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Samuel (novel)

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Samuel
Cover of the 2010 French edition
AuthorRaffi
LanguageArmenian
GenreHistorical novel
Publication date
1886; separate edition 1888
Media typePrint
Pages749 (1888 edition)
Original text
Samuel at Armenian Wikisource

Samuel (Armenian: Սամվել, romanized: Samvel, pre-reform orthography: Սամուէլ) is an 1886 Armenian-language historical novel by the novelist Raffi. Considered by some critics his most successful work, the plot centres on the killing of the fourth-century prince Vahan Mamikonian and his wife by their son Samuel.[1][2][3] It was first published in parts in the Tiflis newspaper Ardzagank’ in 1886–87 and released as a separate edition in 1888.[4]

Background

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Raffi wrote Samuel as a response to the closing of Armenian schools in the Russian Empire in 1885.[3][4] He saw this move as an attack against the Armenian language and therefore "an attack on the very essence of the Armenian ethos and the sole bond of unity for a nation in dispersion". Raffi drew parallels between the current situation and the invasion of Armenia by Sasanian Iran in the fourth century, depicting an attempt to destroy Armenian culture and language by a foreign invader.[3] He based his story on the historical figure of Samuel Mamikonian, who is mentioned in a few brief lines in the old Armenian histories of Faustus of Byzantium and Movses Khorenatsi.[1][3] Samuel killed his father, Vahan Mamikonian, and his mother for apostasy.[1][3] In order to depict fourth-century Armenia, Raffi relied on Armenian sources, his imagination, and his impressions from his travels to remote parts of Armenia, where, he supposed, less change would have occurred over the centuries.[3]

Plot

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The story takes place during the war between Armenia and Persia in the fourth century. At the fortress of Voghakan in Taron, two messengers arrive, one for Samuel Mamikonian, and the other for his mother Tachatuhi. Samuel learns that the Armenian king Arshak has been imprisoned in Persia and his uncle executed, and that his father Vahan Mamikonian and his maternal uncle Meruzhan Artsruni have renounced Christianity and been promised positions of sparapet (chief general) and king of Armenia, respectively, by the Persian king. Samuel is deeply disturbed by this news, while his mother is pleased. Samuel reveals the news to his cousin Mushegh, and they swear to protect Armenia from the Persians and take revenge for Samuel's father's betrayal. They realize that the plan of the Persian king is to destroy the Armenian kingdom, language and religion with the help of Vahan Mamikonian and Meruzhan Artsruni. Samuel is warned by the Persian princess Vormizdukht, his father's second wife, that the Persian army including his father will approach Armenia through Rshtunik, where Samuel's beloved Ashkhen is located. Samuel sets out for Rshtunik.

Samuel wishes to warn Garegin, the ruler of Rshtunik and Ashkhen’s father, about the approach of the Persian army, but he arrives to find his fortress destroyed and Ashkhen’s mother Hamazaspuhi taken prisoner. Samuel and Ashkhen find each other, and Ashkhen encourages him to go fight for his homeland rather than stay with her. Meanwhile, Garegin’s troops attack the city of Van, where Hamazaspuhi is being held prisoner. Vahan Mamikonian, who is Hamazaspuhi’s uncle, orders her execution after she refuses to accept Zoroastrianism. The Rshtuni troops take Van while Vahan and Meruzhan flee, and Samuel enters the city to see Hamazaspuhi’s naked body hung from a tower.

Meruzhan goes to Hadamakert, the Artsruni capital. However, he is refused entry by his mother, who refuses to renounce Christianity and persuades Meruzhan’s wife to join her. Meruzhan leaves shaken, and it is revealed that his motivation for his betrayal is his love for the sister of the Persian king. The Persian army arrives in Armenia, destroying cities and committing atrocities. They are attacked and defeated by Mushegh Mamikonian’s forces. Mushegh returns the Persian king’s harem, but he takes his sister Vormizdukht as prisoner and sends her to the fortress of Artagers, where the Armenian queen Parandzem has taken refuge. Mushegh is sent by Parandzem to Byzantium to bring back the heir to the throne, Pap. Meruzhan arrives and besieges Artagers for months, while most of the defenders die from plague. Meruzhan takes the fortress and Parandzem is sent as a captive to Persia. However, he is rejected by Vormizdukht.

Samuel, who had fallen ill since the events at Van, recovers and goes to meet his father and uncle. Vahan joyfully receives his son but is warned in a letter from Tachatuhi that Samuel is not to be completely trusted. While at the Persian camp, Samuel witnesses the burning of the Church’s texts and sees some Armenian prisoners massacred and others deported to Persia. The Persian camp goes hunting by the River Araxes, and Samuel and his father are eventually left alone on an island in the river. Vahan explains his plans for his son, but Samuel finally reveals his opposition to his father, telling him that his actions will lead to the destruction of the Armenian nation. After an argument, the two renounce each other, and Samuel kills his father with a blow to the heart. Samuel then signals for his troops to attack the Persian army. Meruzhan is wounded in the leg but manages to flee.

An army of Armenian mountaineers led by Meruzhan’s mother arrives and surrounds the Persian army. After a final attempt at negotiations is rebuffed by Meruzhan, a battle ensues in which Samuel and his companions take part. Meruzhan leads his forces despite being weakened from his wound. The Armenians emerge victorious, and Samuel spares a half-dead Meruzhan after the battle. After autumn and winter have passed, Samuel returns to Voghakan to find his mother celebrating the Persian new year. He tells her to put out the fire in the fire temple she has constructed over the destroyed Mamikonian church. When she refuses, Samuel kills her with his sword.

