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THE BRONZE SCULPTURES OF KHOREN DER-HARUTYAN – 2019-3

Summary

Arthur A. Hovhannisyan
This article is dedicated to the study of the bronze sculptures of well-known Armenian sculptor-artist Khoren Der-Harutyan. Der-Harutyan’s works were formed in the early 30’s of the 20th century, outside of the historical homeland, particularly on the Latin American island of Jamaica. Here he created numerous colorful paintings and graphic works, as well as, great amount of sculptures from different types of local solid wood. In the following years Der-Harutyan’s art was developed in the USA, England, Italy, as well as, in Armenia.

Khoren Der-Harutyan’s works generally present not only tragic events referring his childhood, but also the basic socio and political problems of the 20th century, which have left a deep mark on the fate of humankind. The works of the artist reflected the disasters of the Armenian Genocide, the Second World War, Hiroshima atomic explosion, the Vietnam War, etc. But the images with tragic content are often followed by the works with the spirit of heroism, optimism, love and unity.

The bronze sculptures, which have been around since the 1960’s are important in Khoren Der-Harutyan’s art. In 1962-1963 Der- Harutyan lived in the city of Florence, Italy, where he improved the techniques of working with bronze. The artist was particularly influenced by the monuments of the Italian Renaissance. There is a variety of themes and styles touching eternal universal themes not only in his works of wood and stone, but also in his bronze sculptures. Here the themes of heroic struggle, survival, unyielding human spirit are also considered. The style of the artist is dramatically changed in this period. The slick, round forms of his wooden and stone sculptures are replaced by sharp, rough surfaces. Besides, working with bronze DerHarutyan deals more freely with sculptural forms and as a result, the bronze works of different periods get lively, vibrant forms.
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THE PHENOMENON OF FOOLISHNESS ACCORDING TO HOVH. TUMANYAN – 2019-3

Summary

Sergey A. Aghajanyan
The article analyses one of the most striking realities of a human – the embodiments of foolishness in the works by Hovh. Tumanyan based on cultural approach.

For the accomplishment of the study in the first part of the article (“His Greatness Foolishness”) the philosophical comments on foolishness, its peculiar features both as mentality and as reality of human behaviour are represented in general features. The article differentiates the expressions of individual and mass (crowdy) foolishness and involuntary and conscious (conformity) ones. As a result of all these, the characteristics of foolishness as a type of mind below the average level of coexistence and the peculiarities of fool’s behaviour are specified.

In the second part (“Stupidity as Boomerang”) the stories and tales by Hovh. Tumanyan presenting the individual foolishness are analysed. In the expression of this version of the phenomenon of foolishness Hovh. Tumanyan with amazingly anthropological preciseness presented the following realities: the fool doesn’t know that he is fool, the fool is unable to absorb even the least experimental coexisting knowledge, individual smart ones always win individual fools, the fool is characterised by insurmountable foolishness due to which he is unable of reflection, rationalises his mistake, blames the others and so on.

In the third part of the article (“Foolishness as a Disaster of Coexistence”) the works of the author that reveal the mass expression of foolishness and its effects are analysed. In these works Hovh. Tumanyan emphasises some realities typical for foolishness: psychosis of chain reaction or infectious influence, replacement of imaginative-virtual and vital realities, foolishness that neglects repeated life experience and borderlines with insanity, intuitive or calculated slavery and behaviour. For these and other reasons the masses realises with determination the foolishness of even criminal coexistence.

Through all these Hovh. Tumanyan underlines the most important precondition of expressing the foolishness. It becomes obvious both in its individual and mass versions when an individual or the coexistence tries to solve any mental problem.

All the analysed tales and stories are characterised by the high poetic level of fictional depiction typical for Tumanyan where satire stands apart. And here is seen the orientation and attitude of the author towards his presented heroes and realities: this very thing is analysed in the fourth part of the article (“The Author’s Orientation”). The careful study of foolishness in Tumanyan’s embodiments shows that by humouring, even principally rejecting the fools and foolishness the author never vaunts the ones who have that flaw which is the expression of his humanistic and philosophical essence.

The last part of the study – “Conclusions” summarises the results of the analysis.

