Focusing on Azerbaijan

Chingiz HUSEYNOV Professor of Moscow State University, writer, Distinguished art worker of Azerbaijan, author of numerous novels, including “Fatal Fatali” One who stepped closer to us

FOR THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF MIRZA FATALI AKHUNDOV’S BIRTH

stranger in his own land, a loyal Rus- As one who had risen to the rank sian offi cer of Turkic descent (and a of colonel in the Viceroyalty of the great Azerbaijani writer), someone Caucasus in Tifl is, Fatali often won- who was part of the political his- dered: was it just the illusion of youth, tory of nineteenth-century Russia, to think that people one day will live who observed the confrontation of happily under a strong central power? three empires – Russian, Persian and Only to plunge into a crisis after expe- Ottoman, and became a witness riencing the reality of it all... For Fatali, to Russia’s colonization of the Cau- this experience came with the be- casus. The fi rst thing that comes to ginning of the highland war in the mind in this connection is this: that Caucasus, which lasted a quarter of Fatali is not a distant ancestor at all, the century. As a translator of Orien- but one of our contemporaries, one tal languages, he came to witness who has already lived our life once the horrors of the tsarist colonial before, under the despotic rule of policy in the Caucasus. that Russian,empire, whose de- As time goes by, the tyrant fi nally velopment was the Soviet empire, leaves the world of the living (in Ak- his, in a nutshell, is the life of which then continued in... but wait, hundov’s time it was Nicholas I, Mirza Fatali Akhundov (1812- no hasty forecasts here, the wheels while almost a hundred years later T1878): He had the destiny of a of fortune are still spinning. it was Joseph Stalin), and a fl eeting 12 www.irs-az.com

Heritage_3_(10)_2012.indd 12 8/7/12 12:55 PM The house in Shaki in which Fatali was born

hope overwhelms us, which, as it turns tali’s, tragic lesson of compromise: ens, Balzac, Hugo, etc. in Azerbaijani, out, is also punishable, and we come under his suit of a civil servant beat but of our writers, who do you know?... to the point of a crash, which leaves us the heart of a free-thinking demo- I understand full well that the litera- unable to pass our experiences on to crat, the student of a critical Russian- ture of my country does not boast those who come after us. Western literary culture. His spirit of too many names deserving the epi- It is youngsters with their silly dissent found its realization through thet of ‘greatness’, but Mirza Fatali is faith who are the source of des- art. Here is where three of Fatali’s clearly one of those few!... potic power: when they fi nally see most shining themes emerge, in The plot of his novel “The De- the bitterness of false words, it is prose, drama and in the epistolary ceived Stars” is truly one of a rare too late - the time is up. Those who genre, which will secure his place in kind, and good for all times, so it is have sold their souls to the devil the treasury of Azerbaijani, and per- rather strange that it has yet to see to climb to the summit of power haps even world, literature. the light of global renown. This is will have learned and understood Really, I can imagine my coun- due to nothing more but ordinary everything by then, and the illu- try’s literature taking its own place ignorance. sions of new youths will only play among the literatures of the world, When he read the old “Story of into their hands. As for those who well-deserved, and without any Shah Abbas, adorner of the world”, have lagged behind, hunching their false aggrandizement. Not to imi- Fatali was so moved by one phrase backs – what can they do? As soon tate a renowned compatriot of in it, as it was so consonant with his as the new generation gets a new mine, who once reproached British own love of freedom and democrat- calling, it will trample them over and other Western writers for having ic convictions, that he turned that without batting an eye. no translations of our authors’ works: one phrase into a story. The story is But there is also that other, Fa- We have to read Shakespeare, Dick- half true, and half legend: A tyrant,

