Hakob Melik Hakobian ( hy, Յակոբ Մելիք-Յակոբեան (
classical); 1835–1888), better known by his pen name Raffi ( hy, Րաֆֆի; fa, رافی), was an
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
author and leading figure in 19th-century
Armenian literature
Armenian literature begins around AD 400 with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots.
History
Early literature
Only a handful of fragments have survived from the most ancient Armenian literary tradition preceding the Christia ...
.
Biography
![Raffi monument Yerevan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Raffi_monument_Yerevan.jpg)
Raffi was the eldest son in a family of hereditary
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
gentry and was born in 1835 in Payajuk, a village of northwestern
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. His father was a wealthy farmer, merchant and the highest civil authority of the village. Thus, Raffi’s economic background and special status within the family eventually made it possible for him to acquire a privileged education, one in which he was exposed to the full spectrum of classical,
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
and
Western European
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
masterpieces of literature.
His education began in the home of the village priest, Father Mser. There, in a small room adjacent to the barn, boys of all ages and levels of learning were taught under pressure of corporal punishment for failing in their lessons. In his novel called Kaytser ("Sparks"), Raffi gives a vivid description of these punishments and denounces them. At the age of 12 his father sent him to
Tiflis
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million pe ...
bilisi at that time a major center of Armenian intellectual life, to continue his secondary education at a boarding school run by a distinguished Armenian teacher.
Raffi was on the verge of beginning his studies at a Russian university when he had to return home to help his ailing father with the family business. This was the end of his formal education. He subsequently took teaching posts in Armenian language and history at the Armenian schools in
Tabriz
Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
,
Akoulis and Tiflis.
Throughout his life, Raffi made many trips to the villages and provinces of Eastern and
Western Armenia
Western Armenia (Western Armenian: Արեւմտեան Հայաստան, ''Arevmdian Hayasdan'') is a term to refer to the eastern parts of Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) that are part of the historical homeland of the Armenians. Weste ...
. Wherever he visited, he became aware of the daily misery experienced by the unarmed Armenian population, who lived in constant terror of the Turks and Kurds. Raffi, like other Armenian intellectuals, was convinced that it was not viable to continue living thus. He would thereafter seek to deeply transform Armenian society. In order to do so, it was necessary for him to make the people themselves aware of the tragic reality in which they lived.
Raffi was a prolific writer. His works were published in the newspapers ''
Mshak
''Mshak'' ( hy, Մշակ meaning ''The Toiler'') was an Armenian language literary and political daily newspaper ( weekly when established) published from 1872–1920 in Tiflis, Russian Empire (now Tbilisi, Georgia).
It was founded by Grigor Artsr ...
'' and ''Ardzakank''. "The Fool", his most popular work, appeared first in serialized form in the pages of ''Mshak''
iflisbetween 26 February and 4 June 1880. It first appeared as a book the following year. "Mshak" ("The Tiller") was founded as a weekly in 1872 by
Grigor Artsruni
Grigor Artsruni (also spelled as Krikor Ardzruni) ( hy, Գրիգոր Արծրունի; 27 February 1845 – 19 December 1892) was an Armenian journalist, critic, writer and public activist, Doctor of Political Economy and Philosophy (degreed by He ...
. It played an important role in awakening the Armenian people from the lethargy that had overcome the majority of them since the loss of Armenian independence at the end of the 14th century. Raffi’s patriotic writings were read by virtually all Armenian youth of the time and of subsequent generations. In his novels, Raffi depicted characters of national heroes and Armenian revolutionaries. In fact, there is a well-known Armenian phrase that goes: "there are no Armenian freedom fighters (Feddayines) that have not read Raffi".
![Gedenktafel für Raffi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Gedenktafel_f%C3%BCr_Raffi.jpg)
Raffi considered that teaching the population the Armenian language was a fundamental and vital measure, but he felt they were bereft of a secular literature attractive enough to help realize that goal. It was to fill that void that he set out from 1874 to 1888 to create a complete and varied body of fiction. It was through these works that generations of Armenians learned to read Armenian, became acquainted with their history, and acquired the critical standards by which they could assess their lives and society. From 1880 to 1888, Raffi lived at present day Chonkadze Str. 3, in the Sololaki area of Tbilisi, Georgia.
