets of the XI century, one can feel the Turkish-Azerbaijan spirit, and see many words and realities of Azerbaijan language. The poet used his mother tongue when came across with the difficulties of finding corresponding rhyme in Arabic and Persian languages. It goes without saying, that the language of Gatran Tabrisi is that of the Persian-writing artist with Azerbaijani(turkish) thinking, and this peculiarity is characteristic feature of Percian-language Azerbaijan poetry. This fact was also stated by Nasir Khosrov, the famous poet and scientist of Iran, who lived in times of Gatran Tabrizi and was personally acquainted with him, in his ‘Sayahatname’ he mentioned that the knowledge of Gatran in Persian was weak.

XII century completes the formation of poetic school, which later strongly influences Azerbajan literature, as well as the literature of the Near and the Middle East and the that of the world; appear such world-famous coryphaeus as Khagani Shirvani, Nizami Ganjevi. In comparison with Khorasan literary school (heritage), which was characterized by wide use of archaic words and thus met with difficulties in expression of deep philosophical contexts, the representatives of Azerbaijan literary school lead the skin language to a new level, enriching poetic works of that language with Arabic words and phrases, thus successfully expressed the tender poetic essence and deep philosophical ideas. The palace literature, under the guidance of XII century Azernbaijan states Shirvanshahs and Atabeys, breeds such artists as Abul-Ula Ganjevi(1096-1159), Mesheti Ganjevi(1089-1183), Khagani Shirvani (1126-1199), Feleki Shirvani(1126-1160), Mudjireddin Beylagani(-1190), Izzeddin Shirvani, the works of which still keep their high literary-aesthetic value.

Representatives of the XII century Azerbaijan poetic school, are characterized by high poetic professionalism, ability of maximal usage of poetic possibilities of words, as well as stable polysemy of poetic unities. There was also a strong inclination to folk art(folk-lore), folk-lore images, words and phrases of people living language and aphorisms.

The most attractive fact in creation of Afzaladdin Khagani (1126-1199), well-known as one of the great poets of his time, is the deep figurativeness and scientific character reflected in each stanza and even a line. Well informed about most of sciences of Islamic East, he presents all his knowledge not by rough, wearing, but by sweet, attractive, admirable poetic language. Being deeply aware of the sciences of his time, Khagani sometimes with hints expresses an idea which may be fit in a whole work. Sometimes he uses ezop-language conclusions, that contradict dogmas defined by men of shariat of his time, as well as poetic symbols. In poem ‘Tohfatul-Irageyn’(‘Gift of two Iraqs’) (1156), the first epistolary couplet in Azerbaijan literature, by means of series of symbols and hints Khagani succeeded in reveling great differences between him and his time. Thus the creative activity of Khagani and Nizami is characterized by dialectic development. To them, the nature and society are not frozen, they constantly develop and progress. The creative activity of Nizami from this aspect is a special stage in world literature. Khagani Tabrizi, getting tired of pejorative influence of palace atmosphere, visited Mekka and never came back to palace; he settled and died in Tebriz. The grave of the poet is in the ‘Mausoleum of poets ‘ in graveyard Surhab Tabriz.

Khagani is also famous as one of the great lyrical poets of Azerbaijan literature. The best traditions of Azerbaijan poetic school are based in his gazals and rubais. The deep love of Turkism, another peculiarity of Azerbaijan poetic school, finds its reflection in the creation of Khagani. This aspect later finds its pick in creative activity of Nizami.

Together with Falaki, Abul-Ula, Mudjireddin Beylagani, the ‘pupils’ of Shirvan literary environment, XII century Azerbaijan poetic school includes such pdilosopher-poets as Shihabeddin Suhraverdi(1154-1192), the grew in South Azerbaijan. XII century poetress Mesheti Genjevi, the life of which is full of legends and tales, is considered to be one of the masters of rubai after Omar Hayyam.

The second strong generation of Azerbaijan in this period grows outside the palace and more and more influences the literary-cultural environment. Word creators like Nizami Ganjevi (1141-1209) form democratic branch literature of this period. They were interested in literature, poetry not for earning their life, but it was the means of ideal-literary expression of humanist and patriotic feelings coming out of the depth of the heart, the means of popularization for lightening human life, for seeing happy a human- ‘the crown’ of the created . With his unfading five poems(‘The Treasure of Secrets’, ‘Khosrov and Shirin’, ‘Leyli and Mejnun’, ‘Seven Beauties’, ‘Iskendername’) Nizami Ganjevi brought quite new poetic voice and breath to the world literature. With his literary-philosophical wisdom he understood it well and prophet-like foretold the immortality of his art. The heritage of Nizami had been the source of enthusiasm for poets up to our days and about 500 naziras (poems in resemblance) were written in different languages of the East and the West in resemblance to his works. It is for the creation of Nizami and other artists as great as him that XII-XVI centuries are considered to be the period of Renaissance in Azerbaijan literature.

The creativity of Nizami, well-known as ‘The genius from Ganja’, is also of global importance, for western, i.e. west antic literary-cultural values of that time found their synthesis in his heritage as well as that of eastern ones . The creativity of Nizami may fully be appreciated as a new step in classical period. For in high humanist ideas of Nizami we may come across with rational, logical attitude towards the events and the subjects, to a man, to meaning and importance of the society, the attitude of a man who wakened from middle centuries mysticism and possessed healthy and wakeful mental activity. A man was created for happy life and no power may chance this godlike destiny . This is the main lightening linear idea of the whole creative activity of Nizami. The same idea will later again be revealed in works of artists of European Renaissance.

Another character of immortality of Nizami art is that he discovered the eternal problematic of a human psychology and showed the ways of its solution. The role of literature in the life of the mankind and its cultural development should here be searched. Without hundred year-long ethic-didactic popularization of oral Azerbaijan folk literature and written literature under the leadership of such geniuses as Nisami, world-wide evil and violence, injustice would increase, modern achievements of the civilization would turn to a dream. The global calamity-Mongolian attacks, facing the pick of Nizami creative activity and salvation of his works from their fires, gave us a chance to derive benefit from Nizami heritage, that behind which our today’s thinking remains from the point of humanism.

One of reasons of greatness of Nizami creativity is the problems that he tries to solve. According to the poet, the state should be governed by clever, enlightener person, who should support harmonic attitudes of the people in the society. Being the head of social environment, the quality of that society somewhat depends on his personality. The main problem discussed in the works of the poet, is that the head of the state should fulfill the responsibilities that he took before God, and should do his best for happiness and comfort life of his people. Only in this case there could be a harmony in the development of individuals in the society, and only in this case purposes of God in creation of a man could be fulfilled.

Nizami starting his creative activity with lyrical poems- gasidas, gazals and rubais, as literary tradition of his time demanded, composed his ‘Divan’ in a very short time period and became famous as writer. He dedicated the whole his life to lyrical poems, and different painful, philosophical problems, that he could not express by large epic poems, were reflected by him laconically in rubais. Beginning with his first epic poem ‘Sirlar Xasinasi’(‘The treasure of secrets’)(1174) up to ‘Iskendername’ Nizami focused on solution of actual problems of his time, as well as eternal problems of the world, perfecting work by work. This still constitutes humanist conception of immortal Nizami art. The five epic poems of Nizami later were famous in the literary of the Near and the Middle East people under the name ‘Khamsa’ (‘The five’). Most of followers of Nizami school wished to create ‘Khamsa’ , but only few of them could realize their dream.

