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The Fool: Events from the Last Russo-Turkish War (1877-78)
Set at the time of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78, "The Fool" provides invaluable glimpses into social conditions in western Armenia at the time. It portrays the development of an Armenian civil rights movement in Ottoman Turkey.
"The Fool" is an account of a heroic struggle to defend ordinary people from the depredations and avarice of Ottoman authorities, neighboring peoples, and a corrupt Armenian establishment. It is the story of a revolutionary struggle to establish a just and civil society in Armenia.
This historical novel has served as an "I have a dream" speech for generations of Armenians.
In the course of a romantic and hopeful novel, Raffi depicts in detail the way of life of Armenian peasants, their psychology, and the conditions under which they survived. He also portrays the central ideas that fuelled Armenian radical intellectuals of the day.
"The Fool" is arguably the single most important work of literature dealing with the Armenian Question in Ottoman Turkey. Raffi depicts many of the actual figures and settings involved in the events of the time. The classical clarity and drama of its dialogue, the Armenian aphorisms that play such an important role throughout the story, the philosophical depth and moral passion embodied in it all make this novel a remarkable encounter with one of the greatest creative minds in modern Armenian history.
Donald Abcarian's new translation includes extensive notes and a glossary.
228 pages, Perfect Paperback
First published January 1, 1880
About the author
Րաֆֆի
29 books79 followersHakob Melik Hakobian (Armenian: Յակոբ Մելիք-Յակոբեան), better known by his pen name Raffi (Armenian: Րաֆֆի), is a renowned Armenian author born in 1835 in Payajouk, an Armenian village situated in the Salmas province (presently in the north of Iran, near Lake Ourmia) in Persia. He died in 1888 in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi). Raffi is a prominent figure of Armenian literature.His father, a wealthy merchant and farmer, belonged to the local bourgeoisie. Thus, Raffi’s financial situation, along with his being the eldest of a large family of 13 children, allowed him to benefit from a high quality education.
His education began at Ter Todik, his village's school, which was known for its strictness and punishment methods. Raffi described and denounced these methods in one of his novels, Kaytzer. At the age of 12, Raffi was sent by his father to continue his secondary education at a boarding school in Tiflis, away from his native land.
Tombstone of Raffi at the Armenian Pantheon of TbilisiTiflis, today known as Tbilisi, was at the time one of the largest Armenian intellectual centers. Alas, due to the degradation of his father’s financial affairs, Raffi was forced to return to his native country. It was at this point that he began teaching Armenian language and history in the Aramian school in Tabriz, the Augoulis school in the Nakhitchevan region and, later on, in Tiflis.
Throughout his life, Raffi took many trips to the villages and provinces of Eastern and Western Armenia. Wherever he visited, he became aware of the daily misery experienced by the unarmed Armenian population, who lived in constant terror of the Turks and Kurds. Raffi, like other Armenian intellectuals, was convinced that it was not viable to continue living thus. He would thereafter seek to deeply transform Armenian society. In order to do so, it was necessary for him to make the people themselves aware of the tragic reality in which they lived.
Raffi was a prolific writer. His works were published in the magazines Mshak and Ardzakank. His main work, The Fool, first appeared in series in the magazine Mshak, (an Armenian journal founded by Grigor Artsruni in 1872) and was a great success. Mshak played an important role in awakening the Armenian people from the lethargy that had overcome the majority of them since the loss of Armenian independence at the end of the 14th century. Raffi’s patriotic text was read by virtually all Armenian youth of the time. In his novels, Raffi depicted characters of national heroes and Armenian revolutionaries. In fact, there is a well-known Armenian phrase that goes: "there are no Armenian freedom fighters (Feddayines) that have not read Raffi."
Raffi considered that teaching the population the Armenian language was a fundamental and vital measure. He used various methods (the press, novels, teaching) to improve the education of the Armenian commoners.
Raffi died in 1888 in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi), and his funeral attracted a huge crowd. He is buried in the Pantheon of Armenians at the Khodjivank cemetery in Tbilisi, where Hovhannes Tumanian, Gabriel Sundukian, Ghazaros Aghayan and Grigor Artsruni are also buried.
Presently, there is a school as well as a street named after Raffi in Yerevan, Armenia. His works were translated in several languages.
His education began at Ter Todik, his village's school, which was known for its strictness and punishment methods. Raffi described and denounced these methods in one of his novels, Kaytzer. At the age of 12, Raffi was sent by his father to continue his secondary education at a boarding school in Tiflis, away from his native land.
