Arpiar Arparian as an Object of A. Chopanyan’s Criticism
Arpiar Arparian as an Object of A. Chopanyan’s Criticism
Balayan Naira
Summary
Key words: social and political life, national-literary controversy, irony, plagiarism, literary influence, aesthetic value, national spirit, airenes
To clarify the origins of literary and national-public disagreements with Arpiarian and to dispel rumors about him, A. Chopanyan published a series of extensive articles in the magazine Anahit between 1901 and 1907. These articles – “Arpiar Arpiarian”, “Arpiarian the Politician”, “Arpiarian the Aesthete”, and “Around Nahapet Kuchak” – served to illuminate his political and cultural views.
The material for this article was also enriched by other writings on the subject, which not only provide valuable information about the activities of A. Chopanyan and A. Arpiarian, but also shed light on the complex issues of the time.
The article reveals heterogeneous problems in the discussion between Chopanian and Arpiarian, related to various facts of their biography, as well as political, cultural events and figures of the time, national-patriotic perceptions, artistic and literary issues, etc.
Based on the debates of Chopanyan and Arpiarian, the paper identifies a variety of issues related both to the facts of their biography, political and social events, personalities of the time, as well as national-patriotic views, artistic and literary issues. In this context, their behaviour and position on the issues under discussion are identified and highlighted. It is noteworthy that while Arshak Chopanyan often exhibited critical honesty, he also displayed a subjective and ironic stance toward Arpiar Arpiarian, frequently questioning the latter’s literary and critical abilities.