Passing from Legend to Realism in Azerbaijan's Fiction School

Introduction

The Azerbaijan School of Fiction is one of Iran's most important literary schools, first comprehensively introduced by Ghahraman Shiri. Its principal authors, Samad Behrangi, Gholam-Hossein Sa’edi, and Reza Baraheni, maintained close interactions and shared regional and ideological commonalities. They critiqued and commented on one another's works, and often later these critiques influenced their own writings, reflecting their awareness of this process. Considering that one of the key authors of this school primarily wrote children's and young adult literature, arranging all stories and critiques chronologically allows for an exploration of the mutual influences between children's and adult literature. Moreover, as the Azerbaijan School is rooted in folklore, its evolution from folklore to fantasy and, more importantly, magical realism, becomes evident.

Literature Review

Numerous books discuss these authors and the narrative elements in their works, including Opening the Novel (Payandeh, 2019), Eighty Years of Iranian Short Stories (Mirabedini, 2006), and Postmodernism in Iranian Fiction (Tadayyoni, 2009). Biographical works such as The Lost City (Habibi, 2014) and Content Analysis of Samad Behrangi’s Works (Safarian, 2012) also contribute valuable insights. Literary histories like One Hundred Years of Iranian Fiction (Mirabedini, 1998) and Statements on Contemporary Iranian Literature (Taslimi, 2009) are noteworthy as well. However, none of these works examine the Azerbaijan School or place the three authors side by side.
The most notable work that discusses these three authors collectively is Iranian Literary Schools by Ghahraman Shiri. In this book, Behrangi, Sa’edi, and Baraheni are identified as the most influential authors of the Azerbaijan School who shaped and were influenced by one another (Shiri, 2008).
In academic research, the names of Behrangi, Sa’edi, and Baraheni frequently appear. However, the studies usually focus on individual authors, analyzing stylistic, linguistic, cultural, or social aspects of their works without examining the three authors together. Examples include master’s theses like Language and Thought of Samad Behrangi in Fictional Works (Tahmasebi, 2011), Narrative Elements in the Stories of Gholam-Hossein Sa’edi (Salari-Zadeh, 2020), and Analysis of Narrative Elements in Five Fictional Works of Reza Baraheni (Mousavi, 2010).
Additionally, theses on folklore, such as Folklore in Gholam-Hossein Saedi’s Stories (Babaei, 2011) and Functions of Azerbaijan’s Folktales in Behrangi’s Stories (Mottaghi, 2017), are noteworthy. However, none of these studies consider all three authors together.

Methodology

For this research, all published and available fictional works and novels by these authors were chronologically arranged. Simultaneously, their written works and articles were examined chronologically. The narrative elements in their works were compared to identify their density over time. Additionally, their works were analyzed and categorized from the perspectives of magical realism and their views on childhood.

Discussion

By chronologically analyzing the works of Sa’edi, Behrangi, and Baraheni, it is possible to identify three main periods in the Azerbaijan School: folklore, magical, and realism.
Folklore Period:
This initial period involves significant experimentation with various writing forms. Notable works such as The Houses of Shahr-e Rey and Talkhoun exemplify the influence of folklore. Direct struggle is absent, and the narrative often draws heavily from traditional storytelling.
Magical Period:
In this phase, Behrangi and Sa’edi’s works diverge into realist and non-realist approaches. Sa’edi moves decisively toward magical realism, while Behrangi focuses on fantasy and animal stories. The influence of adult literature on children’s literature becomes evident. Many of Behrangi’s works reflect Marxist ideals, with child characters often mirroring adult roles, whether positive or negative. This period also sees the incorporation of social and political darkness into fantastical spaces, blending native beliefs with various settings.
 Realist Period:
In the final period, the Azerbaijan School’s works increasingly reflect themes of struggle and lean more toward realism. This period also witnesses a rise in critical articles and opinions from these authors, along with a deliberate use of certain narrative elements.

Conclusion

The categorization of the Azerbaijan School reveals the mutual influences between children’s and adult literature and highlights the interplay between fantasy and magical realism. The most significant impact of the Azerbaijan School lies in children’s literature, inspiring other authors and creating a distinctive movement in committed children’s literature. Conversely, the influence of children’s literature on adult works is most evident in the fantastical tendencies of Azadeh Khanom and Her Author.