Hovhannes Tumanyan

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Hovhannes Tumanyan (Հովհաննես Թումանյան in Armenian) (born February 19, 1869 - died March 23, 1923), born in the village of Dsegh in the Lori region of Armenia, is considered to be one of the greatest Armenian poets and writers. His work was mostly written in tragic form, often centering on the harsh lives of villagers in the Lori region.

Tumanyan's inspiration for his writing came considerably from his parents. With his father the village's priest and his mother an avid storyteller with a particular interest in fables, Tumanyan had incorporated many of the themes from his mother's stories and his father's preachings into his writings.

Tumanyan is usually regarded in Armenian circles as "All-Armenian poet". He earned this title when the Catholicos of Armenia had ordered that Armenian refugees from the west not enter certain areas of his church and house, since he is considered to be "The Catholicos of all Armenians". Tumanyan in response decried that decision claiming that the refugees could seek relief in the Catholicos' quarters under order of "The Poet of all Armenians".

He created lyrics, fables, epic poems and translations into Armenian of Byron, Goethe and Pushkin.^[1]

[edit] Literary works

David of Sassoun Anoush Tmpgaperti Aroume The Old Fight Toward the Unknown The Dog and the Cat A Drop of Honey Parvana Requiem The Lamp of the Illuminator Akhtamar

^[2]

[edit] References

^ Hovannes Tumanian - Great Armenian popular poet, native of Lori...
^ Toumanian, Hovhannes. David of Sassoun, Armenian and English version, U.S.A.: Oshagan Publishers, p.5.