Divani-Hikmet" and the tradition of 19th century literary Mazlises

Abstract

This study examines the role of the Divani-Hikmet Literary Council, founded by Mirza Shafi Vazeh, on Azerbaijani cultural development in the 19th century. While Western Europe and Russia have acknowledged the impact of Vazeh, current work does not fully address how such literary circles served as agents for national literary change. This study aims to examine the democratizing effect of these councils on Azerbaijani intellectual discourse and their role in promoting regional cultural diversity. We argue that these gatherings broke down social and age barriers, especially by encouraging the use of the Azerbaijani language as a means of cultural expression. Furthermore, the plays of prominent authors such as Vazeh, Akhundzadeh, and Bakikhanov formed the groundwork for a critical realism that sought to tackle contemporary social problems through new forms of literature. The findings of this study show the manner in which these literary prescriptions not merely revolutionized literature during their time but have come to constitute contemporary Azerbaijani literary canons, affirming that inclusive intellectual spaces continue to play a pivotal role in cultural constitution.