EYYUB ABASOV'S NOVEL ZƏNGƏZUR : THE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION OF HISTORICAL MEMORY

Альманах наукового товариства «Афіна» кафедри культурології та музеєзнавства Рівненського державного гуманітарного університету 10 6. Saunders Max. Imagined Futures: Writing, Science, and Modernity in Britain, 1900–2020. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2020. 7. Smith Zadie. Intimations: Essays. London : Hamish Hamilton, 2020. 8. Thomas Sue. «Multiculturalism after Brexit: British Fiction and the Politics of Belonging». Contemporary Literature, 2024. 65, no. 3. Р. 275–299. 9. Walkowitz Rebecca L. Born Translated: The Contemporary Novel in an Age of Globalization. Updated edition. New York : Columbia University Press, 2021. 10. Young Robert J. C. «After Empire, After Brexit: Decolonizing the Idea of British Literature». Postcolonial Studies, 2023. 26, no. 2. Р. 181–197. УДК 820.0:316.75 НАЦІОНАЛЬНА ІДЕНТИЧНІСТЬ У БРИТАНСЬКІЙ ЛІТЕРАТУРІ Ілаха Гулієва НУРАДДІН – доктор філологічних наук, кафедра мов, Академія державного управління при Президенті Азербайджанської Республіки, Баку Національна ідентичність завжди була центральною темою британського культурного та літературного дискурсу. Від історичного коріння в релігії та імперії до переоцінки в епоху постколоніалізму та глобалізації, поняття британськості постійно трансформувалося. Література служила одночасно дзеркалом і критичним простором, де обговорювалися ідеї приналежності, єдності та відмінності. Письменники епох романтизму та вікторіанської епохи підкреслювали традиційні цінності та імперську гордість, тоді як модерністські та сучасні автори ставили під сумнів цілісність національної ідентичності, відображаючи культурну фрагментацію та гібридність. У ХХІ столітті британська література продовжує досліджувати складнощі мультикультуралізму, міграції та глобалізації, позиціонуючи ідентичність як мінливий та суперечливий конструкт, а не як фіксовану реальність. Ключові слова: британська література, національна ідентичність, англійськість, британськість, постколоніалізм, мультикультуралізм, гібридність, глобалізація.. Стаття отримана 20.02.2025 Стаття прийнята 19.03.2025 Стаття опублікована 22. 12.202 УДК 821.512.162 EYYUB ABASOV’S NOVEL ZƏNGƏZUR : THE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION OF HISTORICAL MEMORY Nurana Asadullayeva FIRUDIN – PhD in Philology, Scientific Secretary, National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2234-7956 https://doi.org [email protected] The literature of Azerbaijan from the 1920 s through the 1960 s constitutes a phase markedly different from earlier periods with respect to the dynamics of literary thought. This difference stems primarily from the fact that literature ceased to develop as a mere continuation of its predecessors and instead came to be oriented within a new socio-political process. After the establishment of the unified creative method known as «socialist realism», the praise of socialist ideas was expanded within artistic creation, and literature began to serve directly as an instrument of Soviet ideological propaganda. During the 1920 s and 1930 s this trajectory was enforced comprehensively by the official administrative apparatus and, to a lesser extent, again after the 1950 s. Following Nikita Khrushchev’s denunciation of the cult of Stalin at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party in 1956, a basis emerged for new perspectives to form both in public-political life and in cultural spheres. As in other areas of the country’s socio-political life, certain relaxations also began in the field of artistic literature. Key words: Azerbaijani literature, novel, Soviet ideology, Zəngəzur, Eyyub Abasov. One of the national-oriented matters that gained salience during this period was the attitude toward the massacres perpetrated by Armenians against Azerbaijanis in the Caucasus and in Azerbaijan at the beginning of the twentieth century. Although these events had been recorded in early twentieth-century archival documents and in Azerbaijani publicistic writings, restrictions were placed on writing about such topics after the Bolsheviks came to power. For example, Mammad Said Ordubadi’s book «Bloody Years», which recounted these events in vivid detail, was effectively placed under archival «suspension». The atrocities committed by Armenians in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Aghsu and elsewhere in 1918, and the extermination of more than one hundred thousand people, were attributed to the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic that had been active in 1918–1920, while © Nurana Asadullayeva FIRUDIN., 2025 