| Hovhannes Tumanyan Հովհաննես Թումանյան |
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Hovhannes Tumanyan |
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| Born | February 19, 1869 Dsegh, Tiflis Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | March 23, 1923 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Occupation | Poet, writer, public activist |
| Nationality | Armenian |
| Genres | Tragedy, epic, tale |
| Spouse(s) | Olga Tumanyan (née Matchkalyan) |
| Children | Musegh (1889-1938), Ashkhen (1891-1968), Nvard (1892-1957), Artavazd (1894-1918), Hamlik (1896-1937), Anush (1898-1927), Arpik (1899-1981), Areg (1900-1939), Seda (1905-1988), Tamar (1907-1989)[1] |
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Hovhannes Tumanyan (Armenian: Հովհաննես Թումանյան) (February 19, 1869 - March 23, 1923), 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.
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Tumanyan's inspiration for his writing came considerably from his parents. He was born in the village of Dsegh in the Province of Lori, Armenia. With his father was an offspring of an Armenian princely family of Tumanian (branch of the house of Mamikonian) and 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.
He was also a great master of quatrains:
"As You take the blessings You gave me since life began,
I look to see how many are left till my race is run
Amazed am I: You have given so freely, with generous hand;
How much must I yet return till I merge with You into one?"
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.[2]
Tumanyan's native town of Dsegh was renamed "Tumanyan" in his honor from 1938-1969.[4]
The following films were adapted from Hovhannes Tumanyan's works