Raffi died in 1888 in Tiflis, and his funeral attracted an unprecedented crowd. He was buried in the Pantheon of Armenians at the
Khodjivank cemetery in
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
, where
Hovhannes Tumanyan
Hovhannes Tumanyan ( hy, Հովհաննես Թումանյան, classical spelling: Յովհաննէս Թումանեան, – March 23, 1923) was an Armenian poet, writer, translator, and literary and public activist. He is the nationa ...
,
Gabriel Sundukian
Gabriel Sundukian ( hy, Գաբրիել Սունդուկյան; 11 July 1825 – 29 March 1912) was an Armenian writer and playwright, the founder of modern Armenian drama. ,
Ghazaros Aghayan
Ghazaros (Lazarus) Aghayan ( hy, Ղազարոս Աղայեան; ) was an Armenian writer, educator, folklorist, historian, linguist and public figure.
Biography
Aghayan was born in Bolnisi village (also known as Bolnis-Khachen), Tiflis Governorat ...
and
Grigor Artsruni
Grigor Artsruni (also spelled as Krikor Ardzruni) ( hy, Գրիգոր Արծրունի; 27 February 1845 – 19 December 1892) was an Armenian journalist, critic, writer and public activist, Doctor of Political Economy and Philosophy (degreed by He ...
were also buried.
Raffi's widow Anna died in London in June 1920.
[The Times, 21 June 1920, p. 18.]
Presently, there is a school as well as a street named after Raffi in
Yerevan
Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Y ...
,
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
. His works have been translated into several languages.
Bibliography
A selection of his most renowned works:
* ''
Salbi'' (Սալբի, ''Salpi'') (1855–1874, published 1911)
* ''
Harem
Harem (Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A hare ...
'' (Հարեմ, ''Harem'') (Publication of first portions 1874–75, of last portion posthumously by his wife)
* ''
Jalaleddin'' (Ջալալեդդին) (1878)
* ''
The Fool'' (Խենթը, ''Khente'') (1880)
* ''
Davit Bek
Davit Bek or David Beg (; died 1728) was an Armenian military commander and the leader of an Armenian rebellion against invading Ottoman forces and implanted Safavid Muslim tribes in the mountainous region of Zangezur (today the Armenian provin ...
'' (Դավիթ Բեկ) (1880–82)
* ''
The Golden Rooster
''The Golden Rooster'' (Ոսկի աքաղաղ Voski ak’aghagh) is an 1870 Armenian language novel by the novelist Raffi. The novel was adapted into a play by the Hamazgayin Theatre.Ararat - Volumes 21-22 - Page 33 1978 - "The most popular play ev ...
'' (Ոսկի աքաղաղ, ''Voski ak’aghagh'') (1882)
* ''
The Diary of a Cross-Stealer'' (Khatchakoghí Hishatakaranə) (1882–83)
* ''
Sparks'' Vol.1 (Կայծեր, մաս 1։ ''Kaytzer Part 1'') (1883) Vol.2 (Կայծեր, մաս 2։ ''Kaytzer Part 2'') (1884)
* ''
Samuel
Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bibl ...
'' (Սամվել, ''Samvel'') (1886)
* ''The Five Melikdoms of Karabagh'' (Խամսայի մելիքություններ ''Khamsayi Melikoutyunner'') (1888)
* ''Memoirs'' (Հուշագրություններ, ''Hushagrut’yunner'')
See also
*
Grigor Artsruni
Grigor Artsruni (also spelled as Krikor Ardzruni) ( hy, Գրիգոր Արծրունի; 27 February 1845 – 19 December 1892) was an Armenian journalist, critic, writer and public activist, Doctor of Political Economy and Philosophy (degreed by He ...
References
External links
Raffi at Armeniapedia*
ttp://armenianhouse.org/raffi/raffi-en.html Raffi's biography and worksbr>
Raffi's biography*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raffi
1835 births
1888 deaths
19th-century Armenian poets
Iranian emigrants to the Russian Empire
Armenian people from the Russian Empire
Persian Armenians
19th-century Iranian poets
People from Salmas
19th-century poets
Burials at Armenian Pantheon of Tbilisi
19th-century male writers
Armenian male poets