Стаття поширюється на умовах ліцензії CC BY 4.0 Актуальні питання культурології. Випуск 24/2025 11 Armenian accounts ascribed culpability to the Dashnaks. Some short stories and novels written in the 1920 –1930 s similarly portrayed these events as provocations instigated by Dashnaks in concert with Musavatists to incite the population toward «bloody clashes». However, over time the underlying truths began to emerge. The replacement of deported Azerbaijanis in Armenia with immigrants from France and America created new realities within Azerbaijan. These realities were understood not only by the country’s intelligentsia but also by its administrative leadership. Whereas in the 1930 s works that depicted events commonly included Russian and Armenian, and occasionally Georgian, characters alongside Azerbaijanis and foregrounded the idea of friendship among peoples, that tendency had begun to weaken after the 1950s. A survivor of the bloody massacres in Armenia the writer Eyyub Abasov (1905–1957) was born in 1905 in the village of Shaki in the Zangezur district. His father had worked as a laborer in the oil fields of Baku. In 1918, he lost his parents and younger brother during the bloody massacres, and was forced to enter working life to earn a living. In 1920, he went to Nakhchivan to live with his relatives, where he received his primary education and later graduated from the Pedagogical Technical School. For a time, A. Abbasov worked as an inspector at the Nakhchivan People’s Commissariat of Education (1928–1929). Afterward, he graduated from the Faculty of Language and Literature of the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical Institute in Baku (1930) and returned to Nakhchivan, where he worked as a teacher and head of studies at the Pedagogical Technical School. He later served as head of the Nakhchivan District Department of Education, worked at the editorial office of the newspaper Kommunist in Baku, and at the People’s Commissariat of Education. He was then sent to Leningrad (present-day Saint Petersburg) to attend courses for translators and editors of the classics of Marxism-Leninism. From 1939 to 1941, he worked at the Administration of Art Affairs in Baku. Between 1941 and 1943, he took part in the Second World War. From 1943 to 1947, he served as an instructor in the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan, later as director of the Theatre School, and as head of the Department of Contemporary Fiction at the Publishing House for Children and Youth. Having witnessed many massacres and lost his loved ones, A. Abbasov came to Nakhchivan, and only twenty years later was he able to find his long-lost sister, Həmidə, in the village of Saray in the Qubadlı district. Abasov began his literary activity in the 1920s. In 1926, his poems «Orağım» («My Sickle») and «Yeni həyata atılmış qadın» («A Woman Who Has Entered a New Life») were published in the Nakhchivan newspaper Şərq qapısı («The Gate of the East»). Following this, his poems and short stories appeared in various newspapers and journals, including Kommunist, Yeni yol («New Path»), Gənc işçi («Young Worker»), Maarif və mədəniyyət («Education and Culture»), and Dan ulduzu («Morning Star»). His first play, «Qadın azadlığı» («Women’s Liberation»), was staged at the Nakhchivan Theatre. After that, he continued his creative activity as a young playwright, and his plays «Böhtan» («Slander»), «Azad» («Free»), «Məlik Məhəmməd», «Barışıq» («Reconciliation»), «Bahar nəğməsi» («Spring Song»), and «Şəfəq» («Dawn») were performed at the Theatre of Young Spectators and on other stages. By 1950, nearly ten books by Abasov had been published. Among these works, the novel Zangezur occupies an important place in the history of Azerbaijani literature. The first part of the novel was published in 1956 and the second part appeared a year later. This novel was also remarkable in that, at the time – namely in 1957–1958 – the Armenians were preparing to commemorate the anniversary of what they claimed to be the genocide of Armenians by Turks in Anatolia in 1915, as well as the centenary of the terrorist Andranik, who had carried out bloody massacres in the Caucasus and exterminated peaceful, unarmed civilians. In the books and articles written about him, Armenian authors portrayed the executioner Andranik as a «national hero» and «savior of the Armenian people». Ayyub Abbasov’s Zangezur stands out in Azerbaijani literature as an artistic expression of national memory, love for the homeland, and the yearning for historical justice. In this work, the author depicts not only the tragedy of a single region but also the broader struggle of the Azerbaijani