Rupen Zartarian
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Rupen Zartarian or Roupen Zartarian (Armenian: Ռուբէն Զարդարեան) (1874-1915) was an Armenian writer, educator, and political activist. He was killed by Turkish authorities during the Armenian Genocide.
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[edit] Life
Zartarian was born in 1874 in the city of Tigranakert, but moved to Kharberd (or Kharpert) (Armenian: Խարբերդ) when he was two. He received his education from the educational institutions of that city.
Zartarian became a pupil of Tigandintsi (Hovhannes Harutiwnian, 1860-1915), who was a leading figure in rural Armenian literature. Tlgandintsi was also killed by the Turkish authorities during the Armenian Genocide. Zartarian was greatly influenced by his mentor, and his writing career stemmed from the encouragement he obtained. At the age of 18, he started teaching, and for the following decade, he continued in the field of education. At first, he taught at Tlgandinsti’s institution, he then spent three years in French religious institutes.
In 1903, he was arrested by the Turkish government and subsequently forced to leave the country. He established himself in Bulgaria and in 1906, founded a new newspaper called Razmig (Armenian: Ռազմիկ). When writing for the newspaper, he would often reiterate the need for Armenian nationals living outside their homeland to pursue working towards the ultimate goal of an autonomous Armenia. In 1908, he returned to Constantinople (Istanbul), along with many other Armenian intellectuals. A year later, he worked for the newspaper Azadamard (Armenian: Ազատամարտ) while teaching the Central College (Armenian: Կեդրոնական Վարժարան).
[edit] Works
Zartarian started writing at the age of 17, and his articles were published in many newspapers. In 1910, he released a volume called nocturnal clarity (Armenian: Ցայգլոս) that was subsequently translated in French. Many of his works were collected by a group called “The Friends of Fallen Authors” and released as a volume in 1930 in Paris.
His duties as an editorialist often hindered his creativity as a writer. He had many responsibilities and he would have surely produced more books had he been free of them.
Some of his stories include:
- The Petrified (Karatsadznere, Armenian: Քարացածները),
- The Lake’s Bride (Dzovagin Harse, Armenian: Ծովակին հարսը),
- Flowers, Red Flowers (Dzaghigner Garmir Dzaghigner, Armenian: Ծաղիկներ, կարմիր ծաղիկներ),
- The Injured Hunter (Zarnevadz Vosorte Armenian: Զարնուած որսորդը)
- The Prisoner’s Tear (Prnavorin Artsooke Armenian: Բռնաւորին արցունքը)
- HomeLove (Dan Ser Armenian: Տան սէր)
And many others…
All of these narratives are a mixture of ordinary life situations and fiction. He was able to cultivate this mixture in a new and very interesting way. His writing style was much more descriptive than narrative and somewhat poem-like. He was also a poet. His poetry usually focused on the beauty of nature. It can almost be said that he was the fore figure in this new genre of the Armenian literature scene.
[edit] Writing Style
Zartarian was a great figure from the rural Armenian scene. He was a true admirer of beauty and always wrote with a somewhat critical viewpoint. He wrote in Western Armenian and was a true connoisseur of the language. He writing style was one of finesse and very delicate depictions. Erukhan described his writing as the cleanest, most opulent and haughtiest of their time.
Inspiration was a key element for this author. He often said that the pages on his desk would remain unfilled until he would feel inspired enough to write. He was never in a rush to write and did not see it as a job, but rather as stimulating work. Being more of poet by nature, his works are peppered with poetic influences. His love of poetry contributed significantly to the splendor of his works.
[edit] Death
- See also: April 24 circular
In 1915, Zartarian was killed during the Armenian Genocide. He truly was a great figure from the Armenian literary scene of that time. He was arrested in 24 April 1915 and put into Ayaş prison, then dispatched to Diyarbakır to appear before a court martial. He was removed from the Ayaş prison on 5 May and taken under military escort to Diyarbakır along with Dagavarian, Agnouni, Jangulian, Khajag and Minassian (below) to appear before a court martial there and they were, seemingly, murdered by the [well-known] band of brigands led by Cherkes Ahmet, and lieutenants Halil and Nazım, at a locality called Karacaören shortly before arriving to Diyarbakır. [1].
[edit] Reference
Translated from Armenian: N.A. Արդի հայական գրականութիւն Բ հատոր, [Modern Armenian literature], 2002, pg. 50-53
