Hakob Melik Hakobian , better known by his pen name
Raffi , is a renowned Armenian author born in
1835 in Payajouk, an Armenian village situated in the
SalmasSalmās or Salamas , also Shahpur, Dīlman, and Dīlmagān, is a city in West Azarbaijan Province of Iran. The city's population is mainly Azeri . In a 2006 census, the city had a population of 79,560...
province (presently in the north of
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
, near Lake Ourmia) in Persia. He died in
1888 in Tiflis (present-day
TbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
). Raffi is a prominent figure of Armenian literature.
His father, a wealthy merchant and farmer, belonged to the local bourgeoisie.
Hakob Melik Hakobian , better known by his pen name
Raffi , is a renowned Armenian author born in
1835 in Payajouk, an Armenian village situated in the
SalmasSalmās or Salamas , also Shahpur, Dīlman, and Dīlmagān, is a city in West Azarbaijan Province of Iran. The city's population is mainly Azeri . In a 2006 census, the city had a population of 79,560...
province (presently in the north of
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
, near Lake Ourmia) in Persia. He died in
1888 in Tiflis (present-day
TbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
). Raffi is a prominent figure of Armenian literature.
Biography
His father, a wealthy merchant and farmer, belonged to the local bourgeoisie. Thus, Raffi’s financial situation, along with his being the eldest of a large family of 13 children, allowed him to benefit from a high quality education.
His education began at
Ter Todik, his village's school, which was known for its strictness and punishment methods. Raffi described and denounced these methods in one of his novels,
Kaytzer. At the age of 12, Raffi was sent by his father to continue his secondary education at a boarding school in Tiflis, away from his native land.
Tiflis, today known as
TbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, was at the time one of the largest Armenian intellectual centers. Alas, due to the degradation of his father’s financial affairs, Raffi was forced to return to his native country. It was at this point that he began teaching Armenian language and history in the Armenian school in
TabrizTabriz is the fourth largest city of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former capitals and residence of the crown prince...
, the Augoulis school in the Nakhitchevan region and, later on, in Tiflis.
Throughout his life, Raffi took many trips to the villages and provinces of
Eastern and
Western ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. 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 magazines
Mshak and
Ardzakank. His main work,
The Fool, first appeared in series in the magazine
Mshak, (an Armenian journal founded by
Grigor ArtsruniGrigor Eremiayi Artsruni was an Armenian journalist, critic, writer and public activist, Doctor of Political Economy and Philosophy...
in 1872) and was a great success.
Mshak 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 text was read by virtually all Armenian youth of the time. 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."
Raffi considered that teaching the population the Armenian language was a fundamental and vital measure. He used various methods (the press, novels, teaching) to improve the education of the Armenian commoners.
Raffi died in
1888 in Tiflis (present-day
TbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
), and his funeral attracted a huge crowd. He is buried in the Pantheon of Armenians at the
Khodjivank cemetery in
TbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, where Hovhannes Tumanian, Gabriel Sundukian,
Ghazaros AghayanGhazaros Aghayan was an Armenian writer, educator, folklorist, historian, linguist and public figure....
and
Grigor ArtsruniGrigor Eremiayi Artsruni was an Armenian journalist, critic, writer and public activist, Doctor of Political Economy and Philosophy...
are also buried.
Presently, there is a school as well as a street named after Raffi in
YerevanYerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. It is situated on the Hrazdan River, and is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
,
ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. His works were translated in several languages.
External links