History Of Armenian Literature

Armenian written literature originated almost 16 centuries ago with the invention of the Armenian alphabet. This anthology, translated into English, takes a comprehensive approach to capturing the essence of of the literature of the entire period covered.

The second volume of The Heritage of Armenian Literature continues the highly acclaimed and monumental project of presenting Armenia's literary treasures to an English-speaking audience. Nowhere else can students and general readers easily find a comprehensive, English-language guide to these masterpieces, complete with important background information and vivid, accurate translations of key sample passages. Volume 2 takes readers through the medieval period up to the eighteenth century. As in the previous volume, the editors here offer a wide and varied range of readings that encompasses the literary panorama of this ancient civilization. They situate each work as extensively as possible within its theological, historical, and philosophical contexts, while highlighting aspects that will be meaningful to readers in light of modern scholarship.

A comprehensive guide to Armenian writers and literature spanning five centuries. Combining features of a reference work, bibliographic guide, and literary history, it records the output of almost 400 authors who wrote both in Armenia and in the communities of the Armenian diaspora. Presents a general history of the literature, with chapters devoted to a single century and prefaced by information on the era's social, cultural, and religious milieus; followed by a section of biobibliographical entries for Armenian authors, a section of bibliographies and reference works, and a listing of anthologies of literature both in Armenian and in translation. Includes references to earlier authors and to sources of influence, both Armenian and non-Armenian. A final section contains bibliographies devoted to particular genres and periods, such as minstrels, folklore, and prosody. A thematic discussion of the works of more than 150 poets, historians, monks, and others highlights the themes that captured the imagination of Armenian authors.--From publisher description.

"The twelve essays in this volume focus on how Armenians have been viewed by others and by themselves in various periods and in differing relationships from ancient to modern times. The authors specialize in the disciplines of history, language, literature, art history, sociology, and psychology. Underlying their different approaches is the common thread of the Armenian historical experience. The volume is edited by Richard G. Hovannisian, Professor of Armenian and Near Eastern History and Associate Director of the G. E. von Grunebaum Center for Near Eastern Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles."--Dust jacket.

There is a great deal of interest in the history of Armenia since its renewed independence in the 1990s and the ongoing debate about the genocide - an interest that informs the strong desire of a new generation of Armenian Americans to learn more about their heritage and has led to greater solidarity in the community. By integrating themes such as war, geopolitics, and great leaders, with the less familiar cultural themes and personal stories, this book will appeal to general readers and travellers interested in the region.