Tombstone of Raffi at the Armenian Pantheon of TbilisiTiflis, today known as Tbilisi, was at the time one of the largest Armenian intellectual centers. Alas, due to the degradation of his father’s financial affairs, Raffi was forced to return to his native country. It was at this point that he began teaching Armenian language and history in the Aramian school in Tabriz, the Augoulis school in the Nakhitchevan region and, later on, in Tiflis.
Throughout his life, Raffi took many trips to the villages and provinces of Eastern and Western Armenia. Wherever he visited, he became aware of the daily misery experienced by the unarmed Armenian population, who lived in constant terror of the Turks and Kurds. Raffi, like other Armenian intellectuals, was convinced that it was not viable to continue living thus. He would thereafter seek to deeply transform Armenian society. In order to do so, it was necessary for him to make the people themselves aware of the tragic reality in which they lived.
Raffi was a prolific writer. His works were published in the magazines Mshak and Ardzakank. His main work, The Fool, first appeared in series in the magazine Mshak, (an Armenian journal founded by Grigor Artsruni in 1872) and was a great success. Mshak played an important role in awakening the Armenian people from the lethargy that had overcome the majority of them since the loss of Armenian independence at the end of the 14th century. Raffi’s patriotic text was read by virtually all Armenian youth of the time. In his novels, Raffi depicted characters of national heroes and Armenian revolutionaries. In fact, there is a well-known Armenian phrase that goes: "there are no Armenian freedom fighters (Feddayines) that have not read Raffi."
Raffi considered that teaching the population the Armenian language was a fundamental and vital measure. He used various methods (the press, novels, teaching) to improve the education of the Armenian commoners.
Raffi died in 1888 in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi), and his funeral attracted a huge crowd. He is buried in the Pantheon of Armenians at the Khodjivank cemetery in Tbilisi, where Hovhannes Tumanian, Gabriel Sundukian, Ghazaros Aghayan and Grigor Artsruni are also buried.
Presently, there is a school as well as a street named after Raffi in Yerevan, Armenia. His works were translated in several languages.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 5, 2026
Oh, what butchery!
The Fool is based on the bloody events which followed in the aftermath of the war of 1877 between Turkey and Russia. In a word, it's about the butchery which was the prelude to the Armenian genocide of 1915.
The story focuses on a village, a family and an idealist named Vartan.
They call him the 'fool'. Vartan is a passionate patriot who keeps encouraging the peasants to arm themselves and die fighting as opposed to a hopeless surrender of their women, belongings and their own lives.
Accept the predetermined fate for the calm and honest craftsman Armenian which is death and annihilation or fight, that is the question.
But one of their number shed no tears. His heart was filled with indignation, not against those
who were burning and slaying, but against those who were letting themselves be slaughtered like
sheep. "Look, look!", he exclaimed. "In all that city you do not see a man who raises his hand
against his slayer. What more can be done to a man to move him to passionate resistance? They
have burned his house before his eyes; they have roasted his children; they have dragged away
his wife and his daughters; the man has seen all this but he humbly bows his head to receive the
stroke of the sword! Curse you, fellow! You also are a man. Kill some of them yourself first and
die fighting!"
The Fool is based on the bloody events which followed in the aftermath of the war of 1877 between Turkey and Russia. In a word, it's about the butchery which was the prelude to the Armenian genocide of 1915.
The story focuses on a village, a family and an idealist named Vartan.
They call him the 'fool'. Vartan is a passionate patriot who keeps encouraging the peasants to arm themselves and die fighting as opposed to a hopeless surrender of their women, belongings and their own lives.
Accept the predetermined fate for the calm and honest craftsman Armenian which is death and annihilation or fight, that is the question.
But one of their number shed no tears. His heart was filled with indignation, not against those
who were burning and slaying, but against those who were letting themselves be slaughtered like
sheep. "Look, look!", he exclaimed. "In all that city you do not see a man who raises his hand
against his slayer. What more can be done to a man to move him to passionate resistance? They
have burned his house before his eyes; they have roasted his children; they have dragged away
his wife and his daughters; the man has seen all this but he humbly bows his head to receive the
stroke of the sword! Curse you, fellow! You also are a man. Kill some of them yourself first and
die fighting!"