people for freedom and resistance in defense of their national identity. The image of Zangezur serves both as a geographical space and as a bearer of spiritual values. It symbolizes the people’s roots, their past, and their faith in the future. The novel portrays successive, contradictory, and complex historical periods. Its central idea is built upon real historical facts – the period when Zangezur was part of Tsarist Russia, the Dashnak occupation following the February Revolution, the massacres, and the arrival of the Bolsheviks. It is true that, when viewed from today’s context, the novel did not – and could not – fully depict the events in all their reality. The prevailing political system and ideology did not permit such freedom. Nevertheless, portraying these events and making them the conflictual core of a novel required considerable courage. After the publication of the second volume, a literary event occurred: the novel, which had attracted attention because the author addressed proscribed subjects and realistically described the massacres committed Альманах наукового товариства «Афіна» кафедри культурології та музеєзнавства Рівненського державного гуманітарного університету 12 by figures such as Andranik and Njde – who were glorified as national heroes by some Armenians –was immediately removed from shelves and banned. It appears that Armenian nationalism had exerted its influence. Yet an even more striking event was Abasov’s death from a heart attack in the very year 1957. The writer’s mysterious death gave rise to rumors, and his novel began to circulate clandestinely. At a time when Armenians in Armenia were writing articles and books about Dashnaks and militants such as Andranik, exposing the killings they had committed stemmed from a national consciousness. The author, with considerable skill and at times adopting the language of his characters, unmasked the calamities inflicted on Azerbaijanis by the Dashnaks. Regarding the genesis of the novel, Vahid Maharramov, citing the researcher Şamistan Nazirli, writes: «When the well-known researcher Şamistan Nazirli spoke about the novel, he revealed a very interesting fact. He said that when the writer Eyyub Abasov was with the prominent poet Samad Vurgun, Abasov mentioned his intention to write a poem about the bloody incidents that Armenians had committed in Zangezur. Samad Vurgun, however, advised him to write a novel rather than a poem. After this, the writer turned to the archives and interviewed witnesses. He systematized the recollections related to the bloody events and put them into writing. Thus the novel Zangezur, which recounts the tragedies of Zangezur, came into being» [8;18]. This account demonstrates that by the mid-1950 s national conversations among intellectuals occupied an important place and that they understood well the necessity of producing works in this vein. In addition to portraying the everyday coexistence of simple Armenian and Azerbaijani people, the writer also dealt with political processes and the massacres perpetrated by Armenian Dashnak forces in Zangezur. From the conversation between Vahan and Suren it becomes evident that the national government acted to suppress groups attempting to establish Soviet power: «The Americans assist the Dashnaks through the organization they have turned into an intelligence and espionage agency called the ‘Red Cross.’ At the same time, they require the Dashnaks to eradicate the communists. They promise to cede the Nakhchivan region to Armenia. The Dashnaks are inciting Vedibasar and Zangibasar to attack the Muslims... they sow enmity among nations» [2; 22]. Here the writer also depicts Armenian claims to Nakhchivan, and through Karo’s words – Let the nation be proud, let it subjugate Nakhchivan, take its salt and water, its livestock and wealth» [2; 283–284] – he shows how some Armenians aspired to domination by force and considered such domination their right. Throughout much of the novel the realities of the period are presented through the voices of various characters. Here, the author reveals not only the sequence of events but also the inner world of the characters through subtle psychological analysis. This enhances the artistic value of the work and creates a strong emotional impact on the reader. The refugees’ language – «Andranik set fire to the root of our existence. May God destroy the house of the perpetrators... Why did we ever do anything to the Armenians? Why did they drive us from our places, our homes»? [2; 49] – reflects the refugees’ life of dispossession and flight from Zangezur. The entry of the Dashnak forces into Zangezur is described at length and in