Translations

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  • English: Translated by Tashjian, J. The Armenian Review, Winter, 1948, 131–39; Spring, 1948, 144–58; Summer, 1948, 143–58; Autumn, 1948, 143–57; Spring, 1949, 142– 57; Summer, 1949, 142–55; Autumn, 1949, 142–5; Winter, 1949–50, 136–51; Spring, 1950, 135–54; Summer, 1950, 139–56; Autumn, 1950, 140–55; Winter, 1950–51, 131–55. Spring, 1951, 146–55; Summer, 1951, 138–55; Autumn, 1951, 146–58; Winter, 1951, 142–55.[3]
  • French:
    • Samouël. 2 vols. Translated by Altiar and Kibarian. Paris: Editions de La vraie France. 1924.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)[5]
    • Samuel. Translated by Kibarian, Haïg-Aram; Avédissian, Jean-Jacques. Editions Thaddée. 2010.[6] (Reprinted in 2014.)[7]
  • Russian:
    • Samuėl: Istoricheskiĭ roman Самуэл: Исторический роман. Translated by Ter-Karapetova, A; Revant͡si͡an, I. V. Moskva: Goslitizdat. 1946.
    • Samvel: Istoricheskiĭ roman 364-400 Самвел: Исторический роман 364-400. Translated by Dubrovina, A. N.; Kusikʹi͡an, I. K. Erevan: Armi͡anskoe gosudarstvennoe izdatelʹstvo. 1958. (Reprinted in 1959 and 1960.)
    • Samvel: Istoricheskiĭ roman 364-400 Самвел: Исторический роман 364-400. Translation and notes by N. Khachaturi͡an. Erevan: Sovetakan grokh. 1982.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)[3]
  • Bulgarian: Samvel: Istoricheski roman 364-400 Самвел: Истoрически роман 364-400. Translated by Ormandzhii͡an, Agop. Sofia: Narodna kultura. 1982.[8]
  • Estonian: Samuel: ajalooline romaan. Translated from the 1946 Russian edition by E. Hange. Talinn: Ilukirjandus ja Kunst. 1948.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)[9]
  • Ukrainian: Samvel. Istorychnyǐ roman (364-400 rr.) Самвел. Історичний роман (364-400 рр.). Translated by Boz͡hko, Oleksandr. Kyïv: Veselka. 1989.[10]
  • Latvian: Samvels: Vēsturisks romāns 364-400. Translated by Talce, Nora. Riga: Liesma. 1974.[11]
  • Romanian: Samvel: roman istoric 364-400. Translated by Poladian Ghenea, Meliné. Bucureşti: RAO. 2000. ISBN 978-9-73-946074-3.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hacikyan, Agop J.; et al., eds. (2005). The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the Eighteenth Century to Modern Times. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. p. 96. ISBN 0-8143-3221-8. Raffi devoted more time to his next novel, Samuel (1884), and this may be why it is his most successful work. [...] Raffi selects a powerful theme, the killing of fourth-century Prince Vahan Mamikonian and his wife by their son Samuel.
  2. ^ Sarkisyanz, Manuel (1975). A Modern History of Transcaucasian Armenia: Social, Cultural and Political. Udyama Commercial Press. ISBN 9789004059115. Raffi's 'Samuel' can compare with such historical novels as 'The Last Days of Pompeii' by Lytton and 'Ein Kampf um Rom' by Felix Dahn. The author regretted that old Armenian historiography gave little attention to the people and that the[...]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Bardakjian, Kevork B. (2000). A Reference Guide to Modern Armenian Literature, 1500–1920: With an Introductory History. Wayne State University Press. pp. 146–148, 474. ISBN 9780814327470. Raffi expanded this act of patricide into an extensive novel cast against the background of a massive Persian campaign to supplant the native tongue and culture with their own.
  4. ^ a b Petrosyan, Eghishe (1959). Raffi: kyankʻě ev gortsuneutʻyuně Րաֆֆի: կյանքը և ստեղծագործությունը [Raffi: Life and Work] (PDF) (in Armenian). Erevan: Haypethrat. pp. 81–84. OCLC 573656871.
  5. ^ Raffi (1924). Samouël; roman historique (364-400). Paris: Editions de La vraie France – via HathiTrust Digital Library.
  6. ^ Raffi (2010). Samuel: roman historique (364-400) (in French). Editions Thaddée. ISBN 978-2-919131-01-3 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Raffi (2014). Samuel: roman historique (364-400) (in French). Ed. Thaddée. ISBN 978-2-919131-21-1 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Самвел : Истoрически роман 364-400 / Раффи (авт. предисл.); Пер. с арм. Агоп Орманджиян". Union Catalog of Armenian Libraries. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Samuel: ajalooline romaan". Antikvariaat.eu (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Samvel : istorychnyĭ roman (364-400 rr.)". Neos.library.ualberta.ca. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Samvels : Vesturisks romans : 364-400 / Rafi ; [trl. Nora Talce]". Union Catalog of Armenian Libraries. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Samvel : roman istoric : 364-400". Worldcat. Retrieved 22 September 2023.


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