Alexander Minasi Movsisian (Armenian: Ալեքսանդր Մինասի Մովսիսեան; 18 April 1858 – 7 August 1935), better known by his pen name Alexander Shirvanzadeh (Armenian: Ալեքսանդր Շիրվանզադէ) was an Armenian playwright and novelist.
Alexander Movsisian was born on 18 April 1858, into a tailor's family in Shamakhi, the center of the province of Shirvan (then Shemakha Governorate, Russian Empire, modern-day Azerbaijan) and later adopted the Persian-inspired pen-name Shirvanzade ("son of Shirvan"). He brought to fruition the social realist school blossoming in the Caucasus and particularly in Azerbaijan promoted by the philosopher and playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov. At the age of 17, Shirvanzade went to work in the city of Baku, whose fortunes were beginning to rise with the boom in oil production. He immersed himself in Armenian, Azeri and Russian literature as well as reading Stendhal, Balzac, Flaubert, Zola and Shakespeare, his greatest love.
Working first as a clerk and then as an accountant for oil companies, Shirvanzade saw first-hand the social impact of industrialized oil production. He turned his shock and anger into a literature of protest, writing in many genres: novels, plays, short stories, and newspaper articles.
His later literary activities resulted in his imprisonment in Tiflis, an experience which led to his masterpiece, Chaos (1896–97). Returning to Baku, he became increasingly interested in women's issues, as shown in his play Evgine about women's suffrage, and Did She Have the Right? Shirvanzade's concerns with capitalism and feminism fuse in his drama, Namus ("Honor", 1904). In 1916, Maxim Gorky wrote that Shirvanzade's works "were known and read not only in the Caucasus but also in England, in the Scandinavian Peninsula, and Italy."
In his later years, Shirvanzade lived abroad, finally returning permanently to the USSR in 1926 and became a member of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers.[1] He died in Kislovodsk in 1935, and was buried in Komitas Pantheon which is located in the city center of Yerevan.[2]
Stamp of Armenia, 2008
Books
Chaos (1898), a novel describing the life of a large industrial city
Char ogi ("The Evil Spirit"), a novel about an epileptic woman.
Namus (1911), a play about the ill fate of two lovers, who were engaged by their families to each other since childhood, but because of violations of namus (a tradition of honor), the girl was married by her father to another person.
Legacy
Several of Shirvanzade's works were adapted into films in Soviet Armenia: Namus in 1925, Char ogi in 1927, Patvi hamar in 1956, Morgani khnamin ("Morgan's In-law") in 1970, and Chaos in 1973.[3] A street and a school in Yerevan are named after him, as well as a theater in Kapan.[3]
"The esthetic judgment of our people has been corrupted. What we need is a literary periodical that will explain to us what exactly is this thing called literature. "
"The narrow partisan propaganda line that is espoused by our press is the enemy of all literature."
"You cannot be both a writer and a political activist. Those who say you can, have no conception of what literature really is."
Bibliography
From the collection of the Library of Congress, Washington, DC:
^Alexander's memorial tombstone at Komitas Pantheon
^ abTamrazyan, H. (1982). "Shirvanzade Alekʻsandr". In Hambardzumyan, Viktor (ed.). Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia (in Armenian). Vol. 8. Yerevan. pp. 517–519.