The first epic poem of Nizami ‘Sirler Xazinesi’ (1174) is differentiated from other parts of ‘Khamsa’ by absence of single subject line. But in presentation of many problems here reflected, the author skillfully used different stories and tales. Using for this purpose different sources of his time poet presented the whole material in a high literary level. The poem is traditional constructed from a foreword and 20 small articles and stories. With this first poem Nizami proved the foundation of a new epic tradition in the Near and The Middle East literature, and founded a whole literary school after himself.

The epic poem ‘Khosrov and Shirin’ (1180) is the first romantic work of Nizami, i.e. it is the first among the poems with completed image gallery based on novel subject. Though the theme of the work is taken from the history of dynasty of Iran Sasani leaders, in presentation of most of the problems the poet take into consideration the events, persons and problems of his motherland. Nizami did not write historical-legendary work as his predecessor Firdovsi, Iranian poet, did. He evaluates the genre of his epic poem as ‘hevesname’(‘encouraging letter’) and dedicate it to praising of love. It is not by chance that the poet kept on the focus the moments of life of the hero Khosrov Parviz with Shirin, the princess of Azernaijan. The beauty, that is native to the poet is about to be the heroin. Though the genre of the plot is evaluated as ‘hevesname’ by the poet, he praises not quickly passing interest and passion as his predecessors did, but pure love that morally enriches and perfects the man, love that raises him to divine level and changes his character from worst to best. The character of Farhad ,one of monumental characters of the poem, later inspired many of Nizami followers and was chosen as a chief character for many epic poems.

Nizami, reflecting the dynamic progress of the hero according to the type of romantic profession, at the end of his poem showed unbelievable change of his hero into an ideal person under the influence of his love. The poet relates the tragedy of Khosrov with another historical event taken from Islam reality; prophet Muhammed in his letter to Khosrov invites him to Islam and Khosrov tears the letter into pieces showing his indifference. This extract was given as an addition to end the poem.

Description and praising of a pure love, hightening a man and perpetuating his name is clearly seen in ‘Leyli and Mejnun’(1188), the third member of ‘Khamsa’ composition. In this work, written by request of Shirvanshah Ahsitan, Nizami succeeded with his admirable ability to create immortal love epos. He is known to be the first artist in the Near and Middle East literature to write an epos of this theme. The chief heroes of the epic Leyli and Geys, named ‘mejnun’ (mad) by the society, which did not want to accept the idea of human freedom, turned into personification of a human wish of freedom of. One of the main problems of the work is a new outlook to a woman freedom. The poet rejects old traditions preventing the freedom and the progress of the society and the personality, puts forward and grounds the necessity of an idea about the rational freedom of a human in the society. The reason of tragic end of the subject Nizami sees inn social environment surrounding a human, non-logical traditions of this society, animal instincts. He faces all it with natural environment, the world of animals that a man can not interference. The poet shows that pure animals whish are far from social influence, better understand the superiority and purity of Mejnun and gather round him. In foreword of the epic Nizami gave exposure of many faults and disformity of human society.

The rest epic poems of Nizami ‘Yeddi Gozel’(‘Seven Beauties’)(1197) and ‘Iskendername’ (1203) are the result of long time scientific researches in the libraries, the logical conclusion of his observations. The theme of both of the works was defined by author himself and used it as philosophical-poetic mean in literary realization of social ideal. Both the works have the historical base, but the author used the history as the background, and in most cases changed the real historical fact according to his aesthetic ideal. From this angle these poems could be analyzed as logical continuation of one another. The main idea that Nizami aims to solve as humanist artist is the human happiness and it ways. As in the middle ages the responsibility for it was put on the leader and not the society, the philosophical and literary works reflected the same aspect of the facts. With the help of Isgender image Nizami showed how fair and enlightener leader may have the capabilities of working for the happiness of the society and harmonic development. In this aspect we may see progression of leader images created by Nizami from work to work and their corresponding to the demands of the society. The images of leaders beginning from Khosrov (‘Khosrov and Shirin’) to Bahram Gur(‘Yeddi Gozel’)and Isgender (‘Isgendername’) reaches the level of a prophet who shows the right way to many people, and restores the justice not only in his country Greece, but also in the whole world(in the second part of ‘Isgendername’-'Igbalname’).

The great size of art of Nizami and purity of his aesthetic ideal greatly influenced the following development of Azerbaijan literature, the principles of humanism and democracy defined by this great genius extended humanistic inclination not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the whole Near and Middle East and in a part of West literature.

THE LITERATURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES

At the beginning of the XIII century in Azerbaijan literature, developed in Arabian and Persian languages under the influence of objective historical reality, we notice that poets and artists creating in their mother tongue increase in number. The ancient literature gives its turn to the beginning of middle ages in Azerbaijan literature.

Lyrical poets like Izzeddin Hasanoglu and Sheykh Safiaddin Ardebilli mostly preferred to create worldwide poetic samples relating to the reality of the life, than lyric and epic samples with Sufi-mystic ideas created by the artists of other people. Three gazals of Hasanoglu in Turkish and one in Persian, a little divan of Sheykh Safi gives us full description of native literature of that period, and forms an idea that the future great poetry has got strong foundation. Sufi-Mystic idea and characters weakly-defined in Hasanoglu’s gazals, proves that this flow is gradually degraded. Existing poetic samples proves that he was a great poet, with rich creative experience. They hope to find more of his poetic works.

Among the epic poetic samples of XIII century we must name an anonymous ‘Dastani-Ahmed Harami’(‘The epos about Ahmed Harami’) and the epic poem ‘Gisseyi-Yusif’ by Gul Ali. Both of the works can be called the object of presentation of high humanist values of Islam, in both of them the authors call the reader to the well, justice, philanthropy, honesty, conscience and belief, on which shariat of Islam is based, they call a man to keep far away from inhuman bad patterns. Different from Middle century European knight novels, the main aim here is not the presentation of the events in attractive form, but that of moral ideas on which the epic is based.

‘Gisseyi Yusif’ relating with sura ‘Yusuf’ in Koran, speaks about honesty and sincerity and their favor to a man.

Humam Tebrizi (1201-1314), the poet of South Azerbaijan, lived and created the whole XIII century and firs decade of the XIV, was a well-known social-political figure and a talented poet of this time. We know the epic poem ‘Dehname’ (‘Ten Letters’) and a ‘Divan’ in Persian by Humam Tebrizi. In his creativity he used the school of Nizami Genjevi and pleasantly mentioned his name. The main idea in Humam Tabrizi’s creation is as same as in Nizami Genjevi: admiration of humanism and a human beauty-the main peculiarity of Turkish national mentality.

The epic ‘Gulshani Raz’ by Sheykh Mahmud Shabustary (1287-1320), well known in Azerbaijan literature as a representative of Sufism, deserves much attention in comparison with his other prosaic and poetic works. This work, written in the form of philosophical questions and answers, puts forward many scientific-social problems interested modern-outlook intellectuals and men of science of the time and they tried to find answers according to the knowledge of the poet.

Suli Fagih and Mustafa Zarir, Azerbaijan poets of the XIV century created works in mother tongue alike ‘Yusif and Zuleykha’ written on the motives of Koran. The epic ‘Varga and Gulsha’ by Yusif Maddah, the artist of the same period, is a corresponding specimen of epic poems written in mother tongue. All abovementioned works played certain roles in further development of epic poetry.

