Arpiar Arpiarian
Encyclopedia
Arpiar Arpiarian (1852-1908) was an influential 19th century Armenia
n writer
, the pioneer
of realism
in Armenian literature
and a political activist.
(an Armenian town on shore of the Euphrates
prior to the Armenian Genocide
), were traveling from Samsun
to Constantinople
. The family settled in the suburb of Ortakiugh (Ortaköy
) where Arpiar attended the Tarkmanchats (Թարգմանչաց) Armenian school. In 1867, he was sent to Venice
to attend the Murat-Raphaelian (Մուրատ-Ռափայէլեան) school. At Murat-Raphaelian, he studied Armenian language
and history
under the tutelage of Ghevond Alishan. He also became familiarized with French
and Italian literature
. He graduated from the school and returned to Constantinople where he was offered a secretarial position at the Armenian Patriarchate. During this time, he also worked as an accountant. However, Arpiarian's true calling was journalism and literature.
's Mshak (Մշակ) newspaper, which was published in Tiflis. He would write articles under the pen name "Haygag" (Հայկակ) about various aspects of Armenian life in Constantinople, all of which were flavored with satire. By 1878, he had already become a regular contributor to dailies and periodicals, mainly in Masis, of which he was an editor (1884-1893) alongside famed Armenian writer and politician Krikor Zohrab
. His articles become very popular among Caucasian Armenians. In 1884, he visited Tiflis on the occasion of the election of a new Catholicos
in Echmiadzin
where he was received as a renowned writer. There, he had the occasion to meet Eastern Armenian authors Raffi, Proshian, Aghayan
and others.
Upon his return to Constantinople with new impressions and information, he wrote a series of articles entitled Ughevorutiun i Kavkasia (Ուղեւորութիւն ի Կովկասիա, Travels in the Caucasus). Alongside other intellectuals, he launched a new daily called Arevelk (Արեւելք, Orient) with the aim of promoting closer relations between Eastern and Western Armenians in 1884. Arevelk, which was a literary and political newspaper with democratic tendencies, attracted a number of young writers who would form the core of the school of realism. The paper was published uninterrupted until 1915.
's treatment of the Armenian population. In 1889, Arpiarian joined the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
and founded the Ararat Society with a group of youths to spread education in the Ottoman provinces. In 1890, he participated in the Kum Kapu demonstration
and was arrested as a revolutionary with a number of other Hunchakians and jailed for two months. He was released in a general amnesty. In 1891, he founded and became editor of the daily Hayrenik (Հայրենիք, Fatherland) with his friend, Hovhannes Shahnazarian. This paper was suppressed by the sultan for its democratic ideas.
began and in order to escape the fate of other Armenians, he fled Constantinople to London
. In London, he attempted to publish two monthly reviews, Mart (Մարտ, Battle) and Nor Kyank (Նոր Կեանք, New life) in which Levon Pashalian
would contribute, both papers being sponsored by the Hunchakians. At this time, the political party would split. Arpiarian reorganized one of the factions, Veragazmial Hunchakianner, into a viable entity but would eventually leave the party. With this decision, he ultimately created enemies from within his old entourage.
and then Venice where he wrote his most successful work, the novella Garmir Zhamuts (Կարմիր Ժամուց, The crimson offering). In 1905, he traveled to Cairo
. In Cairo, he edited the literary monthly review Shirag (Շիրակ) and contributed in the local paper, Lusaber (Լուսաբեր, Lucifer: light-bearer).
In 1908, his political enemies assassinated him while Arpiarian was returning home from the market. His last words were "Hye em" (I am Armenian).
, the leader of a literary movement without an established school. While many writers were into romanticism
at the time, he introduced a new trend that revolutionized Armenian literature. He gained the confidence of his readers by expressing his thoughts honestly and without shame. He was the mentor of an entire generation of Armenian realist
writers such as Tigran Kamsarakan, Levon Pashalian
and Erukhan
.
