Letter from Joe Dagdigian: Meneshian's biography of Raffi

Letter from Joe Dagdigian: Meneshian's biography of Raffi

Published in the Armenian Reporter International

Wednesday December 22, 2010

It was with great pleasure that I read "Raffi, The Prophet from Payajuk" by Murad A. Meneshian.

While a number of Armenian history books briefly discuss Raffi and his influence on Armenian literature and contemporary Armenian thought, to the best of my knowledge there is no English language biography of Raffi.

But don't read this because it may be the only English language biography of Raffi. Read it because it is a superb work describing Raffi's novels and poetry, his attempts to overturn the status quo, and his influence on Armenian institutions and especially on Armenian political thought and Armenian literature.

Hagop Melik-Hagopian (Hakob Melik-Hakobian, pen name Raffi, 1832-1888) was born in north western Iran. As a young man he witnessed the desperate and often time backward condition of Armenian communities in Western Armenia, Iran, and the Caucasus.

Very early he became a vociferous proponent of educational and social reform including women's education, and an advocate of Armenian armed self-defense. As a young man he became a journalist and a novelist portraying the dire situation of the peasants in Armenian villages. He advocated using the common spoken Armenian in literature (not classical Armenian which few ordinary people could understand) as well as church reform including better education for the clergy. He was harshly critical of many members of the clergy but not against the church.

Heroes in his novels were activists, ordinary people, not princes or nobility. He intended to demonstrate the way to Armenian modernity and justice. His writings often confronted the powers that be, alienating much of the establishment but appealing to the idealism of the youth. Raffi died a poor man in Tiflis, Georgia in 1888. Many who had scorned or ignored him while alive realized his greatness only upon his death.

"Raffi" sheds a great deal of light on the social and political situation of Armenia in the last half of the 19th century and how Raffi envisioned addressing these issues. Murad Meneshian has obviously done an amazing amount of research for this book - yet the book is easy to read. Included are descriptions of Raffi's relationships with his family, other Armenian writers and intellectuals, and the clergy including Khrimian Hairig whom Raffi greatly admired.

It also describes the nascent military struggle for Armenian liberation and great power politics, which Raffi addressed in many of his novels and newspaper articles. This book is both enlightening and inspiring.

You can also read translations of some of Raffi's most prominent works including "Khent" (The Fool) translated by Donald Abcarian, "Jalaleddin" also translated by Abcarian, and "Tajkahayk" translated by Ara Stepan Melkonian. All will introduce the reader to an important era in our history and literature.

Murad Meneshian is a retired research chemist and a journalist. Check your local Armenian bookseller and if they don't have "Raffi, The Prophet from Payajuk", you may suggest that they get it. You can also purchase the hard cover book directly from the author, Murad Meneshian, 1612 Executive Lane, Glenview, IL, 60026 (tel 847 729-9546) for $29.95 plus $3.95 for shipping.

Thank you Murad for an outstanding view into this segment of our history and literature.

Joseph Dagdigian Harvard, Mass.