To overview general progression of the that-period literature, XIII- XVI century works need particular study. During the mentioned period, the native literature widens and progresses in quality and prevailed Persian-language literature, nevertheless part of literary creators kept the tradition of writing in Persian. Famous Azerbaijan poets and thinkers wrote in Persian-Nasireddin Tusi (1201-1274), Maragali Ohvadi(1274-1338), Arif Ardabili(1311-) tried to create works following traditions of Nizami. Together with scientific-philosophical heritage Nasireddin Tusi, the author of fundamental moral-didactic work ‘Ahlaki-Nasiri’, created literary-artistic work. Epic poems of Maragali Ovhadi ‘Jami-Jem’ and ‘Dehname’ are considered to be honorable specimen of Azerbaijan epic poetry. Most of philosophical and humanitarian problems mentioned in these works keep their actuality for different societies. Stagnation, hopelessness appeared in the society after Nizami, in many of the artists works, as well as in the epic ‘Mehr and Mushtari’ by Assar Tebrizi (1325-1390) the pure feeling of love, found its genius description and admiration in ‘Khosrov and Shirin’ and ‘Leyli and Mejnun’ by Nizami, is looked upon as great and disinterested friendship between two young people. In the work with a difficult subject we seize weak poetic completeness and clearness in comparison with the level of that of Nizami. At the beginning of the epic the poet himself gives a high evaluation to the art of Nizami and praises its inaccessibility.

‘Jami-Jem’, the largest work of Maragali Ovhadi, is of encyclopedic character, giving artistic description of most humanist ideas widely spread in literary circle of that time. Alike the glass of Jamshid, the legendary ruler, informing him from everywhere of the world, the epic of Magarali Ovhadi discloses like in the mirror to the reader most of aspects of human and social life, as well as natural events. Azerbaijan literature develops in world direction as in past centuries, and literature takes the position of a lively part of social and political life. That was why the creation of Gazi Burhaneddin (1314-1398), the poet and the ruler of the XIV century, was highly evaluated by Edward Brown, an English orientalist, as the first specimen of world poetry in Turkish literature. While reading chronicle ‘Bezm ve Rezm’(‘The assembly and the fight’), by the historian of the palace Astrabadi, , dedicated to life and activity of Gazi Burhaneddin, one greatly admire how such a great man could accompany his poetic activity with intensive and bloody struggle for realization of his ideals in terrible period of time and create ‘Divan’, which keeps its importance today. Azerbaijan literary language, founded in the creation of Hasanoglu and Sheykh Safi reaches its pick in ‘Divan’ of Gazi Burhaneddin, many poetic characters and phrases stabilize, and is getting ready to the use of future artists. Gazi Burhaneddin is the first to use tuyug, the pure Turkish poetic genre. This genre is later met in the creativity of Nasimi and to ‘Divan’ of a great poet of Uzbeks Alishir Navai.

The principles of humanism formed in literature and social-political idea of this period, reaches its pick in the creativity of Seyid Imadeddin Nasimi (1369-1417). The works of this great poet, are somewhat the next great step towards the world, humanism and democracy not only in the literature of Azerbaijan people , but also that of the Near and the Middle East. Imadeddin Nasimi, after his predecessor Nizami Genjevi, is known as one of the publicists, messenger of ideas of humanism, philanthropy in our literature. While people wanted to relax after several-decade Mongolian oppression, Amir Teymur, the famous conflicting ruler of middle century East, starts his attacks and thus new stream of protesting the cruelty and the violence starts. The creativity of Nasimi is the result of such humanist protest, of opposition to cruelty and violence, of struggle for human rights. The ideas of Hurufism used by the poet, was something like facing. The works of Nasimi released from that facing today amazes modern reader with deep humanist plot, the wealth of respect and love to a human. Different from other hurufists, wrote their works in a special coded language, firstly from his teacher Fazlullah Naimi, the purpose of Nasimi was to protest cruelty and violence in his native language, thus calling people to hate anti-human attitude, to strengthen the wave of protection. His idea of a wise man raised to the level of divine, was dedicated to simple people realized their human rights, free from social ugliness and wild instincts, realized himself as a person. Not only the creativity of Nasimi, but also the whole his life surrounded with legend and tale is a school of courage and bravery, insistence on ones ideas, fearlessness of death for generation. The terrible punish given to the poet by reactionary priests for his freedom loving humanist works-stripping off the skin while alive, made this great artist a model to modern generation, as well as future one.

XV century in Azerbaijan literature is crossing level between the picks Gazi-Nasimi and Khatai-Fizuli. Creation, at that period, of independent states Aggoyunlu and Garagoyunlu in the territory of the country brought some enlivening to literary life, developed native-language poem in character and the plot. Khalili, Hamidi, Kishvari, Hagigi,Sururi, wrote in the native language and Shah Gasim Anvar, Badr Shirvani, generally wrote in Persian, are inseparable from literary picture of the period. The name of Jahanshah Hagigi (the reign 1436-1467), the head of Garagoyunlu state, should specially be mentioned among the names of the poets. As his predecessor Gazi Burhaneddin he found the time to raise his head from bloody fight and create his own divan. But his faith was as terrible as that of Gazi Burhanedin’s, his ‘brothers’ turks were killed by members of Aggoyunlu in terrible battles.

Hamidi, born in 1407 in Isfahan, the capital of Sefevids, 20 years lived in the palace of Fateh Sultan Mahammed for his personal application to Turkey in 50-s of the XV century, the author of a divan of lyrical poems, the historical work ‘Tavarixi-ali-Osman’(‘The history of generation of Osman’), ‘Jami-suxanguy’(‘Speaking piyala’), about fortune-telling and autobiographic ‘Hasbihalname’ is a well-known representative of XV-XVI century Azerbaijan literarure.

One of the great representatives of XV century Azerbaijan literature is Nematullah Kishveri. He generally wrote his poems under the influence of Navai, but showed new original poetic style in Azerbaijan poetic school. Using original poetic characters in poetry, Kishvari occupies a unique place in Azerbaijan literature. He lived in the palace of Sultan Yagub, the ruler of Aggoyunlu and was acquainted with his contemporary, Habibi, malikkushuara (monarch of the assembly) of Aggoyunlu palace.

The creativity of the that-period poets as Habibi, Shahi, Suruhi played a great role in the formation of the poetry of Khatai and Fuzuli. This is proved by the fact the great Fuzuli under the influence of Habibi’s poem, and wrote rich with devices taxmis to one of his gazalz.

In the XV century Azerbaijan literature, literary Azerbaijan language, which in many aspects was, till that period, common with literary language of other Turkish people, possesses distinctive features and since XVI century continues its traditions as an independent literature. XVI century Bagdad literary environment is especially characterized by deep influence to the national poetry. We may come across with names of that-time poets, influenced by Bagdad environment, in ‘Gulshani Shuara’(‘The Garden of poets’) by Ahdi Bagdadi, the memoirist of the XVI century and in ‘Mejmeul-Hevas’(‘The assembly of the chosens’) by Sadig bey Sadigi, the librarian of shah Abbas, the role of which is indisputable in attaining wisdom of Fuzuli .

In XII-XVI centuries Azerbaijan literature the next pick of Renaissance ideas after Nizami is Muhammed Fuzuli, well known as ‘heart poet’ in western orientalism. The creativity of Fuzuli had not appeared by itself, great artists helped to form the personality of Fuzuli during a definite period of time. Shah Ismail Khatai(1487-1524), the great statesman and poet of Azerbaijan, the contemporary and somewhat patron of Fuzuli, occupies particular place among them.