November 17, 2016
The comments on the back of the printing of the book that I read refer to this as a "hopeful" novel. Hopeful!?! In this novel, Raffi Cavoukian describes the conditions under which the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were forced to live in the late 19th century. While many people are now aware of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and a smaller number of people are aware of the mass slaughters of Armenians which occurred in the Ottoman Empire at various times previous to the final genocide, not too many people are aware of what life was like for Armenians in most places in the empire prior to that. The Ottoman government was corrupt. The government was not being run for the benefit of the people, it was being run for the benefit of each administrator at whatever location and level he happened to be. At each level, the administrators took whatever they could from the people they governed and for those at the bottom, they had nobody to turn to. They were taxed well past the limit by the Turks. They were attacked and robbed by the Kurds, who were then protected by the Turks because the Kurds shared their takings with them. The Armenians were only allowed to live because they were the ones who were doing the work which allowed the Turks and the Kurds to eat. This is not a hopeful book! If you like happy endings, don't expect one here.
Read
February 19, 2021For 1880 this is quite a novel. There is a gripping storyline that places the characters in challenging personal dilemmas, their actions and decisions bend the course of events in a (mostly) agreeable degree of realisticness, and these stories are placed in the broader social, economic and political context of a very tense multiracial border province on the eve of the 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War. The Bayezid massacre looms in the background, there are borrowings from the real-life events of the time, but the storyline draws more heavily on fictional characters to build its message. In particular, I have Tomas Efendi in my mind. He's the main load-bearing column behind the message "the handle of the ax is made of the tree," but I doubt if one could find such a mültezim (tax-farmer) within the ranks of the Empire's officials at the time. Tomas Efendi is more like a lesser tahsildar than a mültezim. Tax farmers would have a much different relationship with their creditors, other local bureaucrats of the state, and the Kurdish tribes living in the region. You would expect them to be bigger men wielding greater power over the people. But Tomas's power is both too much on ordinary peasants of the village O..., and too little in the general picture to be a mültezim. But this is detail.
From the standpoint of ideas and general outlook, I don't think the book has much to offer to the 21st century. It would not be very wise to take Raffi's views uncritically and think as he does about Armenians, Kurds, Turks, and their shared history and political life. Raffi's outlook casts these communities as blocks of rock that are existential enemies of one another and he cannot conceive anything other than a zero-sum total adversary between them --much like how the Young Turk government of forty years later thought about these communities. (It is remarkable that an Armenian character suggests Bible-style total extermination of Turks and Kurds as a solution to all problems suffered by Armenians. Similarly, all Kurds and Turks have vanished from the futuristic dream-fantasy offered at the very end. Armenians kind of assimilate them into Christianity and civilization.) It is not easy to talk about an alternative outlook given everything that took place "after" this book was written, but I still think it is not wise from a political standpoint to look at politics and history this way because then the specific and sui-generis nature of all these chapters goes out of the window. If we are in an ages-old total war, what is there to talk or read about? If the explanations for political actions are to be derived solely from the actors' supposed racial dispositions, what is there to analyze? Why bother with looking for reasons, keeping track of processes, identifying significant moments within those processes? Armenian is so-and-so, Kurd is so-and-so... That's why I don't think this book offers much to our times. It does not equip the reader with the best tools to face today's political realities that are different from the late 19th century. But I am also guessing that the generic reaction of Armenians to this novel, especially after the recent war in Karabagh would be something along the lines of "See, nothing ever changes!"
From the standpoint of ideas and general outlook, I don't think the book has much to offer to the 21st century. It would not be very wise to take Raffi's views uncritically and think as he does about Armenians, Kurds, Turks, and their shared history and political life. Raffi's outlook casts these communities as blocks of rock that are existential enemies of one another and he cannot conceive anything other than a zero-sum total adversary between them --much like how the Young Turk government of forty years later thought about these communities. (It is remarkable that an Armenian character suggests Bible-style total extermination of Turks and Kurds as a solution to all problems suffered by Armenians. Similarly, all Kurds and Turks have vanished from the futuristic dream-fantasy offered at the very end. Armenians kind of assimilate them into Christianity and civilization.) It is not easy to talk about an alternative outlook given everything that took place "after" this book was written, but I still think it is not wise from a political standpoint to look at politics and history this way because then the specific and sui-generis nature of all these chapters goes out of the window. If we are in an ages-old total war, what is there to talk or read about? If the explanations for political actions are to be derived solely from the actors' supposed racial dispositions, what is there to analyze? Why bother with looking for reasons, keeping track of processes, identifying significant moments within those processes? Armenian is so-and-so, Kurd is so-and-so... That's why I don't think this book offers much to our times. It does not equip the reader with the best tools to face today's political realities that are different from the late 19th century. But I am also guessing that the generic reaction of Armenians to this novel, especially after the recent war in Karabagh would be something along the lines of "See, nothing ever changes!"
