The Literary Criticism Written by Bahtiyar Vahabzade in the 1980’s

Abstract

In the 1980s, when the idea of national awakening and independence began to grow in Azerbaijan, Bahtiyar Vahabzade wrote literary criticism in various newspapers and magazines. He guided the national awakening in Azerbaijani literature withhis critics. Vahabzade claim that the litterateur must have social responsibility and that it should contribute to the solution of the problems of the society. Vahabzade also wrote about tradition and innovation. He also mentioned the importance of innovation as well as benefiting from tradition. According to him, it is possible for a litterateur to rescue himself from monotone and to meet with new reader through innovation. Vahabzade is opposed to giving up esthetics for ideas and ideology. He has also criticized the establishment of literature entirely on aesthetics. Vahabzade also stated that the mother tongue should be used correctly and effectively. Critic is opposed to artificial language in literature, press, radio and television broadcasts. According to him, the literary language should be the Azerbaijani Turkic that the people speak.