Shah Ismail Khatai is the founder of dynasty playing particular role in social and political history of Azerbaijan. In the face of poet-ruler Khatai continued and developed the traditions of his predecessors Gazi Burhaneddin and Mirza Jahan Hagigi, and during his 36 year long life he did not only create and stretch the great state of Azerbaijan, but also prepared the ‘passage’ to Fuzuli pick with his special role in development of native literature. The literary heritage of Khatai includes works written both in different genres of lyric and that of poem-couplet. Different from Fuzuli, who paid great attention to scientific character of the poem and the usage of poly-layered poetic figures, Khatai preferred to write in plain native language, and created poetic samples such as goshma, gerayli, varsagi, bayati, which are considered to be of second importance in classical poetry. His epic ‘Dahname’(‘Ten letters’) of sweet language is the first work written in Azrbaijan language on this theme. The poem presents ten letters from Lover to Beloved written in the form of epical-lyrical tahkiye. Gazels given in the text serve to disclose the mood of the heroes.

Khatai checked his capacity in didactic genre and created the epic ‘Neshhetname’, calling to breeding and training of younger generation. Shah Ismail Khatai, coming on reign when he was 14 and during 20 year long ruling creating a great empire, as well as with his rich artistic heritage aries the feelings of admiration and proud in the hearts of the following generation. Political activity, life and creative activity of Khatai awoke deep interest not only in Azerbaijan but also in world orientalists. Under the influence of such interest, the life and creativity of Shah Ismail Khatai, Azerbaijan poet and a statesman, is still object of investigation of different generations of orientalists.

In Western civilization the creativity of Muhammed Fuzuli (1494-1556) is often compared with Barokko; the smallest poetic details found here their place, nothing is extra or unknown, poetic elements hardly seen with a simple eye, form ‘monolit’ artistic organism in harmony. According to individual artistic miracle the creativity of Fuzuli can be compared with the great artists, the masters of a word, such as Dante, Shakespeare, Pushkin, breeded by the world mentality history-long; all these artists are immortal for admirable beauty coming out from their poetic talent. That is why classic Azerbaijan literature realizes its eternity is displayed in a new perspective for different cultural-social generation at different historical period. So every passage-period has its own Nizami, Fuzuli,Vagif and they different from Nizami, Fuzuli and Vagif of previous generation and turn into the carrier of new cultural-aesthehtic, social-ideological functions.

Globalism seen in Nizami, shows itself in immortal works of Fuzuli written in three leading living languages of whole Islam culture- Arabic, Persian and Turkish. The poet has ‘Divan’s in three languages, philosophical treatise ‘Metleul-Etigad’ in Arabic. ‘Divan’ in Persian prevails in number, while ‘Divan’ in Turkish in quality. His gasidas written in native language may be called purls of this Genre in the middle century literature. The epic ‘Leyli and Mejnun’(1536) written in Azerbaijan language, is a unique sample of this genre. It is true that Nizami created works on the same theme in Persian, Navai, Zamiri and Hagigi has that of in Turkish before Fuzuli. But all this epics lack the interpretation of love as Fuzuli did, i.e. Fuzuli managed to create something different from abovementioned. Though the beginning of the epic presents the work as a metaphor to divine love, the whole poem is full of lively, real, accepted by all its contradictories human characters created by Fuzuli.

Fuzuli played a great role in further development and purification of Azerbaijan literary language, turning into the language of a high-level poetry. He also played a great role in the development of the language of prose by a gift ‘Shikayetname’. The main text of the largest work of the poet ‘Hadigatus-Suada’ (‘The garden of the luckies’), dedicated to the misfortune of torturer imams, is written in prose, but here and there Fuzuli used poems according to the subject of the context.

Fuzuli is the artist read not only in Azerbaijan, but a great geographical-ethnical area where ogus-turkish language is excellently understood. The works of Fuzuli are famous in Iran, Turkey, Tatarstan, Uzbekistan, and even Uygurstan up today.

XVI-XVII centuries in Azerbaijan literature are also famous as the period of formation of middle century love and heroic eposes. In the works of Gurbani, Ashig Abbas Tufarganli, the representatives of oral folk-lore we are about to see the same experience of Fuzuli in written poetry. Perfect love eposes like ‘Ashig Garib’, ‘Abbas and Gulgaz’, ‘Asli and Kerem’, heroic epos ‘Koroglu’ as the heir of ‘Kitabi-Dadam Gorgud’ are the products of this period and are added into the repertoire of folk artists. Folk poetry samples goshma, gerayli, varsagi, bayati, known to us from the time of Shah Ismail Khatai, progresses. In order to show how Azerbaijan eposes of Middle Centuries affect, it is enough to mention that the subject of ‘ Koroglu’ influenced turkmenian, uzbek, tajick, armenian, georgian folk-lore and created their own eposes.

Under the influence of another representatives of folk creation-ashugs, in XVII-XVIII centuries Azerbaijan literature approaches to life and lively language, this was the foundation of the passage to realism in Azerbaijan literature. Though the traditions of Fuzuli still have strong effect, such artists as Saib Tabrizi, Govsi Tabrizi, Muhammed Amani tried to be free from this effect. In the works of Shakir, Nishat and Mahjur, the poets of XVIII century Shirvan literary environment, we may see the description of different problems of the time, as well as artistic expression of anxiety about the terrible life condition of simple people. Molla Veli Vidadi (1707-1808), especially Molla Panah Vagif (1707-1797), with their works written in plain, lively language brought the poetry close to the people. In Vidadi’s epic ‘Musibatname’ many of historical events and personalities found their high poetic-vivid description. In this period the poetry tries to avid the control of special individuals, and embraces the all, becomes more popular. People quickly approach to and join with aesthetic values. The creativity of Vagif plays a particular role in this meaning. With simple, real, world beauty images, from classic romantic art he made a great step towards the realism and defined the further direction of the development of the literature. Vagif was also a famous political figure of his time, for a long time defined the foreign affairs of Karabakh khanate. XVIII century in Azerbaijan literature serves is a passage between middle ages and the beginning of new period.

LITERATURE IN THE XIX-XX CENTURIES

At the beginning of the XIX century an important event happened in the history of Azerbaijani people – the admission of Azerbaijan into the Russian Empire, – which strengthened western tendencies both in culture and literature. Under this influence national and realistic-world motives in literature rush to the first plan. Under immediate influence of Molla Panah Vagif’s creativity, in Karabakh literary environment appears a representative of critical-realistic satire Gazim bek Zakir(1784-1857), and for along-term period defines the direction of poetic development. Both in the creativity of Zakir and his contemporaries, the traditions of Ruzuli are worked in a new level. The best representatives of this tradition were Seid Aculgasim Nabati (1812-1873) in Southern Azerbaijan, Seyid Ezim Shirvani (1835-1888) and Hurshud Banu Natavan (1830-1897) in Nothern Aerbaijan. Seyid Ezim, dedicated the whole of his life to pedagogical activity, is famous in Azerbaijan literature also as a great enlightener, and the theme of many of his works is about the instruction and education of younger generation. His satires in the spirit of that of Gasim bey Zakir’s is characterized by exposing many of social faults and negative patterns of the men of his time.

As many cultural people of the world, the XIX century period of Azerbaijan literature is characterized as the time of quick progress, insistent movement to humanist ideals and enlightenment, the time of first serious step towards grounding of power of the brain. Especially after joining of Northern part of Azerbaijan to Russia, in spite of reactionary and colonial charter of the event, one can notice some literary- cultural progress in comparisona with Southern part of the country. It is enough to mention, that the creativity of south Azerbaijan poet Seyid Abulgasim Nabati (1812-1873), the contemporary of Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh, with its aesthetic beauty, covered only the ideas of Sufism and the thousand year tradition of the East.