DID THERE EXIST A NOMINALISTIC DIRECTION IN THE MEDIEVAL ARMENIAN PHILOSOPHY? – 2019-3

Summary

Seyran A. Zakaryan
Since the 50-60s of the XX century the Armenian philosophy shapes a methodological paradigm according to which nominalism was born and developed in the Medieval Armenian philosophy of the XIII-XIV centuries. The Soviet Armenian researchers separated the nominalism as a philosophical trend based on the assessment of the philosophical directions (nominalism was viewed as progressive, “the first expression of materialism’’, and realism was viewed as a regressive direction), as well as on the misinterpretation or the confusion of the general issues including the differentiation between the importance of the individual and the general, the element and the many, the part and the whole. The issues of the universals do not refer to the importance of an individual and the whole, but rather to the status of the existence of the universals. According to the Armenian researchers, the Medieval Armenian philosophers (Vahram Rabuni, Hovhan Vorotnetsi, Grigor Tatevatsi) were nominalists because they defended the statement according to which particular things are primary to the universals and are the basis for their existence. Accepting the primary importance of particular things over the universals (genus and species) does not mean that the existence of the universals is being denied. On the contrary, the notion stated that the universals exist after the individual things and thanks to them. Based on the fact that Medieval Armenian philosophers not only accepted the real existence of the universals, but also developed the triple formula of their existence (the universals exist before the things, in the things and after the things), and as they follow the Aristotelian hylomorphic ontological and epistemological tradition, we can state that they are not nominalists, but rather moderate realists and in the Medieval Armenian philosophy they developed not a branch of nominalism but that of the moderate realism. In this regard, the ideological and dogmatic conflict of the XIV century between the ideologists of the unitary movement and the Armenian Church is solved alike. The reason lies under the explanation that the representatives of both directions are Aristotelians and they both treat the problem of universals in the same way. The difference between their points of view is in the interpretation of the relationship between the individual and the general and that of the single and the many. If the representatives of the unitary movement emphasized the priority of the general over the particular and by that they tried to explain the priority of the Catholic Church of Rome over the particular national churches, in the case of the Armenian Church they defended the self-sufficiency of the individual things and the notion of the priority of the particulars over the general and, thus, proved the autocephaly and the right of honorable existence of the Armenian Church in the family of the Christian churches.

THE VOCABULARY OF VAHAN TERYAN’S POETRY – 2019-3

Summary

Mary V. Hovhannisyan
It is indisputable that the study of speech art of the writer’s creative work is closely related to the period of regularities typical for both national and fiction languages. It touches upon the main features, ways and prospects of their development. On the one hand, works of the leading speech masters specify not only the development tendencies of literature, but also the national language. On the other hand, it is not enough to study thoroughly the period, literary trend that the writer followed, type and genre of the writer’s creative work.

It is necessary to study the language and the style of the writer. To study the speech art of the writer’s work means to introduce the individuality, which is specific to the author, to identify the peculiarities of the writer’s style by having the literary language as a starting point.

Teryan was very skillful to apply various opportunities of different stylistic layers of Armenian literary language vocabulary, word meaning and usage. The uniqueness of poet’s speech art is the in word-selection art that obviously reflected in the meaningstylistic specific usage of cooperative words. Parallel to stylistic delicate sense of cooperative words, terms of non-active word-layers also get peculiar display. Ethnoverbal and dialectical words, comparisons, phrases which are not specially popularized in Teryan’s speech characterize amazing figurativeness of things and phenomena. Archaism and barbarism are characterized on the basis of stylistic-expressive usage. As neologisms give his poetry a unique colouring, they are quite important for profound understanding of Teryan’s artistic manner. Word-forming models of V. Teryan’s neologisms are particularly important for the formation of new verbs: the unusual use of some suffixes are also rather unique. Special attention is paid to the examples of neologisms in the field of semantics and unusual meanings that Teryan gave to neologisms created by his predecessors. It is difficult to overestimate the stylistic significance of neologisms and their role in his art. One of the factors of Vahan Teryan’s speech art uniqueness is the word-selection art obviously reflected in the meaning-stylistic specific usage of ethno-verbal and dialectical words. Ethno-verbal and dialectical words, comparisons, phrases, which are not specially popularized in Teryan’s speech, are characterized by amazing figurativeness of things and phenomena. Ethno-verbal and dialectical words which have their suitable verbal place create the sonority of the paragraph, the rhyme and the whole poem.

THE MYTH OF THE RING OF GYGES – 2019-3

From Hakob Paronyan to John Tolkien 

Summary

Albert A. Makaryan, Astghik V. Soghoyan
The periodical “Theatre: Friend to Children” (1876-1878, Constantinople) has its unique place in the context of H. Paronyan’s literary heritage. At first glance by contradicting to the latter’s perception of worldview, that is, comic and not being fitted into the widespread definition of pattern of “satiric author” Paronyan’s literary works for children supplement Paronyan’s satire and give them new emphasis and shades: if laughter is the ruthless mean for criticising the despicable features of the society, then the advice written in fatherly language educates the future society by eradicating those condemnable things just at the moment of their emergence.

