Khachatur Abovian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Khachatur Abovian (Armenian: Խաչատուր Աբովեան[1]; 15 October 1809–1848) was an Armenian writer and national public figure of the early 19th century who mysteriously vanished in 1848 and was presumed dead. Often credited as the creator of modern Armenian literature, Abovian was the first author to abandon classical Armenian and adopt the modern Armenian language for his works, as a result ensuring their diffusion.
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[edit] Early life and career
Abovian was born in 1809 in the village of Kanaker near Yerevan in a notable family. He studied in Echmiadzin, then in the Nersisyan seminary in Tiflis (1824-1826). The turning point in his life was the arrival in Armenia of Dr. Friedrich Parrot, a professor of natural philosophy from the University of Dorpat in Livonia. With Abovian’s help Dr. Parrot became the first explorer in modern times to reach the summit of Mount Ararat in 1829. The two men became fast friends. From 1830 Abovian studied philosophy, languages (German, French, English and Latin), music, history, and the sciences at the University of Tartu. In 1836 he graduated from the University of Tartu. After returning to his native land he became a teacher and faced a growing and hostile reaction from the Armenian clergy as well as Tsarist officials, since he was opposed to dogmatism and formalism in the school system. In 1837 he became the supervisor of the Tiflis uezd school; in 1843 he was transferred to the same post in Yerevan.
[edit] Literature and lasting influence
The works of Abovian were of enormous value for the national literature of Armenia. He wrote novels, stories, descriptions, plays, scientific and artistic compositions, verses and fables. He was the first Armenian writer to compose literature for children. His works became popular at a time when Armenian literature was oversaturated with religious themes, and many clerics were attempting to artificially revive the ancient-Armenian language of Grabar. Abovian wrote in modern Armenian (Askharhabar), thus his works were intelligible for the common people. Abovian was a staunch promoter of democracy and Eurocentric ideas. He was also the author of the first Armenian secular novel Wounds of Armenia (1841, published in 1858), dedicated to the tragic fate of the Armenian people and its struggle for liberation in the period of Russo-Persian war of 1826-1828. The novel dealt heavily with the suffering of Armenians under the Persian and Tatar occupations. The basic concept of the novel, which had a large clout on the wide layers of Armenian society, was the assertion of a feeling of national merit, patriotism and hatred for the oppressors. The hero of the novel - Agassi personifies the freedom-loving national spirit and its will to fight against the foreign conquerors. Give away your life, but never give away your native lands - is the motto of Agassi and his partisan friends. Abovian saw in strengthening of the friendship of Russian and Armenian peoples a guarantee of the national, political and cultural revival of his native lands. In the novel, elements of romanticism and realism are interlaced, narration is supplanted by lyric retreats. Abovian also wrote scientific and artistic works such as the Discovery of America, Book of Stories, collection of fables Entertainments on the leisure (published in 1864), cycle "To Bayati" (published in 1864). Abovian translated to the Armenian language the works of Homer, Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, Karamzin, I. A. Krylov and others. Abovian continued promoting secular and comprehensive (mental, moral, working, physical) training, accessibility of school, free education for the indigent and equal education of boys and girls. Pedagogical compositions of Abovian include the book for reading Predtropye (1838), a textbook of Russian grammar and an Armenian language novel History of Tigran, or moral manual for the Armenian children (printed in 1941). Abovian was the first in Armenia to be occupied by scientific ethnography, he studied the way of life and customs of the peasants of the native settlements of Kanaker, inhabitants of Yerevan, and also gathered and studied Armenian and Kurdish folklore. On April 14 of 1848 Abovian went out of his house and was never seen again.
[edit] Notes
- ^ The classical diction of his name, used at his time.
[edit] References
- Abovian G. Khachatur Abovyan: Life and Creation, 1948.
- Santrosyan M. Khachatur Abovyan: the outstanding Armenian teacher, 1957.
- The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 1974.