December 5, 2020
After reading the novellas Jalaleddin and Harem, I was impatient to read another story by Raffi, this time a novel.
I really enjoyed this book, unfairly unknown out of Armenian circles. It has for me all the attributes of a classic:
- a well-written, captivating story
- endearing characters
- entwined human relationships astutely described
- a setting that takes us to a particular time and place, yet the truths emerging have an everlasting reach.
140 years after being published, this book is all the more relevant in light of the recent events in Artsakh.
Thanks to Sophene for making it available in English to a broader public.
I really enjoyed this book, unfairly unknown out of Armenian circles. It has for me all the attributes of a classic:
- a well-written, captivating story
- endearing characters
- entwined human relationships astutely described
- a setting that takes us to a particular time and place, yet the truths emerging have an everlasting reach.
140 years after being published, this book is all the more relevant in light of the recent events in Artsakh.
Thanks to Sophene for making it available in English to a broader public.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2015
Րաֆֆից "Սամվել"-ն էի միայն կարդացել։ Ասեմ, որ սա անհամեմատ ավելի շատ հավանեցի թե՛ բովանդակության, թե՛ հեղինակի մատուցած լեզվի տեսանկյունից։ Բացի պատմության ամփոփումից, վեպում առկա էին նաև մարդու հոգեբանությանը բնորոշ շատ ցածրորակ և ճղճիմ անկյուններ, որոնք իհարկե պահպանվել են ցայժմ։
Գիրքը կարդացվեց բավականին արագ և կարծես թե առանց ձանձրույթի զգացման։
Գիրքը կարդացվեց բավականին արագ և կարծես թե առանց ձանձրույթի զգացման։
April 15, 2020
Մի տեսակ Սամվելն ավելի սիրեցի։Սկզբից մտածում էի,որ Սամվելը հաստատ չեմ սիրելու,բայց արի ու տես,որ էն ավելի շատ գրավեց։)
February 6, 2012
1877–78 թթ-ի ռուս-թուրքական պատերազմի տարիներին նկատելի աշխուժացել էր հայ ազգային-ազատագրական շարժումը: Շատերը լիահույս էին, որ ռուսների հաղթանակով Արևմտյան Հայաստանը կազատագրվի թուրքական լծից: Րաֆֆին, սակայն, համոզված էր, որ ամեն ազգ իր ազատությունը պետք է նվաճի սեփական ուժերով: Վերլուծելով ազատագրական շարժման իրական հանգամանքները և միանգամայն ապարդյուն համարելով Հայկական հարցի լուծման եվրոպական դիվանագիտության ուղին, Րաֆֆին առաջադրում է ազգային-ազատագրական պայքարի գաղափարը, զինված ապստամբությունը: Այս գաղափարները մարմնավորեց և նրա այս ծրագրի գեղարվեստական արտահայտությունը հանդիսացավ «Խենթը» (1881) վեպը:
Վեպը սկսվում է Բայազետի միջնաբերդի կռվի ու շրջափակման նկարագրությամբ: Հազար հոգիանոց հայ և ռուս զինվորների խումբն ընդդեմ քսան հազարանոց քրդական և թուրքական խառնիճաղանջ գազանային ամբոխի, որ զորք անգամ դժվար է կոչել: Միջնաբերդում չկա ոչ ջուր, ոչ ուտելիք, հիվանդների ու վիրավորների թիվն աճում է, իսկ մոտակա աղբյուրից ջուր բերելու համար ամեն անգամ զոհ են գնում մոտ քսան զինվոր: Միջնաբերդում ամրացած ուժերի ղեկավարն երդվում է Չհանձնվել քանի դեռ կենդանի են: Զինվորների ոգին կոտրվում է ավել, երբ ականատես են լինում, թե ինչպես երեք օր կոտորում են թուրքերը շրջակա հայկական բնակչությանը, գազանաբար հոշոտում, վառում, ամայացնում: Այստեղ է, երբ առաջին անգամ հանդիպում ենք գրքի հերոսին՝ Վարդանին, նույն ինքը՝ խենթին: Նա ոչ թե ցավով այլ կատաղությամբ է նայում ճանճերի պես կոտորվող հայերի բազմությանը, ասելով՝ «Այս ազգը պատվով մեռնել չգիտե»: Այս առաջին խոսքերից հասկանում ենք տարբերությունը նրա մտածելակերպի և մնացածի միջև: Եթե գրավվեր Բայազետի բերդը, ապա թուրքերը արագորեն կմտնեին Երևան:Երբ գալիս է անձնազոհության ժամանակը. պետք էր օգնության մասին նամակը դուրս բերել շրջափակող մահմեդականների օղակից և հասցնել Ռուսական Բանակի հրամանատարին՝ Տեր-Ղուկասովին, որպեսզի վերջինս հասներ օգնության, ապա այդ մահապարտի Խենթ պարտականությունը համարձակվում է իր վրա վերցնել միմիայն Վարդանը: Նա գիժ քուրդ ծաղրածու ձևանալով շրջում և իմանում է թշնամու բանակի մասին ամեն բան, ապա իր նամակն ապահով հասցնում Տեր-Ղուկասովի բանակ:
Րաֆֆին ցուցադրում է հայ ժողովրդի հիմնական խնդիրը՝ նրա թմբիրի մեջ լինելու փաստը: «Երեխայի պես են, դարերով միևնույն հարվածներն են ուտում, միևնույն պատին են դիպցնում գլուխները, միևնույն ցեխի մեջ են գլորվում բայց ոչինչ չեն զգում. այսօրվա պատահածը վաղը մոռանում են», հայերի մեջ արմատացած էր ստրուկի հոգեբանությունը, չկար պայքարի և ոչ մի նշույլ: «Մենք հայ ենք, Աստծո անեծքը գրած է մեր ճակատին. Մենք մեր ձեռքով մեր տունը քանդում ենք: Անմիաբանությունը, երկպառակությունը, նախանձը, թշնամությունը և հազար ու մեկ տեսակ այլ չարություններ շատ ժամանակներից բուն են դրել մեր հոգու մեջ, և մենք կրում ենք այդ մեղքերի պատիժը: Քուրդը մեղավոր չէ, եթե մեր մեջ միություն լիներ քուրդն ինչ կարող էր»: Սակավաթիվ այն երիտասարդները, որ համարձակվում էին դիմադրության կոչ անել ընդդեմ հարստահարիչների ու մարդասպանների, ովքեր քարոզում էին, թե «Այս վիճակում մնում է մեկ բան միայն՝ գայլերից ազատվելու համար պետք է որ մենք էլ գայլերի նման ատամներ ու ճանկեր ունենանք», ժողովրդի կողմից կոչվում էին խենթեր: Բայց ինչպես պատմությունն է վկայում, միայն այդ խենթերի շնորհիվ է հնարավոր առաջխաղացում, վերելք, զարթոնք: Խենթերն են հարթում ճանապարհներ, և խենթերն են, որ ապրեցրել ու ապրեցնում են մեր ժողովրդին: Այդպիսի մի հազվագյուտ հերոս էր Վարդանը, նա խենթ էր: Վարդանը քսանհինգ տարեկան երիտասարդ էր, սև խորունկ աչքերով և հեգնական ժպիտը շուրթերին, ճարպիկ, համարձակ, նրան համարում էին թոկից փախած մարդ, որ «կյանքի ամեն մի մթին խորշ մտել ու դուրս էր եկել»: Վարդանե մաքսանենգ էր, «նա ուներ այդ պարապմունքի համար բոլոր պայմանները՝ արիություն, ճարպկություն, սատանայական խելք», նա ապրանք էր անցկացնում Ռուսաստանից Թուրքիայի տարածք, իսկ իրականում զենք, զինելու համար հայ գյուղացիներին, որ ինքնապաշտպանվեն թուրքերի ու քրդերի դեմ:
Մեկ այլ խենթ էր Միքայել Դուդուկջյանը, նույն ինքը Սալմանը, պոլսեցի մի կիրթ երիտասարդ, ով անձնազոհության գնով պայքար ու ազգային գիտակցություն էր քարոզում: Նա քայլում էր գյուղից գյուղ, փորձում էր դպրոցներ հիմնել և հիմքից ձևափոխել հայ մտածելակերպը, նա շրջում էր թռուցիկներ բաժանելով և բացատրելով, որ «Ազգերի կրթության և ընդունակության համեմատ փոփոխվում են նրանց անձնապաշտպանության զենքերը: Անձնապաշտպանության օրենքները պահանջում են պատասխանել թշնամուն նույն զենքով, ինչ զենքով որ նա ճնշում և մահացնում է մեզ»: Մեկ այլ հեղափոխական էր Մելիք-Մանսուրը, որը չարչի ձևանալով տեղեկատվություն և զենք էր տեղափոխում: Այսպիսով մեր առջև բացվում է ավելի շուտ ազգային զարթոնքի քան թե հեղափոխության համար պայքարող մի քանի երիտասարդներից բաղկացած խմբի գործունեությունը:
Բայազետում Վարդանի հերոսական արարքից հետո, Րաֆֆին հետ է տեղափոխում ընթերցողին մի քանի տարով: Պատերազմը դեռ չի սկսվել։ Ալաշկերտի գա-
վառի Օ. գյուղը ապրում է իր սովորական առօրյայով։ Խաղաղ է նաև տանուտեր Խաչոյի բազմանդամ նահապետական ընտանիքը։ Նրա հարկի տակ հաճախ հավաքվում են երկրի տարբեր կողմերից եկած հայ գործիչներ, որոնք քննարկում են հայ ժողովրդի վիճակը և այդ կացությունից դուրս գալու ուղիները։ Խաղաղությունը, սակայն հարաբերական էր, մի կողմից քուրդերըշ իրենց Ֆաթթահ Բեկի գլխավորությամբ անընդհատ անպատվում ու կողոպտում էին հայերին, մյուս կողմից Թովմաս Էֆենդին, հարկեր հավաքողն, որն չնայած հայ էր, բայց ավելի այլասերված էր քան ցանկացած թուրք «Հայը, ավելի քան օտարը, ինքն է իր թշնամին»: Տանուտեր Խաչոյի տանն էին հյուրընկալվել Վարդանը և Պարոն Սալմանը, նրա երկւո տղաների մեջ գտնելով համախոհներ: Այս տանը տեղի ունեցող քննարկումները շատ հատկանշական են. կապված Սալմանի և Վարդանի գործունեության հետ Ծերունի Խաչոն, արտահայտելով հայ գյուղացիության ընդհանուր ձայնը, այսպես է արտահայտվում«Հիմա, որդի, հողը պատրաստ չէ, ժողովուրդը պատրաստ չէ»:Գիշերներ տևող խոսակցությունների միջոցով Րաֆֆին արտահայտում է մի ամբողջ գաղափարախոսություն, առաջ է բերում ամենահրատապ խնդիրները և առաջարկում է բոլորին միայն մեկ լուծում ՝ պայքար, դիմադրություն. «Երջանիկ է այն ժողովուրդը, որ ատել գիտե: Նա, ով ատել չգիտե, զուրկ է մնում սիրո զգացումից»: Րաֆֆին չափազանց դեմ է գրում նաև եկեղեցու կողմից քարոզված համբերության, հնազանդության ու թուլության գաղափարներին.Սալմանի բերանով նա ասում է. «Համբերությունը մահ է... գերեզմանի մեջ է միայն մարդ համբերող դառնում: Մեր տանուտերերը, մեր վարդապետները մեզ համբերություն են քարոզում - շարունակեց նա մաղձոտ ձայնով,- Ախար նրանք քանդեցին մեր տունը և ասյ ստրկական վիճակին հասցրին մեզ: Եթե կա մի բան, որ կարող է փրկել հարստահարված և ճնշված ժողովուրդներին, դա է ՝- բողոքը, ինչ կերպով և հայտնվելու լիներ նա: Դժգոհությունը, տրտունջը և իր վիճակից մի ավելի բարեբախտ վիճակի ցանկանալը՝- ահա այն փրկարար շարժառիթները, որ կարող են ազատել մեզ ստրկւոթյունից: Բայց համբերության մեջ խեղդվում են, մահանում են այս տեսակ բարձր ձգտումները...