The primary principal adopted by Paronyan is not to decieve children. Lie is the most criticised and condemned sin in the context of the author’s literary heritage for children, and the writer chosses the road of not decieving which is also expressed in the genre system of literary works published in the periodical: the prefered genre of Paronyan is realistic creation.

In the structure of the periodical the magic gets negative shade and meaning. In his periodical the great satirist gives place only to two fairy tales (“Red Varduk” and “The Ring of Gyges”) by trying to break the children’s faith in magic through them. He not only just presents those works but also tries to show logically the impossibility of the events described in them: the wolf can’t speak like man and the ring of invisibility doesn’t exist.

In the article the work “The Ring of Gyges” is analysed in the realationship of source-reproduction: this small work is a peculiar cultivation of the myth about Gyges based on versions by Plato and Herodotus. If the latters had referred to the myth from the perspective of history and philosophy, then the Armenian author has worked it out as a work for children adapting it to the worldview of the children. It is noteworthy that years after the reproduction by Paronyan the English writer J. R. R. Tolkien has put the same myth at the basis of his masterpieces, i.e., novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” by creating his works on the motive of the found ring of invisibility. The article observes the worked out version by Paronyan also in the context of parallels with those works.

THE AGE OF ASHOT III THE MERCIFUL – 2019-3

Part I. Strengthening of the Armenian kingdom (953-966)

Summary

Arman S. Yeghiazaryan
The reign of Ashot III the Merciful (953-978) is one of the most discussed one in the history of Armenia. This is due to the fact that during this period Ani became the capital of Armenia and gradually became the focus of the civilizational accomplishments of the Armenian people, and it was then that the collapse of the kingdom of Armenian Bagratids began.

Despite these important circumstances, the history of the reign of Ashot III the Merciful is still not fully researched. There are many questions for which the historian must find answers.

Ashot III the Merciful ascended to the throne in 953 and immediately set about choosing a new capital. The facts show that the attempt to liberate the ancient capital of Armenia, Dvin, immediately after the accession in 953, served to resolve this issue. The attempt was unsuccessful after which Kars remained the capital of Armenia for 8 years.

It should be noted that the liberation of Dvin was part of Ashot III the Merciful’s big plan to subjugate the Muslim emirates of the Arax river valley. And if the attempt to liberate Dvin failed, the rest of the plan was implemented with great success. The emirates of the Arax river valley from Dvin to Nakhijevan were subordinated to the king of Armenia, who appointed his governors there.

Until 961, when Ani was declared the capital of the kingdom of the Bagratids, Ashot III the Merciful was busy strengthening and improving the state. It should be noted that he inherited a united, powerful and developed kingdom from his father, the king of Armenia Abas (929-953) and managed to continue its further strengthening and development.

At the beginning of Ashot III the Merciful’s reign, the Hamdanids state, whose troops were defeated by the Armenian army in 959 in the southwestern border of the Armenian kingdom threatened the Armenian kingdom. For the second time the enemy was defeated in Taron canton.

Although the name “The Merciful” is attributed to him because of the beautification of the church and help to the poor and sick, it should be noted that he was also a gifted person and king.

THE ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIAN NARODNIKS AND NATIONALNARODNIKS IN 1880-1890S – 2018-3

Part one: New found ratifications on the activity of “The Union of the Patriots”

Summary

Mkrtich D. Danielyan

Key words – Armenian narodniks; national narodnik organization; Police Department; «The Union of Patriots»; ARF Dashnaktsutyun; archive ratifications; Karapet Ter-Khachatryan; leaflet; letter-article; Davit Nersisyan; Tamara Adamyan.

The best representatives of East Armenian youth have actively participated in the heroic and sacrificing struggle of 1870-1880s of Russian narodnikism against the despotism of tsarist Russia by initially joining narodnik then Armenian national-narodnik organizations and groupings. At the crucial moment of transition from the political goals of narodnikism to the issues of Armenian national-liberation movement the best representatives of East Armenian youth in 1882 founded in Moscow the organization of “The Union of Patriots” which in its embryo soon revealed the ideology and main peculiarities of the activity of newly formed organizations and particularly of ARF Dashnaktsutyun. But since this organization, founded in Moscow and subsequently united with the Armenian national-narodnik grouping of Tiflis, has been distinguished by the secretive practices typical for underground structures, the vast majority of the ratifications referring to its history has remained secret for the scientific circles. They are mainly preserved in the Central History State Archive in Moscow, in the State Archive of Russian Federation (Moscow), in the Archive of Russian Foreign Ministry (now the archive of foreign ministry of Russian Empire, Moscow) and in the State Archive of Russia (Saint Petersburg).The first flying sheet of the “Union of the Patriots” entitled “An Invitation for the Armenian Youth” (April, 1882) which the organization has managed to copy with the use of hectograph machines and spread among the youth, the letter-article “The Response of the Former Student to his Fellow-Student”, as well as, the materials on investigations carried out by tsarist Police Department about the revolutionary underground activities of Karapet-Ter-Khachatryan, Davit Nersisyan, Tamara Adamyan and other figures are especially noticable.