Most of his literary work is written in short story form and deals with the working classes and social issues. Some of his better known stories are:
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, the pioneer
Innovator
An innovator in a general sense, is a person or an organization who is one of the first to introduce into reality something better than before. That often opens up a new area for others and achieves an innovation.-History:...
of realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
in Armenian literature
Armenian literature
-Early literature:Armenian literature begins about 406 with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop.Isaac, the Catholicos of Armenia, formed a school of translators who were sent to Edessa, Athens, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea in Cappadocia, and elsewhere, to procure...
and a political activist.
Early life and education
Arpiar Arpiarian was born in 1852 aboard a ship as his parents, who were originally from AknKemaliye
Kemaliye is a both a town in and one of the nine districts of Erzincan Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey.The town is known for its historic architecture, including many Ottoman-era houses...
(an Armenian town on shore of the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
prior to the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
), were traveling from Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
to Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. The family settled in the suburb of Ortakiugh (Ortaköy
Ortaköy
Ortaköy is a neighbourhood, formerly a small village, within the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, located in the middle of the European bank of the Bosphorus....
) where Arpiar attended the Tarkmanchats (Թարգմանչաց) Armenian school. In 1867, he was sent to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
to attend the Murat-Raphaelian (Մուրատ-Ռափայէլեան) school. At Murat-Raphaelian, he studied Armenian language
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
and history
History of Armenia
Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat. The original Armenian name for the country was Hayk, later Hayastan , translated as the land of Haik, and consisting of the name Haik and the suffix '-stan' ....
under the tutelage of Ghevond Alishan. He also became familiarized with French
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
and Italian literature
Italian literature
Italian literature is literature written in the Italian language, particularly within Italy. It may also refer to literature written by Italians or in Italy in other languages spoken in Italy, often languages that are closely related to modern Italian....
. He graduated from the school and returned to Constantinople where he was offered a secretarial position at the Armenian Patriarchate. During this time, he also worked as an accountant. However, Arpiarian's true calling was journalism and literature.
Work in newspapers and visit to Tiflis
His first works in literature started in Grigor ArtsruniGrigor Artsruni
Grigor Eremiayi Artsruni was an Armenian journalist, critic, writer and public activist, Doctor of Political Economy and Philosophy...
's Mshak (Մշակ) newspaper, which was published in Tiflis. He would write articles under the pen name "Haygag" (Հայկակ) about various aspects of Armenian life in Constantinople, all of which were flavored with satire. By 1878, he had already become a regular contributor to dailies and periodicals, mainly in Masis, of which he was an editor (1884-1893) alongside famed Armenian writer and politician Krikor Zohrab
Krikor Zohrab
Krikor Zohrab was an influential Armenian writer, politician, lawyer and philanthropist, living in Constantinople...
. His articles become very popular among Caucasian Armenians. In 1884, he visited Tiflis on the occasion of the election of a new Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
in Echmiadzin
Echmiadzin
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is a 4th century Armenian church in the town of Ejmiatsin, Armenia. It is also the central cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church....
where he was received as a renowned writer. There, he had the occasion to meet Eastern Armenian authors Raffi, Proshian, Aghayan
Ghazaros Aghayan
Ghazaros Aghayan was an Armenian writer, educator, folklorist, historian, linguist and public figure....
and others.
Upon his return to Constantinople with new impressions and information, he wrote a series of articles entitled Ughevorutiun i Kavkasia (Ուղեւորութիւն ի Կովկասիա, Travels in the Caucasus). Alongside other intellectuals, he launched a new daily called Arevelk (Արեւելք, Orient) with the aim of promoting closer relations between Eastern and Western Armenians in 1884. Arevelk, which was a literary and political newspaper with democratic tendencies, attracted a number of young writers who would form the core of the school of realism. The paper was published uninterrupted until 1915.
