Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev

(1870- 1933)

Writer, playwright, teacher, literary critic, Honored Figure in Arts (1932).

He was born on May 17, 1870 in the village of Agbulag near the town of Shusha of Azerbaijan. He received his primary education in 1880 in the temporary summer school of Yusif bey in Shusha, then he studied in the real school of the city of Shusha (1881–1890).

Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev began his literary activity when he was studying in a real school in Shusha, and under the influence of M.F. Akhundzade wrote a short play “Haji Dashdemir”. While studying in St. Petersburg, his passion for artistic creativity increases. He wrote here the drama “You sow the wind, reap the whirlwind” (1892) and the “Busted Nest” tragedy (1896).

After returning to Azerbaijan in 1899, Hagverdiyev lived in Baku for some time. He taught and at the same time worked as a director of performances in the theatre. He also continued his creative work: he enriched the national drama from the point of view of ideas and poetic mastery, writing the tragedies “Unhappy Young Man” (1900), “Peri-Jadu” (1901) and “Aga Muhammad Shah Gajar”. He translated a number of magnificent examples of world drama into Azerbaijani. He played an important role in the formation of the Azerbaijani theatre as a director, playwright, and talented organizer. In 1906, he published stories in the “Hayat” newspaper and satiric articles and pamphlets under a pseudonym in “Molla Nasreddin” journal. He is the author of the books “My Beloved”, “Letters of the Vampire from Hell”, “Sheikh Shaban”, “Dreams”, “Ragamuffins” and other works. Abdurrahim beg Hagverdiyev died in Baku in 1933.