considerable detail. In the novel, the author sheds literary light on the events that took place in the South Caucasus in the early twentieth century, particularly on the acts of genocide committed against Azerbaijanis. The writer’s aim is not merely to depict these tragic events, but to uncover and reveal their causes and socio-historical roots. In this context the author conveys to the reader that the occupation of the Zangezur region – an ancient Azerbaijani land – stemmed from Armenian chauvinism and was also part of the imaginary «Greater Armenia» project that had origins in the time of Peter I. Andranik’s words during a meeting with Armenians reveal his treacherous intention: «In front of the two-story house, there was a large crowd. The poorly dressed people, speaking to each other in sorrowful tones, seemed to be waiting for some news. After a while, a man of about fifty-eight or sixty, of medium height, broad-shouldered, with graying hair and mustache, stepped out onto the balcony wearing the uniform of a Russian general. As soon as they saw him, everyone began to clap and shout: – Andranik Pasha! Andranik Pasha! Andranik raised his hand, signaling them to be quiet. Everyone fell silent and fixed their eyes on him. Then Andranik said: – Gakhdagans! (refugees – N.Ə.) Armenians separated from their homeland! I know your plight. You have no house to live in, no land to sow, no bread to eat! You left them in Ardahan, Kars, Sarikamish... If I could not take revenge on the Turks in Turkey, I will take it in the Caucasus, here in Zangezur» [1; 454]. By inciting Armenians against Azerbaijanis and inculcating in them a language of hatred, Andranik articulates his bloody plan: «Not a single Muslim village should remain intact» [1; 427]. He even justifies his actions: «To take revenge on the enemy is not a crime; it is heroism; [1; 426]. Through such utterances attributed to Andranik the writer undermines the ideology of «friendship of peoples»reinforcing the notion that it was mere rhetoric. During a banquet at an Armenian house, the priest’s toast – «Drink to the health of those Armenians who fight the Turks at the front. Turks are our ancestral enemies. How many Armenian refugees (gakhdaqans – N.Ə.) from Ardahan, Van and Kars have fled to Zangezur»! [1; 43] – sounded as evidence that even religious leaders in the Armenian community incited their people to hatred and called them to war. Актуальні питання культурології. Випуск 24/2025 13 Consider another example, General Karo Hambarsumyan’s address to the people: «Soon our army will go on the offensive. We will take the Muslim villages near our border. Our plan is such that we must... soon enter Karabakh. A good purge has recently been carried out in Vedi and the surrounding Muslim villages. Now those villages are in the hands of our Armenian brothers. The dead are dead, and the surviving Muslims have fled to Iran and Nakhchivan. There are even talks that the troops in Yerevan will attack Nakhchivan» [2; 174]. The author portrays the joint actions of Dashnaks and Bolsheviks through the Bolshevik character Vahan, who tells the Armenians: «The Turks have occupied Baku, they have reached Baku, have you heard?! If they can enter Zangezur, they will burn you to ashes», – a statement that in fact reflects historical realities. Or, in the words of an ordinary character – «What I mean is that we must block the flood that is pouring down on us from the north» – the author subtly indicates that the threat was also expected from Russia. It becomes clear from this that Russia was also one of the main instigators of the massacres committed in Zangezur. The depiction of Andranik in the uniform of a Russian general in the novel serves as an allusion to Tsarist Russia’s policy of aggression and hostility. The writer also records that Andranik, who says «my final place is this Sisi» [1; 428], fled to Iran and sought refuge there with the British. Such brief yet realistic scenes clearly reveal Andranik’s intentions. In the novel, the writer creates the images of bloodthirsty figures such as Andranik, Karo, and Njde, and, albeit intermittently, depicts the massacres committed in Zangezur in a convincing and truthful manner. The genocidal events are reflected throughout the novel in scattered form: It is the spring of 1919. The condition of the Zangezur refugees was becoming increasingly miserable. Thousands of people lived in destitution; they had no land to cultivate, no bread to eat, no clothes to wear. They could find no way or means to break the chain of calamities that had tightened around their necks... Everyone, though their villages were burned and destroyed, longed to