In the surrounding of the men of art and ideas of the period, such as Abbasgulu aga Bakikhanov (1794-1847), Mirza Shafi Vaseh (1792-1852), Ismail bey Gutgashinli (1801-1861), closely acquainted with Russian and western orientalists and poets, and their progressive humanist ideas, you may see the personality of Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh, who presents Azerbaijan literature to modern world literature and relates it with Russian and the West.

A. Bakikhanov is a great social figure, who managed to synthesize western ideas with traditional art of the East in Azerbaijan literature, a scientist and a poet. His literary and scientific works, dedicated to Azerbaijan reality had been translated into Russian and Germanic in his life, and was also praised in press of Europe. Fredric Bodenshtedt, German orientalist, took his master Mirza Shafi Vazeh’s poems to the Europe, translated it into germany and published them. ‘Nagmeler’ (‘Songs’) of Mirza Shafi, translated into many European language, brought popularity to F. Bodenshtedt and he rejected the authorship of Mirza Shafi… ‘Rashid bek and Saadat khanum’, the first successful new Azerbaijan realistic prose by I. Gutgashinli, was published in Warsaw in French.

Realistic-enlightener view of Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh (1812-1878) plays a particular role in further development of Azerbaijan literature, and created a stable basis for development the genres of modern western literature such as drama, novel, tale, short story, narrative, epic poem and so on in Azerbaijan literature. His first six dramas created in 1850-1855 formed a literary school in literature of the Near and the Middle East after him. Deep ethic beginning, the motives of humanism, love of justice, sincerity and honesty, generally characterized Azerbaijan literature is again worked over and developed in Akhundzadeh’s creativity and is suggested to future generation. Continuing the advanced traditions of Azerbaijan literature, Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh was not only a writer, a poet, but also a philosopher, a social figure, who saw the purpose of his creativity in supporting the happiness of his people. Giving a great importance to the art and the literature in the enlightenment and achieving modern literary-cultural, scientific values by his people, Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh was first creator of works in drama in the East. His six comedies gathered under the name ‘Namsilat’ (“Hekayeti-Molla Ibrahimkhalil kimyager”, “Hekayeti-Misyo Jordan hekimi-nebatat and Dervish Mestelishah jadukuni-meshur”, “Hekayeti-khirs guldurbasan”, Serguzeshti-veziri-khani-Lenkeran”, “Serguzeshti-merdi-khesis (Haji Gara)”, “Murafie vekillerinin hekayeti”) was published in Tiflis (today’s Tbilisy) in 1859. M.F.Akhundzadeh, was not the apologist of Russian tsarism, as some investigators use to think, with the language of aesop, with hints he criticized the policy of colonialism of Russian empire when necessary. His prosaic works as “Kemaluddovla mektublari” (1865), “Aldanmish kevakib” (1857) revealed the faults of the society and political structure of his country as well as Iran’s past and state structure.

Literary-aesthetic direction chosen by Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh for his people culture, breeded in the second half of the XIX century such realists-enlighteners as S.E.Shirvani (1835-1888), N.Vezirov (1854-1926), A.Hagverdiyev (1870-1933) and served to progress literature and culture not of only Azerbaijan, but also of neighboring people. The special role in active development of literary- cultural life belongs to multisided newspaper ‘Ekinchi’ (1875-1877) printed by naturalist-scientist H.Zardabi (1837-1907). Many literary-social discussions and debates found here their reflection, helped to strengthen and development of humanistic traditions of Azerbaijan literature.

Religious-didactic poetry eloped together with the tendency towards realism-enlightenment in the XIX century Azerbaijan literature. The main representatives of this tendency are south Azerbaijan poets Raji, Dilsuz, dexil, Gumri and others, who wrore mersiye. Under the influence of advanced literary process in northern Azerbaijan the artists of southern Azerbaijan tried to create world products. “Salabiyye” (“The letter about the fox”), by Muhammed Bagir Halhali(1829-1900), “Kitab yuklu eshek” (1888) (‘Donkey with books’), by Abdurrehim Tal?bov, “Ibrahim beyin seyahatnamesi” (‘The trip of Ibrahim bey’), by Zeynalabdin Maragayi (1892) are the corresponding samples of realistic-world literature.

Another branch of the XIX century literature, inclined to the East creation was formed in literary meetings. The literary meeting “Gulustan” in Guba was ruled by Abbasgulu aga Bakikhanov Gudsi, “Acumeni-shuara” (“the assembly of poets”) in Ordubad by Haji aga Fagir Ordubadi, “Fovcul-fusaha” (“the group of orators”) in Lenkoran by Mirza Ismail Gasir, “Beytus-Sefa” (“The house of Sefa”) in Shamakhi by Seyid Ezim Shirvani, “Mejmeush-shuara” (“the group of poets”) in Baki by Muhammed aga Jumri, “Divani-hikmet” in Genja (later in Tiflis) by Mirza Shafi Vazeh, poetic meeting “Meclisi-uns” in Shusha by Khurahud Banu Natevan, “Mejlisi-feramushan” (“the meeting of lost”) by Mirza Mohsun Navvab. There was a close relation between poetic meetings and the poets correspondent to each other. The XIX century literature created a foundation for XX century literature, a new higher level of Azerbaijan literature.

Alike many other people included once into Russian empire, the fist decades of XX century Azerbaijan literature make a special level in literary-cultural life of Azerbaijan. With their own creativity well-known representatives of realistic and romantic literature, based on the pattern of Europe and Russia, such as J.Mammedguluzadeh (1866-1932), M.A.Sabir (1862-1911), H.Javid (1884-1944), M.Hadi (1880-1920), A.Sahhat (1874-1918), A.Shaig (1881-1959), raised the level of Azerbaijan literature to one of the best patterns of literary-cultural conception of the world. J.Mammedguluzadeh and M.A.Sabir, the representatives of realistic literature, M.Hadi, A.Shaiq, that of romantic poetry, H.Javid that of dramaturgy, played greater role in the development of literary-social idea of Azerbaijan. Under the editorship of the great artist and a social figure J.Mammedguluzadeh people get acquainted with periodical ‘Molla Nasreddin’, firstly published in 1906 in Tiflis, for 25 year-long period of time played an important role in literary- cultural and social-political life and parallel to it in its realistic-humoristic style “Fuyuzat”, 32 times published under the editorship of famous publicist, philosopher and social figure A.Huseynzadeh (1864-1940), which with their serious and romantic style served to enlighten and develop our people.

Among literary figures of the time Jalil Mammedguluzadeh (1866-1932), the author of “Hophopname” Mirza Alekber Sabir (1862-1911) had hreater role in ideal-aesthetic development of Azerbaijan literature. Their realist and satiric works criticizing lack of culture, fanaticism, prejudice and ignorance had remained their importance and actuality up today.

Enlightening dramaturgy, developed with the traditions of M.F.Akhundzadeh, became richer with comedies and the tragedy by Najaf bey Vezirov(1854-1926) ‘Musibeti-Fakhreddin’(1894), written at the complete of XIX century, comedies and such tragedies of Abdurrahimbey Hagverdiyev(1870-1933) as “Dagilan tifag”, “Bekhtsiz javan” (1900), “Aga Muhammed shah Gajar” (1907), “Shamdan bey”, “Nadanl?g”, “Nadir shah” by Nariman Narimanov (1870-1925), “Oluler” (1909), “Anamin kitabi” (1920) by Jalil Mammedquluzadeh.

Works in romantic- historical topic of dramaturgy are created by Huseyn Javid (1882-1944) in 1910-1918, such as “Ana”, “Maral”, “Sheykh Sanan”, “Sheyda”, “Uchurum”, “Iblis”.

