About the work
A verse tragedy in four acts by Azerbaijani poet Hüseyn Cavid, written in 1918 and premiered on 21 December 1920 at the Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre in Baku, directed by Abbas Mirza Sharifzade. It is regarded as the first verse drama staged in Azerbaijan.
Plot
Set in the Near East during the First World War, the idealistic Arif is tempted by the figure of Iblis (Satan) into abandoning his moral principles for power and wealth. He becomes the murderer of his wife and brother and, despite his lofty aspirations, ends in misery and isolation.
Cultural significance
Staged with elaborate scenery and ballet interludes, the production was hailed as a major event in Azerbaijani theatre and was performed in Uzbekistan from 1923 onward. Manuscripts of the play are among the central exhibits of the Huseyn Javid House Museum in Nakhchivan.