THE ORIGIN OF THE CONCEPT “TRIBUTE TO HOMELAND” – 2019-2

And attampts of its implementation in the First Republic of Armenia

Summary

Narine M. Nushervanyan

Key words – community, immigration, Republic of Armenia, community department, supporting unions, diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Armenia, tribute to homeland, Egyptian Armenian Relief Authority, national constitution.

For the first time, the article introduces the concept of “Tribute to Homeland”, the dynamics of its development and its ratification by the Government of the First Republic of Armenia. Its roots go back to Western Armenian National Constitution (1860) and originally was taken as a “National Tax” as a form of obligatory payment and not as chasity.

After the Armenian Genocide, the “National Tax” was transformed into “Tribute to Homeland” aiming to help Armenian refugees, orphans and the First Republic of Armenia. Once again tax collection became mandatory and it was implemented in the Armenian communities to coordinate irregular donations. The Government of the First Republic has ratified the concept of the “Tax for Homeland” with a separate draft, which envisaged the mandatory collection of taxes in the Armenian communities for reconstruction, immigration and support of refugees.

Though the Turkish-Armenian war (1920) and the Sovietization of Armenia prevented the full implementation of these programs, however, it is obvious that the Government of the First Republic has always focused on issues of refugees, dealt with the resettlement of the Armenians and the revival of the country.

THE UNPRINTED MEMOIRS OF TOVMAS NAZARBEKYAN – 2019-2

Military activities in Caucasus front since July, 1914 up to April 26, 1916
Copy-book 2: since January 1, 1915 up to May 12, 1915

Summary

Ruben O. Sahakyan

Key words – Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Khoy, F. Chernozubov, Hakob Zavriyan, St. Bartholomew monastery, Derik, Dilman, Mukhanjik, Yerevan, Igdir, Smbat Boroyan, Andranik, Abdurrezak, Hakob Choloyan, Van, Shatakh, Armenian governorship of Van, Ishkhan, Aram, Vardan, Dro, Hamazasp, Berkri.

In the second copy-book of memoirs by general T. Nazarbekyan the military activities that took place since January 1 up to May 12,1915 are described. From this part of memoirs of the general three main events can be distinguished: 1. the battle of Dilman, 2. the formation of the Ararat regiment and 3. self- defense of Van and the foundation of governorate.

During Dilman battle that took place on April 16 up to April 18, 1915 general T. Nazarbekyan took brilliant victory over Turkish-Kurdish prevailing forces saving the territory of the viceroy of Caucasus from Turkish invasion. It can be stated without exaggeration that the battle of Dilman in its significance is equal to the battle of Sarighamish. It’s not a coincidence that general T. Nazarbekyan was granted St. Georgi’s 4th level award and the French medal “Médaille militaire”, which is less known to the public.

During the battle the Armenian 1 voluntary group headed by Andranik that was carrying out the defense of one of the important defending positions was distinguished.

In his memoirs the general underlines the formation of the Armenian 5th or Ararat regiment that included the 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups. Due to self-sacrifice of the Armenian volunteers it became possible to help the Armenians in Vaspurakan.

T. Nazarbekyan gives rather detailed information about the reasons and proceedings of the self-defense of the Armenians of Van during April-May of 1915, as well as about the formation of Armenian governorate. He proudly states that the Armenians not having enough forces managed to confront the TurkishKurdish forces. The general believed that the guarantee of the victory was the resistance of the Armenian blocks of Van, namely, Aygestan and Kaghakamej, as well as, of the Armenians of the province of Shatakh.

Henrik Edoyan: Light on the left, Yerevan, “Zangak” publishing housе, 2018, 150 pages. – 20192

Summary

Suren S. Abrahamyan

Key words – Henrik Edoyan, Paul Valerie, the Road, polytheism, language-location, view, poetics, system, time, book, culture.

The article discusses the collection of “Light on the Left” by Henrik Edoyan, evaluates collection’s literary significance in its second cycle, which has started from “Three Days without Time” (2005) collection and continues till now. The main issue of the collection, that author rises, is the question of the book that develops the integrity of Edoyan’s poetical system, as well as the unity of poetics and worldview. Hence, the analyzer not only evaluates Edoyan’s new collection as the formation of historical poetry, but also appreciates Edoyan’s poetry in the modern literary process.