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who dreams himself governor of pseudo-Shah, and a solemn proces- of your memory!... Another thing the his subjects forever, suddenly learns sion approaches the former Shah to emperor (doesn’t matter which one) from an astrologer that his days are put him back on his former throne. ordered: “Don’t you dare to write this numbered, that the constellation of And thus Shah Abbas continues to word – ‘progress’!” stars is foreboding his death, and rule his country for decades, humili- The story that Fatali invented was that he could not escape their ver- ating his own people. After all, it is simple: a respectable and wealthy dict. But the chief astrologer shows well known that fear gives birth to family from Karabakh, where prepa- him a path to salvation: the Shah loyalty, love, obedience, and even rations for the wedding of a daugh- must voluntarily abdicate, become adoration! The fi nale of the story is ter are under way, is hosting a guest the ordinary man Abbas, after hav- quite remarkable: oh, how naive the from France. The botanist Monsieur ing left the throne to a simple sinner English are to believe that they can Jordan, who symbolizes the enlight- whose life is worth nothing. After easily outwit such a clever people as ened West, promises the family to the stars have unleashed their dev- the Persians!.. take the talented groom to Paris for astating force over the head of this his education. But how? By delaying pseudo-Shah, he could ascend to his wedding indefi nitely?! Seeing the throne once again. this coming, the future mother-in- The sinner, however, is a man of law decides to thwart the plan with the people, someone who dreams the help of a sorcerer – dervish Mas- about the welfare of his people and talishah, who fools his good, naïve, about fair government, a castaway sincere, and frank countrymen by who castigates tyranny. Once on destroying Paris with the aid of an the Shah’s throne, he signs demo- obedient jinn. This destruction mi- cratic laws concerning the educa- raculously coincides with news of tion of his people, so that supersti- the French Revolution!... The impul- tion and ignorance may give way sive Monsieur Jordan exclaims (thus to enlightenment, he cleanses the confi rming the art of the sorcerer): government of titled bribe-takers Paris!... These devils, demons, jinns, and embezzlers, advocates honest they have destroyed it!... Leaving his labor, etc. etc. hospitable hosts in Karabakh, he But here’s the paradox: the more hurries to Paris to save the king and he attempts to do for the people, the thus, fortunately, the groom will more indignation he arouses among The second theme is Fatali’s suc- stay away from the world of licence them. They grumble in disbelief: cessful attempt to compose a play and corruption. who is it that’s governing us? Where (thus becoming the fi rst playwright Fatali was a master of comedy, are the bodies chopped to pieces in his country’s literature), in which and used the genre to highlight and hung at the city gates – we he was bold enough to venture diff erences between Western and may have been afraid of them, but to describe the French Revolution, Eastern mentalities. He formulated at least the blood was fl owing fresh which had aroused the world, but the ideas that were still unknown then: and didn’t stay still! It seems that mere mention of which was strictly Oh, what a crazy idea it is to tempt the new Shah is a meek and weak forbidden in the Russian Empire. history by turning the East onto the man, he has neither the will, nor There was a time when Russian cen- path of the West, thereby plunging the power, - in short, he is a pussy! sors forbid even to pronounce the this blessed land into an abyss of suf- And on that day predefi ned by the words France and Paris for fear that fering!... Neither will they ever under- stars, the people rebel against this these alone might incite the mood stand us, nor will we ever understand Shah, who remains neither known of rebellion!... The emperor declared: them, because their blessings are our to them nor known by them, and “We are not part of Europe, and will evils, their vices are our virtues. Our they overthrow him. The astrologer not take orders from it!” Orders about men have many wives, while their rejoices in his heart, as a veritable what? Freedom and equality? Or women have many husbands. Our thunderstorm breaks out over the even Brotherhood!? Burn them out women cover their heads to conceal

14 Statue of Mirza Fatali Akhundov in a park in Baku www.irs-az.com

Heritage_3_(10)_2012.indd 14 8/7/12 12:55 PM Fatali’s house museum in Tbilisi

Bust of Fatali in the Tbilisi house museum their faces, while theirs show every- promise people prosperity, promis- thing off , which to us is the epitome of es that are based on the path of the impudence and a sign of debauchery! West, which is itself bereft with crisis, We believe everything our leaders say, as well as on oriental prejudices, the whereas they constantly argue with most important of which are servil- God, with Padishah and even with ity and ignorance. their own selves. We are all slaves of One of Fatali’s constant concerns our Padishah, praying for his welfare was the problem of power and the day and night, whereas they throw people. He put it into words in what stones at him!... is an attempt at presenting his phi- Monsieur Jordan and Sorcerer losophy in the guise of a journalis- Mastalishah appear here not only tic mystifi cation, in the “Three letters as opposites, but also as twins. The of the Indian prince Kemaluddovle social basis of the comedy, which is (“Wisdom of the State”) to the Persian rooted in the views of that time, ac- Prince Jalaluddovle (“Wealth of the cording to which Monsieur Jordan State”) and the latter’s response”. Fa- was the embodiment of the positive tali (under the infl uence of Russian- West and the Sorcerer symbolized Western literature?) claims to have the dark East, has undergone sig- supposedly gained access to the nifi cant change over time. Contrary real correspondence of two princes, to its intention, the story reveals who had been expelled from their the comedy underlying the confl ict: native land and were lamenting the both the loyalist Monsieur and the customs and traditions of foreign sorcerer are charlatans of sorts, they countries. Persia became the object