return to their homes and rebuild their lives. However, it was impossible to return to the lands ruled by the Dashnaks...» [2; 47–48]. When Eyyub Abasov’s Zangezur was first published, it was initially received with approval for its realistic depiction of historical events. In fact, a critic named A. Balayan published a positive review of the novel in Grakan Adrbejan (Literary Azerbaijan), a journal printed in Baku. The novel also circulated in Armenia, but after nationalist Armenians realized its underlying meanings, it was immediately withdrawn from circulation. The distinguished journalist Flora Khalilzade, herself a native of Zangezur, drew attention to the fact that the book was removed from libraries in Armenia, writing: «At that time, I had read letters of complaint from certain writers who were supposedly the ‘heralds’ of friendship between nations, in which they claimed that Eyyub Abasov cast a shadow over Armenian–Azerbaijani friendship» [7; 7]. In Azerbaijan, while positive opinions were expressed about the novel, some criticisms were also voiced. The critic Mammad Arif, in his study The Azerbaijani Soviet Novel, noted the favorable impression created by the work’s first volume: «The best quality of Zangezur lies in its simplicity and clarity. It feels as though a witness to the events is sitting before us, recounting what he experienced. This simplicity contains a naturalness, sweetness, and sincerity, which is why the novel is read with enthusiasm and holds the reader’s interest. Yet the subject of the novel is not entirely new» [3; 448]. Mammad Arif emphasized that the author portrayed events that had left a deep impression on his childhood memory with freedom and created vivid, natural scenes. However, he also pointed out that the first volume of the novel was not free from shortcomings: «Zangezur is not yet complete, and we do not know how the events will develop, but we would like to remind the author to further intensify the dramatic tension in the course of events. Sometimes the protagonists emerge from difficulties too easily, deceive the enemy, and achieve victory, which diminishes the novel’s credibility» [3; 449]. The writing of Eyyub Abasov’s Zangezur made it necessary to re-examine recent historical events in Azerbaijan within a national context. As the researcher Haji Narimanoghlu noted, «By writing Zangezur in the 1950 s, A. Abbasov foresightedly revealed to us the deceitful nature of Armenian policy. He sought to convey that our people would once again face genocide and ethnic cleansing, to warn us, and to call upon us to take heed of these lessons and remain vigilant» [9; 13]. The deportation of Azerbaijanis from their ancestral lands by Armenians and the repeated territorial claims over Nagorno-Karabakh and Nakhchivan raised in Moscow had their impact on Azerbaijani literary discourse. With this novel, the heroes of prose also changed. Whereas earlier works often depicted landlords, beys, and khans as «enemies of the people», in this novel the true enemies of the nation were brought to the forefront. Admittedly, these figures were not placed at the very center of the conflict but were revealed through scattered details, representing those responsible for the calamities and deportations inflicted upon the Azerbaijani people. However, the underlying meanings of the work were not properly appreciated by contemporary literary criticism. Even ten years after the novel’s publication, the History of Azerbaijani Soviet Literature (in two volumes) concluded that the main focus of Zangezur was «the glorification of the historical friendship Альманах наукового товариства «Афіна» кафедри культурології та музеєзнавства Рівненського державного гуманітарного університету 14 between the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples». The scholars also interpreted the novel’s central conflict as follows: «The author sought to illuminate the struggle for friendship among nations between opposing fronts and to expose the forces that hindered it. Not only poor peasants but also intellectuals such as Rustam and Lalayans, who had once believed in the false promises of the Musavatists and Dashnaks, gradually come to understand the truth and join the side of the people and the Bolsheviks» [4; 275]. In the period of independence, Azerbaijani literary scholarship faced the necessity of re-evaluating many works of art created during the Soviet era, analyzing them once again beyond the framework of Soviet ideology and through the lens of new scientific and theoretical perspectives. Such an approach not only made it possible to critically reassess the literature of that time but also helped to