A Great event happened at the beginning of XX century in the history of Azerbaijan was the creation of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920). Its 23 month year long life is significant with creation of particular literature of that time. Together with the well-known pen-masters J.Mammedguluzadeh, A.Shaig, A.Hagverdiyev, U.Haj?beyov appeared interesting works of such young artists as J.Jabbarl?, A.Javad, Ummigulsum. Those works praised the liberty of Azerbaijan, the victory of Turkish army in our country with rescue-mission, the heroism of Azerbaijan soldiers, national three colored flag. Ahmad Javad(1892-1937), showing particular activity that time, wrote the words to the national anthem of first Republic. That work, the composer of which was genius U. Hajibeyov is now the anthem of Azerbaijan Republic.

THE LITERATURE OF THE SOVIET PERIOD

The Bolshevik Russia could not stay indifferent to the formation of the independent Azerbaijan, which bordered with such Islamic countries as Iran and Turkey, in the southern borders of the communist empire. As a result, the first democratic government of Azerbaijan was overthrown by the 11th Red Army. This resulted in the establishment of a soviet government in Azerbaijan. J.Mammedguluzadeh and Huseyn Javid saw the true face of ‘the proletarian dictatorship’ and ‘the paradise of communism’ and seized its anti-Azerbaijan policy beforehand.

The repressions of the 1930s began in the very first months that the Soviet power was established. The first intellectual victim of that period was Firidun bey Kocherli (1863-1920), shot by Armenian dashnaks in a Ganja prison. He was the director of the Gazakh Teachers Seminary, the well-known scientist and literary critic, the author of the first multi-volume history of Azerbaijani Literature, and a great enlightener. Those repressions represent an extremely sad page in the history of Azerbaijani literature in the Soviet period. Many guiltless workers and peasants were among sentenced for no particular reason. The intellectuals were however the main victims of the Bolshevik and Dashnak persecution. It was evident that by means of murdering, deportation and sending to prisons of the best intellectuals of Azerbaijan, the Stalinists were trying to prevent the nation from self-recognition, to destroy moral traditions and turn the nation into blind slaves of the communist ideals. The executors of those “special” merciless orders, which came from the higher circles, were terribly afraid of intellectuals and were therefore merciless to scientists, who knew history, philosophy, language, alphabet, culture, psychology, national mentality. They exercised a similar approach to writers, poets and dramatists, who with their literary works written in native language and closely associated with the national spirit, were preventing the destruction of national ideals; and to creative intellectuals as whole.

Among the repressed artist of that time were well-known figures of Azerbaijan literature, arts, literary criticism and linguistics. The list includes, among others, the great dramatist H.Javid; a talented poet M.Mushfig, well-known prose writer and literary critic S.Huseyn; a poet and author of the first and only anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan A.Javad; literary man and scientist Y.V.Chamanzeminli; the professor of philology, political scientist B.Chobanzadeh; the rector of the Baku State University and writer T.Sh.Simurg; the founder of the first Oriental Conservatoire in Baku Khadija khnum Gayibova; a theologian scientist and gazi of Baku Mir Mahammad Kazim aga; folklore expert H.Zeynalli, the great performers of tragic roles on our stage A.M.Sharifzadeh, U.Rajab and many others… Except Y.V.Chamanzeminli and H.Javid, who died in the deportation and in prison, all the others were shot dead. Murderers did not pay attention to the age of their victims – they were judged and punished very quickly. One of the first translators of Gurani-Kerim in Azerbaijan, the Baku gazi Mir Mahammad Kazim aga was shot at the age of 83 and M.Mushfig at the age of 29. In difficult and contradictory social condition Mikayil Mushfig (1908-1937) enriched the national poetry with immortal works alike “Ohu, tar!” (Sing, Tar). He only had time to create for 10 years, the smallest period known in the history of world poetry. Nevertheless the works published during this period left deep traces in national literature. Mushfig’s works are known for exciting feelings, romantic moods, fluency in language. All these attributes ensure an everlasting popularity and high artistic values of Mushvig’s works.

Because of the global events in the first decades of the XX century and the social concussion in the region, especially after the occupation of the ADR and the following repressions of the 30s the creative intellectuals of Azerbaijan were constantly persecuted, and were obliged to migrate in order to survive and continue their literary activity. Those who were taken as prisoners of war and prohibited from returning to their homeland during the war against the German fascism, had to find a shelter abroad and are scattered now through Asia, Africa, Europe, America and even Australia.

All intellectuals who migrated from Azerbaijan had something in common – they retained, represented and popularized the national literature and cultural mentality of Azerbaijan, the ideas of azerbaijanizm everywhere they settled. They did their best to draw the attention of foreign powers and communities to the troubles Azerbaijan was facing. Some of those who migrated from Azerbaijan, are still writing today and got vast heritages of literature, scientific-philological articles and publications. These are Alibey Huseynzadeh, Ahmedbey Agaoglu, Mahammed Emin Resulzadeh, Mirza Bala Mahammedzadeh, Alimerdanbey Topchubashov, Jeyhun Hajibeyli, Samed Agaoglu, Ahmed Jaferoglu, Abdulvahab Yurdsever, Almas Ildirim, Benin (Ummulbanu), Nagi Sheykhzamanli, Mammad Sadiq Aran, Huseyn Jamal Yanar, Teymur Ateshli, Musa Zayam, Ibrahim Arslan, Ali Azertekin and many others. After Azerbaijan re-gained its independence the “Caucasian Days” novel by Ummulbanu, “The Black Epos” collection of poems by A.Ildirim, “Siyaseti-furuset” monograph by A.Huseynzadeh and “Azerbaijan shairi Nizami” (‘The poet of Azerbaijan NIzami’) by M.A.Rasulzadeh, stories by J.Hajibeyli, publicism of M.B.Mahammedzadeh were published in Baku.

The dependence of literature on strict directives, violations of the freedom of word, limitation of literature fantasies with the state policy and other negative facts led to depression, pessimism and passiveness in literature and cultural life.

Nevertheless, this period brought such talents as J.Jabbarli, M.Mushfiq, S.Vurgun, O.Sarivelli, R.Rza – greatly talented artists who frequently affected ideological frames with their Aesopian language. This fact rejects the theory that the literature was entirely dependent on the socio-political situation. We may prove it with a series of strongly patriotic poems ‘Southern Cities’, the poem ‘A Mother and A Postman’, gazelles dedicated to the pure feeling of thwart love written by Suleyman Rustam (1906-1989). He was strongly influenced by “The Golden Pens” by Aliaga Vahid (1895-1965), and started his creative life as a Komsomol poet. The delicate and deeply meaningful gazelles, created by the great poet Aliaga Vahid (1895-1965) during the period, when gazelles were deemed as outdated and stylistically limited genre by the official circles, were immortalized by the love of people.

One of the most famous novelists was M.S.Ordubadi (1872-1950), who wrote several famous historical novels particularly. Novels “A Sword and A Pen”, dedicated to the Atabeyler state of Azerbaijan and great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjevi, as well as ‘The Misty Tebriz’, about the freedom movement in the south, written by him have still preserve their historical and aesthetic value. It is impossible to forget about the role of Y.V.Chemenzeminli, the author of the novels “Iki od arasinda” (“Gan ichinde”) and “Gizlar bulagi”, Suleyman Rahimov (1900-1983), the author of the epopee “Shamo” and the novel “Sachli”, Mir Jalal (1908-1978), the author of the novel “Achiq kitab” and laconic tales, Abulhasan Alekberzadeh (1904-1986),the author of the epopee “Dostlug galas?” and the novel “Yokhushlar”, Mirza Ibrahimov(1911-1993), the author of the novels “Gelejek gun” and “Pervane”.

