Soviet Azerbaijani literature became thoroughly politicized in the interwar decades. Creating literary works was closely linked to language and education reform, and at a deeper level to Soviet cultural construction and “nation-building.” As in other areas, the struggle over literature reflected the competing visions of Azerbaijani modernizers and the Bolsheviks. The poetry and plays of pre-war modernist literati honored earlier cultural traditions and literary or historical figures, while advocating literacy, modern education, equality of women and secularism. Satire was as powerful as tragedy in depicting the pain of ignorance and subservience. Under early Bolshevik rule, writers initially used newspapers and journals as a venue for social commentary, though political criticism was no longer possible. Literature, printed and performed, remained a major vehicle for defining and shaping national identity.