eliminate misconceptions about it. During these years, various books and articles were published on the life and creative activity of Ayyub Abbasov, his novel Zangezur, and, more broadly, on the historical geography, culture, and spiritual values of the people living in the Zangezur region [10; 5, Р.192–198; 7; 11]. In the literary thought of the independence period, this work holds particular significance for its role in preserving national memory and shaping an objective attitude toward history. In the literary analyses conducted during this period, the author’s realistic approach to events and his presentation of historical truths are highlighted among the main merits of the novel. In contemporary literary studies, the renewed interest in Zangezur once again confirms its important role in the development of national ideology and historical consciousness. The republication and scholarly study of the novel demonstrate that this theme continues to retain its relevance in the modern academic context. The evaluations of A. Abbasov’s creative legacy, particularly of his novel Zangezur, are determined not only by its literary value but also by its contribution to the process of national self-awareness. Thus, Eyyub Abasov’s Zangezur can be considered one of the successful examples of historical prose. In accordance with Decree No. 690 of 26 March 1998, issued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, «On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis», Ayyub Abbasov’s novel Zangezur was republished in both Azerbaijani and Russian languages. Despite certain elements rooted in socialist ideology, the novel remains significant for its realistic portrayal of the political motives behind Armenian claims to Azerbaijani territories and its truthful depiction of historical realities. There are also significant reasons that connect Zangezur – both as a literary work and as a geographical concept – to the present day. This is because Zangezur is not only a literary phenomenon but also an important historical document. It serves to view the events of the early twentieth century through an artistic lens and to build a bridge between history and literature. The year 2020 holds a unique place in the centuries-old history of Azerbaijan. Under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, the victorious Azerbaijani Army liberated the ancient lands of Karabakh from occupation after the 44-day Second Karabakh War. In 2023, the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan was fully restored. This historic victory has also found its reflection in Azerbaijani literature. As academician Isa Habibbeyli noted, «Against the backdrop of this magnificent unity, the integrity of our historical destiny, and the unshakable spirit of national solidarity and cohesion have become the central theme of Azerbaijani literature» [6; 8]. As a result of the Victory, the liberation of the districts of Qubadlı, Zangilan, Lachin, Kalbajar, and Jabrayil from enemy occupation also led to the freeing of Eastern Zangezur. During the historic meeting held in Washington on August 8, 2025, an agreement was reached concerning Western Zangezur, which had been detached from Azerbaijan and annexed to Armenia during the Soviet period. It was agreed that the «Zangazur Corridor», connecting East and West, Asia and Europe, and known as part of the «Trump Route», would pass through this territory. The establishment of an unhindered passage along this route – connecting Azerbaijan with its exclave, Nakhchivan – will enable Azerbaijanis to travel freely across their ancestral lands. Considering the importance of preserving historical memory, it becomes evident that works such as Zangezur not only reflect the events of a particular historical period but also remind today’s readers of their sense of responsibility toward national identity and history. The central idea of the novel remains relevant even in the modern era. Since issues related to Zangezur continue to form an integral part of Azerbaijan’s national life, references to this theme carry both historical and ideological significance, shaping the work’s role within the contemporary literary context. References 1. Abasov Ə. Zəngəzur: [2 cilddə]. Bakı : Qanun nəşriyyatı. k. 1. 2022. 503 s. 2. Abasov Ə. Zəngəzur: [2 cilddə]. Bakı : Qanun Nəşriyyatı. k. 2. 2022. 431 s. 3. Arif M. Seçilmiş əsərləri: [3 cilddə]. Bakı : Azərbaycan SSR EA nəşriyyatı, 1967. 620 s. 4. Azərbaycan sovet ədəbiyyatı tarixi: [2 cilddə] / Bakı : Azərbaycan SSR EA nəşriyyatıю 1967. 501 s. 5. Əsgərzadə L. «Zəngəzur» romanı: gizlədilən faktlar, təhrif edilən tarix. Azərbaycan. 