Political activism
Along with being a writer, Arpiar Arpiarian was a political activist and revolutionary who supported reforms in the Ottoman Empire in light of Sultan Abdul Hamid IIAbdul Hamid II
His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
's treatment of the Armenian population. In 1889, Arpiarian joined the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party , is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia...
and founded the Ararat Society with a group of youths to spread education in the Ottoman provinces. In 1890, he participated in the Kum Kapu demonstration
Kum Kapu demonstration
The Kum Kapu demonstration occurred in the Kumkapı district of Constantinople on July 27, 1890. It ensued in skirmishing where several persons, including a police officer were killed. Many more were wounded.- Background :...
and was arrested as a revolutionary with a number of other Hunchakians and jailed for two months. He was released in a general amnesty. In 1891, he founded and became editor of the daily Hayrenik (Հայրենիք, Fatherland) with his friend, Hovhannes Shahnazarian. This paper was suppressed by the sultan for its democratic ideas.
Escape from Hamidian massacres
In 1896, the Hamidian massacresHamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
began and in order to escape the fate of other Armenians, he fled Constantinople to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In London, he attempted to publish two monthly reviews, Mart (Մարտ, Battle) and Nor Kyank (Նոր Կեանք, New life) in which Levon Pashalian
Levon Pashalian
Levon Pashalian , is a famed Armenian short story writer, journalist, editor, novelist, and politician.- Biography :...
would contribute, both papers being sponsored by the Hunchakians. At this time, the political party would split. Arpiarian reorganized one of the factions, Veragazmial Hunchakianner, into a viable entity but would eventually leave the party. With this decision, he ultimately created enemies from within his old entourage.
Travel to Cairo and assassination
In 1901–1902, he traveled to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and then Venice where he wrote his most successful work, the novella Garmir Zhamuts (Կարմիր Ժամուց, The crimson offering). In 1905, he traveled to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. In Cairo, he edited the literary monthly review Shirag (Շիրակ) and contributed in the local paper, Lusaber (Լուսաբեր, Lucifer: light-bearer).
In 1908, his political enemies assassinated him while Arpiarian was returning home from the market. His last words were "Hye em" (I am Armenian).
Legacy and works
Arpiarian is considered the founder of realism in modern Armenian literatureArmenian literature
-Early literature:Armenian literature begins about 406 with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop.Isaac, the Catholicos of Armenia, formed a school of translators who were sent to Edessa, Athens, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea in Cappadocia, and elsewhere, to procure...
, the leader of a literary movement without an established school. While many writers were into romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
at the time, he introduced a new trend that revolutionized Armenian literature. He gained the confidence of his readers by expressing his thoughts honestly and without shame. He was the mentor of an entire generation of Armenian realist
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
writers such as Tigran Kamsarakan, Levon Pashalian
Levon Pashalian
Levon Pashalian , is a famed Armenian short story writer, journalist, editor, novelist, and politician.- Biography :...
and Erukhan
Erukhan
Erukhan was the pen name for Yervant Srmakeshkhanlian . He was an Armenian writer of the late 19th and early 20th century. He was arrested, tortured, and killed by the Turkish authorities during the Armenian Genocide.- Life :Erukhan was born in 1870 in the city of Constantinople...
.
Most of his literary work is written in short story form and deals with the working classes and social issues. Some of his better known stories are:
- Hoku zavag (Հոգու զավակ, The adopted child)
- Vosgi abrchan (Ոսկի ապրջան, The gold bracelet)
- Yerazi me kine (Երազի մը գինը, The price of a dream)
- Gadag me (Կատակ մը, A joke)
- Abushe (Ապուշը, The idiot)
- Garmir Jamuts (Կարմիր ժամուց, The crimson offering)
- Kevork Marzbeduni (Գէորգ Մարզպետունի, Gevork Marzpetuni)
Sources
- Encyclopedia of world literature in the 20th century, by Leonard S. Klein, Steven Serafin, Walter D. Glanze, 1993, p. 120
- Concise Armenian Encyclopedia, Ed. by acad. K. Khudaverdyan, YerevanYerevanYerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, 1990, Vol. 1, p. 426. - The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From The Eighteenth Century To Modern Times, by Agop J. Hacikyan, Gabriel Basmajian, Edward S. Franchuk, p. 452