Ծերունու մյուս որդիները ոչինչ չհասկացան և ասեցին. ահա մի ուրիշ խենթ ևս»: Ներկա է գրքում նաև կնոջ դերի մասնի առաջադեմ պատկերացումներ, օրիորդաց դպրոցների անհրաժեշտության թեման է արծարծված «Ոչինչ վերանորոգություն մի ժողովրդի կյանքում չէ կարելի կատարել առանց կնոջ մասնակցության: Եթե մեր ժողովուրդը մնացել է անշարժ, դրա գլխավոր պատճառը այն է, որ կինը չէ մասնակցում հասարակական գործերի մեջ»:
Տանուտեր Խաչոյի զավակներից կրտսերը գեղեցիկ Լալան էր, որին տղայի զգեստներ հագցնում և Ստեփանիկ են անվանում։ Նրա աղջիկ լինելը թաքցնում են՝ քրդերի չար նկրտումներից հեռու պահելու համար։ Լալայի աղջիկ լինելը գիտեր և նրա վրա աչք ուներ Ֆաթթահ բեկը և Թովմաս էֆենդին։ Վերջինս էլ դառնում է տանուտեր Խաչոյի բարեկեցիկ ընտանիքի քայքայման պատճառը։ Այսպես է նկարագրում Րաֆֆին այս գազանների սերը «Ամբողջ տիեզերքի մեջ չկա մի բան, որ այնպես խոնարհեցնի մարդկանց, որքան սերը: Մարդկության ամենասարսափելի հրեշները, որոնցից դղրդում են աշխարհները, որոնք ներկում են արյունով երկրները, որ ահուդողի մեջ են պահում ազգերը, - խոնարհվում, ծնկի են գալիս սիրած կնոջ առաջ: Միայն այստեղ նրանք մարդ են, մարդկային են»: Լալա-Ստեփանիկի աղջիկ լինելը գիտեր նաև Վարդանը և սիրում էր նրան։ Սերը փոխադարձ էր։ Թովմաս Էֆֆենդու մեքենայությունների արդյունքում ձերբակալվում են Խաչոյի որդիները, Սալմանը, և Վարդանը: Լալան ստիպված փախուստի է դիմում, որպեսզի չընկնի քուրդ բեկի ձեռքը: Քանի որ պատերազմն արդեն սկսվել էր, և թուրքերի կոտորածներից փրկվելու համար ամբողջ Ալաշկերտի գավառը գաղթականության ճանապարհն էր բռնել, Լալան էլ նրանց հետ միասին գաղթում է Արևելյան Հայաստան, Վաղարշապատ, ուր և ծանր հիվանդանում է ու մահանում: Վաղարշապատում տեսնում ենք հայ հոգևորականության աղտոտվածությունը, ժանտախտային, անմարդկային, անսուրբ մտածելակերպը: Այստեղ է Րաֆֆին արտահայտում իր հետևյալ միտքը «Մի ազգ, որ հույսը դրել է միայն եկեղեցիականների վրա, նրա կործանման սկիզբը մոտ է վախճանին», և շարունակում է՝ հույս հայտնելով, որ «ժամանկը կմերկացնի խայտառակ իրականությունը»: Վարդանը, որ բանտի փոխարեն հայտնվել էր Բայազետի պաշարման թոհուբոհում, նամակն Տեր-Ղուկասովին հասցնելուց հետո, շտապում է Լալային գտնելու, բայց գտնում է միայն սիրելիի սառը գերեզմանը: Հուզիչ և ողբերգական է Վարդանի և Լալային սերը: Գրկած Լալայի շիրիմը, ցավից ցնորված Վարդանը տեսլիքների մեջ տեսնում է ապագայի իր երազանքների Հայաստանը՝ անկախ, ազատ, բարգավաճ, կրթված և ազգային բարձր ինքնագիտակցությամբ: Այս՝ անձնական տեսանկյունից տխուր ու անասելի ծանր, բայց ազգային տեսանկյունից հզորացած հույսերով է թողնում Րաֆֆին իր ընթերցողին և դրանով իսկ հասնում է իր նպատակին ՝ դարձնելով այդ ընթերցողներին նորօրյա Խենթեր:
Հ.Գ. Սամսոն Տեր-Պողոսի Տեր-Պողոսյան (մայիսի 10.1851 թ., Ապարանի գավառամաս, Արագյուղ - 1911 թ., Վաղարշապատ), եղել է ռուսական բանակի գնդապետ, ազգային-ազատագրական պայքարի մարտիկ, Րաֆֆու "Խենթը" վեպի հերոս Վարդանի նախատիպը:
June 15, 2022
“The Fool” (Խենթը) is one of the novels that fueled the nationalist revival of Armenia in the 18th and 19th centuries, which the young revolutionaries studied together. The author, Raffi (born Hakob Melik Hakobian in Iran), was one of the few Armenians, including Abovian, who also took up the genre of the novel. Reading the novel (I read the Donald Abcarian translation from the Gomidas Institute), I found it very insightful regarding the Armenian culture and psyche.