The dramaturgy of the Soviet period is inseparable from the names of Huseyn Javid, Suleyman Sani Akhundov, Jafar Jabbarli, Mirza Ibrahimov, Samed Vurgun, Sabit Rahman, Anver Mammadkhanli, Ilyas Efendiyev, Shikali Gurbanov and others. Huseyn Javid (1882-1941) is a great playwright and a poet who enriched the literature of Azerbaijan with genre and the theme during his 30 year-long creativity. His works widened the sphere of the themes in our literature, brought global and deep conflicts, tender-hearted, passionate characters to our dramaturgy. He founded the genre of tragedy in verse with such works as “Ana”, “Sheykh Sanan” and “Iblis”. In the Soviet period e enriched his creativity with plays “Peygamber” (1922),(‘the Prophet’), “Topal Teymur” (1925), (‘Lame Teymur’) “Knyaz” (1929), “Sayavush” (1933), “Khayyam” (1935), “Iblisin intigami” (1936) (‘The revenge of the Devil’) and the epics “Azer” (1923-1932).

Being the heir and the successor of the national dramaturgy founded by M.F.Akhundzadeh, Jafar Jabbarli (1899-1934) enriched it with the problems and the heroes presented in “Ogtay Eloglu”, “Od gelini”, “Sevil”, “Almas”.

Samad Vurgun (1906-1956) was one of the great poets and play-writers o the Soviet period Azerbaijan literature. He philosophically perceived the mysterious beauty of Azerbaijan nature, the history of heroism of Azerbaijan people, our humanist values and reflected them in his poems and epics with a special romantic significance. The past century Azerbaijan poetry is bound, for national character of its language, harmony, figurativeness to the creativity of S. Vurgun, his poem ‘Azerbaijan’, epic poems ‘Aygun’and “Mugan”, as well as dramas in verse “Vagif” and “Insan”. The importance of ‘Vagif’ in the process of self-realization of Azerbaijan people in the period of constant suppression of the Soviet regime, can be compared with the role of ‘Korolu’ opera by Uzeyir Hajibeyov.

The poems and the epics written by Rasul Rza (1910-1981) in free measure played particular role in development of poetic conscience in the Soviet period of Azerbaijan literature. The poetry of innovator R.Rza is distinguished with philosophical lyricism, the vividness of the ideas and the emotions and original poetic characters. His philosophical poems from series of ‘Rengler’(‘Colours”), lyrical epic poems ‘Fuzuli’ and “Gizilgul olmayaydi” are the best patterns of Azerbaijan poetry.

One of the major peculiarities of Azerbaijan literature in the Soviet Period as its constant ruling by ideological organs, the direction of literary activity by directives. The main were: the resolution ‘About the policy of the Party in artistic literature’ by CC RK(b)P in 1925, the decision ‘About reconstruction of literary-artistic organizations’ by CC CUK(n)P in 1932 and ‘About the periodicals ‘Zvezda’ and ‘Leningrad” in 1948, the decision ‘About the condition of Azerbaijan Soviet Literature and measures for its improvement’ by CC Azerbaijan K(b)P in 1948, the decision ‘About literary-artistic criticism’ by CC Sov.UKP in 1972 and many other political directives. Artistic method of socialist realism defined at the First Common United Congress of Soviet writers in 1934 restricts the activity of the artists and made them to continue their creation within definite frames. After criticism of ‘Zvezda’ and ‘Leningrad’ for supposed misinterpretation of the soviet way of life and swelling of faults in social life one may notice in Azerbaijan literature the appearance of patterns based in ‘conflictlessness’, as well as in the literature of other people of USSR.

Ilyas Efendiyev (1914-1996) is distinguished with his special role in enrichment of Azerbaijan verse with vivid, lively, artistic characters and different devices, as well as development of psychological-lyrical style of dramaturgy. A generation of actors and producers had been grown up in performances staged upon 15 plays created by him during half of the century (‘Sen hemishe menimlesen”, “Mehv olmush gundelikler”, “Mahni daglarda galdi”, “Bullur sarayda”, “Hurshidbanu Natavan”), appeared ‘the theatre of Ilyas Efendiyev’. Ali Veliyev, Huseyn Ibrahimov, Huseyn Abbaszadeh, Bayram Bayramov, Jemil Alibeyov, Vidadi Babanli, Eleviyye Babayeva, Suleyman Veliyev, Azize Ahmedova, Afgan Asgerov, Gulhuseyn Huseynoglu, Alibala Hajizadeh and others brought new themes to Azerbaijan verse and filled it with new personages.

Beginning with the 60-s, softening of social-political atmosphere and with weakening of ideological ties of USSR, appeared young talented artists with works criticizing political situation of that time. Among them were such prosaists and poets as Isa Huseynov, Mammad Araz, Sabir Ahmedov, Anar, Akrem Aylisli, Elchin, Sabir Rustamkhanli, Alekber Salahzadeh and Ferman Kerimzadeh. One should specially name Ismayil Shikhli (1919-1994), recently started his creative activity and his novel ‘Deli Kur ‘. As their predecessors, the abovementioned artists used the symbols and the language of Aesop. This process was already irrevocable and could be evaluated as the ‘beginning of the end’. The cross to the 60-s got its beginning and continued with the participation of the generation of 40-s and 50-s and the earlier periods. Many works of an innovator Rasul Rza (1910-1981), especially poems known under the name “Gizilgul olmayaydi” and “Rengler”, “Sari dana”, “Kefli Iskender”, “Men torpagam” Should be considered to be the first patterns on this aspect. The novel “Yeralti chaylar denize akhir”, by Mehdi Huseyn (1909-1965), well known as prosaist, play-writer and critic, reflects the real description of the fortunes of the personages with the same mood. Nevertheless, the great event of the literature of 60-90-s the appearance of ‘sixtieths’. So after this appearance turned into the real moral opposition to military regime with whole its spirit and essence, thus played an active role in moral ideal formation of today’s national movement for democracy and independence.

First of all the ‘Sixtieths’ deepened its attitude towards the man and his inner world. The literature always based on the man and it goes without saying that literature was named ‘study of a human nature’. The attractive point is that the ‘Sixtieths’ returned the topic of a ‘man’ into the literature as a new problem of the time. The depth of moral-psychological world of a person, an individual, simple members of the society were the aspect which interested them. The time, moral reality in their narrative and stories were not understood as ‘social system and structure’ but as aesthetic world of conscience, as the criterion of ethics and culture and turned into the subject of literary analysis. Thoughts and imagination of the heroes in these works contradicted the conception of ‘a soviet man’ in the literature. The popular personages of the ‘Sixtieths’ are pure lovers of justice, whose strangeness was looked upon as madness, who could not find their place in the society and thus sometimes wandering, nevertheless being the real human, admiring human feelings. In novels and narratives of historical character, we often see the view of history of state system, the past rich with heroism of the people urged to forget their national beginning and state traditions under socialist suppression, their dreams of freedom and independence.

Movement for freedom of word and thought, for freedom of political thought, pluralism, national sovereignty and social justice, began in the literature and continued in 70-90-s, realized its perspective purposes after Azerbaijan get political independence and sovereignty.