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of their criticism. Here, the ruler be- and a long beard dyed with henna - Quiet, oh unfortunate man! I am lieved to own the property and lives of and indigo. His face and eyes reveal a talking about the pillars of faith! his subjects with impunity, and that person who is mourning the death of First is Allah, second is the Proph- he was to be worshiped by foolish fl at- someone who must have been, at the et, third is the Imams, and fourth terers and venal poets: “You quietly sit very least, his father. But no, he is sad is Karim Khan! on your throne, while the lord of Byz- because some time, somewhere, a Shi- - Who is this you are talking about?! antium and the master of China are ite imam had fallen in the struggle for That old heap of rubbish?! both trembling with fear: the former, power. In another corner, there is an all- - Shut up, you wretch! – growing awestruck by the sound of your pipes, too-important man with a shiny ruby pale, he looked around, fear in his the latter, amazed at the thunder of ring. Who is this? Is he literate, you ask? eyes. your army drums…”. Oh, poor people, “Literate?! – he looks at you in amaze- The “Letters...” could not be pub- downtrodden and degraded! If ever ment. – Our thanks are due to Allah lished, and they were found only you had tasted the sweetness of free- that he has not been infected with half a century later in a chest sold to dom, a gift that every human being heresy and godlessness!” But shhh! The the Soviets by his namesake grand- seeing the light of day should, enjoy, mullah is at the lectern! First, about the son. Incidentally, those same pow- as common sense commands. For ers eventually declared him an en- complete freedom is twofold: spiritual, emy of the people in 1937. But Fatali but that is being taken away by the had managed to distribute multiple dogmas, and corporal, that is secular, copies of the letters, which he had but that it is taken away by the tyrant copied out by hand... Each of the re- and his entourage. Oh, poor people, if cipients immediately severed all ties only you had known your rights, you with him, and thus gradually, he was would never have agreed to such a surrounded by a wall of estrange- shameful slavery in which you are ment... And when Fatali died, for a now. You would be aspiring towards long time they delayed his burial: progress, you would have established the Muslims protested, they were free societies, clubs, protests, seims, reluctant to have a heretic buried in you would have found the means that their cemetery. In the end, a grave would lead you to unity and to a com- was dug up in a vacant lot, at a place mon understanding, and fi nally, you that belonged to no-one, a neutral would have freed yourself from the location that belonged neither to yoke of despotism. the Mosque, nor to the Church. It So that the Shah may not rejoice was both adjacent to a Muslim cem- in his country remaining in the eter- etery and remote from the Grego- nal sleep of ignorance, let him throw birth of the Imam. Then, the great feats rian, Catholic, Jewish and, of course, a glance at history: has any despotic in infancy. His heroic achievements in the Orthodox ones. In other words, power ever survived? adolescence and youth. How he raised in short, it was neither West nor East. My esteemed Jalaluddovle, excuse the Shiite banner... When we left, my They buried him on the fourth day, my frankness, but you yourself have neighbor asked: - So, has your soul swiftly and without much noise. not quite rid yourself of the illusions been satisfi ed? And now there are statues of Fa- you hold concerning the special status - How could it be satisfi ed by all this tali in Tifl is-Tbilisi, where he lived al- of your people among other peoples, nonsense? This is bird language most all of his life, in Baku, which he of its special destiny and purpose. But designed for bird-brains! - I replied. never visited, and in the Azerbaijani for you too, it’s time to wake up! There - Perhaps - the other one, inter- city of Shaki, where he was born. you are, entering a mosque, where you vened, for the fi rst was already And it seems that another statue notice a man in a broadcloth cloak, dumbfounded - you might enjoy will soon be erected in Moscow – with a cashmere sash tied around the the doctrine of the four pillars that in the avenue of honor, where he hip, a woollen cap on his head un- hold the world? will be surrounded by the eminent derneath a lambskin from Bukhara, - I have heard about three whales! people of this planet.

16 National Library named after Akhundov in Baku www.irs-az.com

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