Khachatur Abovian

Khachatur Abovian
Portrait by Ludwig von Maydell [de] (1831)
Portrait by Ludwig von Maydell [de] (1831)
Native name
Խաչատուր Աբովյան
Born15 October 1809
Kanaker, Erivan Khanate, Qajar Iran
(modern-day Yerevan, Armenia)
DisappearedApril 14, 1848 (aged 38)
Occupationnovelist, playwright, teacher, poet
LanguageArmenian
NationalityArmenian
PeriodRomanticism
Spouse
Emilia Looze
(m. 1839)
Children2

Khachatur Abovian (Armenian: Խաչատուր Աբովյան, romanizedKhach’atur Abovyan;[1][2] October 15 [O.S. October 3] 1809 – disappeared April 14 [O.S. April 2] 1848) was an Armenian polymath, educator, scientist, philosopher, writer, poet and an advocate of modernization.[3] He mysteriously vanished in 1848 and was eventually presumed dead. Reputed as the father of modern Armenian literature, he is best remembered for his novel Wounds of Armenia.[4] Written in 1841 and published posthumously in 1858, it was the first novel published in the Modern Armenian language, based on the Yerevan dialect instead of Classical Armenian.[3]

Abovian was far ahead of his time and virtually none of his works were published during his lifetime. Only after the establishment of the Armenian SSR was Abovian accorded recognition and stature.[5] Abovian is regarded as one of the foremost figures not just in Armenian literature, but Armenian history at large.[6] Abovian's influence on Western Armenian literature was not as strong as it was on Eastern Armenian, particularly in its formative years.[7]

  1. ^ "The history of the foundation of Khachatur Abovyan's house-museum". Khachatur Abovyan's house-museum. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  2. ^ Traditional Armenian orthography: Խաչատուր Աբովեան
  3. ^ a b Panossian, p. 143.
  4. ^ Bedevian, Ruth (December 8, 2004). "Writer and Patriot: Khachatur Abovyan (sic)". Retrieved July 13, 2008.
  5. ^ Hacikyan et al., p. 214.
  6. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. "The Meliks of Eastern Armenia: IV: The Siwnid Origins of Xac'atur Abovian." Revue des études Arméniennes. NS: XIV, 1980, pp. 459–468.
  7. ^ Bardakjian, p. 135.