2025. №7/8. S. 192-198. Актуальні питання культурології. Випуск 24/2025 15 6. Həbibbəyli İ. Müasir ədəbi proses və nəzəri araşdırmalara baxış. Poetika.izm. № 1. 2024. S. 6-13. 7. Xəlilzadə F. Zəngəzur faciələrinin dolğun bədii salnaməsi. Unudulmaz ədibimiz Əyyub Abasovun «Zəngəzur» romanı yeni baxış müstəvisində. Elm. 2022, 15 iyul. S. 7. 8. Məhərrəmov, V. Erməniləri ciddi narahat edən əsər «Zəngəzur». Hərbi and. 2020, 19 iyun. S. 18. 9. Nərimanoğlu H. «Zəngəzur» romanı qanlı qırğınların bədii salnaməsidir. «Ədalət” qəzet». 2024, 20 dekabr. S. 13. 10. Nərimanoğlu H. Əyyub Abasov: Zəngəzur faciəsini yaşayan və yaşadan ədib. Bakı : «Mütərcim» nəşriyyatı, 2016. 96 s. 11. Уруд М. Из далекого прошлого до наших дней. Баку : «AVE Print», 2024. 500 с. УДК 821.512.162 РОМАН ЕЮБА АБАСОВА «ЗАНГУЗУР» : ХУДОЖНЄ ВИРАЖЕННЯ ІСТОРИЧНОЇ ПАМ’ЯТІ Нурана Асадуллаєва ФІРУДІН – доктор філософії (PhD), науковий секретар, Національний музей азербайджанської літератури ім. Нізамі Гянджаві Література Азербайджану з 1920 по 1960-ті роки являє собою етап, що суттєво відрізняється від попередніх періодів щодо динаміки літературної думки. Ця відмінність пов’язана, перш за все, з тим, що література перестала розвиватися як лише продовження творчості своїх попередників і, натомість, орієнтувалася в рамках нового соціально-політичного процесу. Після встановлення єдиного творчого методу, відомого як «соціалістичний реалізм», оспівування соціалістичних ідей поширилося в межах художньої творчості, і література почала служити безпосередньо інструментом радянської ідеологічної пропаганди. Протягом 1920-1930-х років ця траєкторія всебічно просувалася офіційним адміністративним апаратом і, меншою мірою, знову після 1950-х років. Після засудження М. Хрущовим культу Сталіна на ХХ з’їзді Комуністичної партії в 1956 році з’явилася основа для формування нових перспектив як у громадсько-політичному житті, так і в культурній сфері. Як і в інших сферах суспільно-політичного життя країни, певні послаблення також почалися в галузі художньої літератури. Ключові слова: азербайджанська література, роман, радянська ідеологія, Зангезур, Еюб Абасов. Стаття отримана 29.08.2025 Стаття прийнята 29.09.2025 Стаття опублікована 22. 12.2025 UDC 398.21:111.852 (479.24) MYTHOLOGICAL CONTINUUM IN FOLKLORE: SYMBOLISM OF TIME AND SPACE Aytən Jafarova JAFAR – PhD in Philology, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Folklore Studies, Institute of Art, Language and Literature ANAS Nakhchivan Branch, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9547-3155 https://doi.org/ електронна The system of symbolized images created by the ethnos stems from the thought that the original concepts of its creator – ancient man – are present in folklore texts. That is, the roots of folkloric images known today are rooted in a strong connection with ancient ideas. Whenever the origin, place, and approximate time of creation of these images remain obscure, it is enough to pay attention to ancient thoughts about them in the examples of the original folklore genre. Because it is precisely the original genres that are the natural objects where the original thoughts are conservatively preserved. And the space in these objects, as well as the factors related to time and their connection with the images in question, provide information about the originality and antiquity of the images. Or, on the contrary, often the very existence of the image in the text can confirm the primacy of the already required time and space. Thus, in both cases, the study of the unity of time and space in the folklore text occurs by observing the ethnopoetic landscape of the history of the people to whom the text belongs. The article conducts a study of the sacral position of both time and space in ethnic thought based on folklore samples collected from Nakhchivan. It is concluded that the basis of time and space in Nakhchivan folklore texts is formed by thoughts about time and space in ceremonies originating from ancient morphological views. Key words: folklore, time and space, indefinite time, Nakhchivan folklore samples, ancient times, mythical time. Introduction. Considering that time in folklore samples is often indeterminate, it becomes possible to interpret the notion of time by approaching each sample individually. Moreover, it should be noted that determining this time precisely is not always possible. This is because the sample that has survived to the present day has been influenced by the specific characteristics of the period in which it was created. Therefore, the identification of time in these texts often presents difficulties from a sacral perspective. © Aytən Jafarova JAFAR., 2025 Стаття поширюється на умовах ліцензії CC BY 4.0