^Partisan Politics and Literature 2006-02-13 at the Wayback Machine at www15.dht.dk
External links
January 07, 2023
alexander, shirvanzade, alexander, minasi, movsisian, armenian, Ալեքսանդր, Մինասի, Մովսիսեան, april, 1858, august, 1935, better, known, name, armenian, Ալեքսանդր, Շիրվանզադէ, armenian, playwright, novelist, bornalexander, movsisian, 1858, april, 1858shamakhi, . Alexander Minasi Movsisian Armenian Ալեքսանդր Մինասի Մովսիսեան 18 April 1858 7 August 1935 better known by his pen name Alexander Shirvanzadeh Armenian Ալեքսանդր Շիրվանզադէ was an Armenian playwright and novelist Alexander ShirvanzadeBornAlexander Movsisian 1858 04 18 18 April 1858Shamakhi Russian EmpireDied7 August 1935 1935 08 07 aged 77 Kislovodsk Soviet UnionOccupationWriter playwright Contents 1 History 2 Books 3 Legacy 4 Quotes 5 Bibliography 6 Notes 7 External linksHistory EditAlexander Movsisian was born on 18 April 1858 into a tailor s family in Shamakhi the center of the province of Shirvan then Shemakha Governorate Russian Empire modern day Azerbaijan and later adopted the Persian inspired pen name Shirvanzade son of Shirvan He brought to fruition the social realist school blossoming in the Caucasus and particularly in Azerbaijan promoted by the philosopher and playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov At the age of 17 Shirvanzade went to work in the city of Baku whose fortunes were beginning to rise with the boom in oil production He immersed himself in Armenian Azeri and Russian literature as well as reading Stendhal Balzac Flaubert Zola and Shakespeare his greatest love Working first as a clerk and then as an accountant for oil companies Shirvanzade saw first hand the social impact of industrialized oil production He turned his shock and anger into a literature of protest writing in many genres novels plays short stories and newspaper articles His later literary activities resulted in his imprisonment in Tiflis an experience which led to his masterpiece Chaos 1896 97 Returning to Baku he became increasingly interested in women s issues as shown in his play Evgine about women s suffrage and Did She Have the Right Shirvanzade s concerns with capitalism and feminism fuse in his drama Namus Honor 1904 In 1916 Maxim Gorky wrote that Shirvanzade s works were known and read not only in the Caucasus but also in England in the Scandinavian Peninsula and Italy In his later years Shirvanzade lived abroad finally returning permanently to the USSR in 1926 and became a member of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers 1 He died in Kislovodsk in 1935 and was buried in Komitas Pantheon which is located in the city center of Yerevan 2 Stamp of Armenia 2008Books EditChaos 1898 a novel describing the life of a large industrial city Char ogi The Evil Spirit a novel about an epileptic woman Namus 1911 a play about the ill fate of two lovers who were engaged by their families to each other since childhood but because of violations of namus a tradition of honor the girl was married by her father to another person Legacy EditSeveral of Shirvanzade s works were adapted into films in Soviet Armenia Namus in 1925 Char ogi in 1927 Patvi hamar in 1956 Morgani khnamin Morgan s In law in 1970 and Chaos in 1973 3 A street and a school in Yerevan are named after him as well as a theater in Kapan 3 Quotes EditSource Ara Baliozian 4 The esthetic judgment of our people has been corrupted What we need is a literary periodical that will explain to us what exactly is this thing called literature The narrow partisan propaganda line that is espoused by our press is the enemy of all literature You cannot be both a writer and a political activist Those who say you can have no conception of what literature really is Bibliography EditFrom the collection of the Library of Congress Washington DC Artiste 1924 Char ogi Namus Patwi hamar 1979 Erker hing hatorov Collected works 5 volumes 1986 1988 Erker 1983 Erkeri zhoghovatsu tase hatorov 1959 Evil spirit a play Translated from the Armenian Char ogi by Nishan Parlakian 1980 ISBN 0 934728 01 1 For the sake of honor Translated from Badvi hamar and with an introd by Nishan Parlakian 1976 Erkeri liakatar zhoghovatsu 1934 Iz za chesti 1941 Izbrannoe 1947 1949 1952 Kʻaos vep 1956 Melania vepik kovkasean irakan keankʻitsʻ 1938 Sobranie sochineniĭ 3 volumes 1957 Tsʻawagare 1958 Verjin shatruane senario 1937 Yōtʻ patmuatskʻner 1920 Notes Edit the Union of Azerbaijani Writers Alexander s memorial tombstone at Komitas Pantheon a b Tamrazyan H 1982 Shirvanzade Alekʻsandr In Hambardzumyan Viktor ed Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia in Armenian Vol 8 Yerevan pp 517 519 Partisan Politics and Literature Archived 2006 02 13 at the Wayback Machine at www15 dht dkExternal links Edit Alexander Shirvanzade Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander Shirvanzade amp oldid 1106565220, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