In the poetry and dramaturgy of such artists as Bahiyar Vahabzadeh (1925), Nabi Khazri (1924), Nariman Hasanzadeh (1931) we may seize the abundance of honorable pages of the history of people and corresponding lyrical and psychological moments. Poems of abovementioned poets, as well as the poems, different with their actuality and the epic ‘Nasimi’ by Gabil (1926) the works of Adil Babayev, Islam Safarli, Huseyn Arif, Gasim Gasimzadeh, Aliaga Kurchayli are valuable patterns of our literature.

In the literature of this period in the creativity of Imran Gasimov, Magsud Ibrahimbekov, Rustam Ibrahimbekov, Chingiz Abdullayev, Chingiz Huseynov, Vladimir Gafarov, Natiq Rasulzadeh, Alla Axundova and others, wrote in Russian, we see the continuation of an old tradition-creation of the patterns of national literature in other languages. Their works periodically published in Baku, Moscow and the countries of Europe are precious patterns enriching our literature and widening to it the range of attraction.

Ali Kerim (1931-1969), Khalil Rza (1932-1994), Jabir Novruz (1933-2002), Mammad Araz (1933-2004), Fikret Goja (1935), Fikret Sadig (1930), Alekber Salahzadeh (1941), Isa Ismayilzadeh (1941), Sabir Rustamkhanli (1946), Famil Mehdi (1934-2002), Tofig Bayram (1934-1991), Arif Abdullazadeh (1940-2002), Huseyn Kurdoglu(1934-2003), Ilyas Tapdig (1934), Musa Yagub (1937), Chingiz Alioglu (1944), Nusrat Kesemenli (1946-2001), Zalimkhan Yagub (1950), Ramiz Rovshan (1946) and other poets created new basis for new level of Azerbaijan literature and played an active part in this process.

Akrem Aylisli (1937) is one of the writers continuing the search of new personages of national verse in the 60-s. His lyrical narration “Menim negmekar bibim” (1966)(‘My songster aunt’), works “Kur giraginin mesheleri”(‘The forests of the bank of Kura’), “Bullur kulgabinin nagili” (‘The story of crystal ash-tray’) reflect the sincere attitude towards the real life and the people.

Anar (1938) is one of the talented representatives of New Azerbaijan verse. The first successful original patterns of Anar’s narration is ‘Agg liman’ (‘White port’)(1967). He is also famous as a play-writer and the scrip writer. The scripts of “Dede Gorgud”, “Uzun omrun akkordlari”(‘Chords of a long life’), the dramas “Sheherin yay gunleri”(‘Summer days of the city’), “Tehmine and Zaur” are ones enlarging Azerbaijan literature.

Elchin (1943) is a representative of the same flow. The narrations “Dolcha”, “Baladadashin ilk mehebbeti”, “Shushaya duman gelir”, series of stories, novels “Mahmud and Maryam”, “Ag deve”, “Olum hokmu” , palys “Menim erim delidir”, “Menim sevimli delim” brought him to the level of well-known representatives of modern Azerbaijan literature. Being at the same time a literary critic is the author of monographs “Tenqid ve edebiyyatimizin problemleri”(‘Critics and the problem of our literature’), “Klassikler ve muasirler”(‘The classics and the contemporaries’), “cazibe sahesi”(‘the sphere of attraction’).

MODERN LITERATURE IN SOUTHERN AZERBAIJAN

Following the division of the territory of Azerbaijan between Russia and Iran in first part of the XIX century, the literary processes started to diversify in the northern and southern parts, which previously had a similar literary-cultural development in the course of history. Lower educational level and writing skills as compared to northern Azerbaijan, prevented the development of literature in the south for decades. During the period of the national movement for liberty, the literary and cultural life in Southern Azerbaijan, enjoyed a short period of revival and began to develop rapidly, only to become a hostage of the Persian chauvinism soon after.

The first period of liberty from 1918 to 1920 was dominated by Sheikh Muhammed Khiyabani, while the second from 1945 to 1946 – by Sayid Jafar Pishavari. These periods gave freedom of writing books and literary works in mother tongue. Patriotic themes were the main highlight of the national press. The young talents who had their first writing experience in mid-1940s, were given next opportunity to publish their works in Varlig periodical, published in Azerbaijani language, only after the Islamic Revolution victory 30 years after. The most popular writers and poets Hammal, Kerimi, Nitgi, Biriya, Sheyda, Sonmez, Sahand, Sahir, Okhtay, Savalan, Farzane, some of whom are still alive. Founded by the great scientist and public figure of Azerbaijan, Javad Heyyat and published for over 20 years, Varlig played a very important role in the development of modern literature in Southern Azerbaijan.

Muhammedhuseyn Shahriyar (1904-1988) also played a special role in the development of South Azerbaijani literature. He studied Persian in secondary and high schools and created under a strong influence of Nizami Genjevi, Hafiz Shirazi and S.E.Shirvani. Shahriyar started writing at an early age and grew into a prominent figure of modern Iranian and Azerbaijani poetry. He was particularly keen on social lyrics, in which he reflected on daily problems of the world. The largest work Shahriyar wrote in Azeri was a two-part “Heydar Baba”. This epic inspired numerous works in Southern and Northern Azerbaijan, and even in Turkey. The development of literature is currently progressing in Southern Azerbaijan. B.Azeroglu, A.Tude, M.Gulgun, H.Bulluri, S.Tahir, who continue their creative work in the Northern Azerbaijan, have enriched the literary heritage of both parts of Azerbaijan with highly valuable contributions.

LITERATURE IN THE INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

After Azerbaijan re-gained its state sovereignty and became a full-right member of the world community, the modern literature of Azerbaijan focuses at the liberation of lands occupied by the Armenian aggressors, high development of standards of life, the upbringing of patriotic character in younger generations, the encouragement of friendship and cultural relations between Azerbaijani people and nations of the near and far abroad, further development of such global ideals as patriotism and social justice, that for centuries were popularized by classics and obtained a greater meaning in the new period of globalization. It is possible to see greater tendencies towards postmodernism in later stages of the Azerbaijani literature development. Also, Azerbaijani literature showed tendencies to propaganda and concerns for the future fate of Azerbaijanism. Literary periodicals ‘Azerbaijan’, ‘Literaturniy Azerbaijan’, ‘Ulduz’, ‘Gobustan’, which for some time faced serious financial difficulties and were published with long intervals, and later received regular funding from the state budget in accordance with a special decision of the Government of Azerbaijan, played a great role in the enlivening of the modern literary processes and appearance of new talented authors in the late XX – early XXI centuries.

Regaining of the state liberty was extremely important for the evaluation of classical heritage of Azerbaijan with new criteria. The celebrations of the 1300th anniversary of Kitabi Dede Gorgud and the 500th anniversary of M.Fizuli, which were held at the initiative and guidance of the national leader Heydar Aliyev were the triumph of literature, morality and culture in independent Azerbaijan. Both brought together numerous heads of states. The 500th anniversary of Fizuli was widely celebrated not only in Azerbaijan, but also in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Uzbekistan, China and many other countries. The foregoing ceremonies formed the basis for the development of literary studies in Azerbaijan. This inspired the publication of scientific and critical texts, mass publications of Kitabi-Dede Gorgud and monographies regarding this oguzname. The complete set of works by Fizuli was published in 6 volumes. A new series of fundamental researches regarding the life and work of this genius artist had been presented to the admirers of his talent. Nizami’s Institute of Literature under the National Academy of Sciences has also made a significant contribution into this task.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree on mass re-publishing of Azerbaijani literary works in Latin Graphics, in 2004. The decree also envisioned the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Encyclopedia. The measures taken for the implementation of these decrees encouraged the development and success of Azerbaijani literature and literary critics.