As a novel it was riveting, the characters were relatable - I was rooting for the protagonists all along - and the plot twists made a great impact. Although frankly I found that there were some aspects of the style I didn’t like - they shook off the focus of the reader and artistically was too hard on the nose - but nonetheless, I loved it and would recommend as required reading for my fellow Armenophiles :)
As a novel it was riveting, the characters were relatable - I was rooting for the protagonists all along - and the plot twists made a great impact. Although frankly I found that there were some aspects of the style I didn’t like - they shook off the focus of the reader and artistically was too hard on the nose - but nonetheless, I loved it and would recommend as required reading for my fellow Armenophiles :)
November 22, 2020
One of my favorites. Rereading and getting deeper. Enemy is the same, but the saddest point is that we are also the same. Centuries did not change us. We are suffering and losing, after we are getting up. Last pages must become a vision how to create a bright future, strong Armenia. Our salvation is in our collectivity, in our unity. #PeaceForArmenians
May 2, 2024
Socialism with hints of utopic imaginings... a public sphere for debate, schools, military teachings in the name of self-defense... but still w hints of nationalism, rooting against the “other”
Loved the story! Ideologies a little messy... but it was 1881 after all. It’s great to read a manifesto-type text written by Armenians
Despite all of this I still cried despite not agreeing with its political ideologies. I loved the metaphors in this book too. Armenians are so metaphorical!!
One major thing I love about this book is it’s almost like a mythology of the Armenian people in the modern era. Raffi creates this character, Tomas Effendi, who is an Armenian official working for the Sultan. He collects Armenian taxes, further impoverishing the Armenian villages, redirecting this very capital toward the Turkish state’s genocidal campaign. While Tomas Effendi is an Armenian, the mythology is while someone may share Armenian roots, it is not a precursor for solidarity. That being said, Kim Kardashian is the Tomas Effendi of our current epoch lol. I finally have the language to express that
Loved the story! Ideologies a little messy... but it was 1881 after all. It’s great to read a manifesto-type text written by Armenians
Despite all of this I still cried despite not agreeing with its political ideologies. I loved the metaphors in this book too. Armenians are so metaphorical!!
One major thing I love about this book is it’s almost like a mythology of the Armenian people in the modern era. Raffi creates this character, Tomas Effendi, who is an Armenian official working for the Sultan. He collects Armenian taxes, further impoverishing the Armenian villages, redirecting this very capital toward the Turkish state’s genocidal campaign. While Tomas Effendi is an Armenian, the mythology is while someone may share Armenian roots, it is not a precursor for solidarity. That being said, Kim Kardashian is the Tomas Effendi of our current epoch lol. I finally have the language to express that
January 23, 2021
Written almost 150 years ago and translated from Armenian this book still feels vivid and relevant to today. I appreciated the glimpse of the speech patterns and ways of communicating that were standard in this culture at this time. So many proverbs, indirect teasing, and passive intent. The story predates the major Armenian genocide but helps the reader understand the conditions in the Ottoman Empire that allowed it to happen. Worth reading, but the book, unfortunately, isn't very easy to find. the edition I read had a lot of typesetting errors - b and h was often switched for example.
January 28, 2023
I read this book as part of my reading the world challenge since it was available on an Armenian gov website It is a great way to learn about Armenian culture, grip some of the country's historical background and understand some of the people's psyche. But I'm sorry to admit I'm just not built for books like this one. I just can't get into the story. I still appreciate reading this piece but i unfortunately can't say i enjoyed it. That's on me tho.
Want to Read
June 27, 2008I have been reading this book pretty regularly since I started. Am in the Chapter 9 area. I am not sure if the author (Raffi) was writing to document the evils that were happening to the Armenians by creating a story around it or if it is merely his style to detail torture but it is very graphic to the point of making it unreadable at times.
I stopped reading this. I'll go back to it later
I stopped reading this. I'll go back to it later
August 22, 2025
I liked this book. It has an interesting plot and unexpected turn of events which keeps you on your toes while you read it. However, I'm only giving it 3 stars for the following reasons.
- Without giving a spoiler, I'll just say that the way one of the protagonists (T.E.) transformed towards the end of the story is simply not believable given everything we know about him. And, it kind of ruins the story.
- I feel like it's a book meant for Armenians. As a non-Armenian, I was mildly shocked by the amount of racist language towards Turks, Kurds, and Circassians. Throughout the book these people are portrayed as lazy, ignorant, and immoral barbarians while Armenians depicted in positive light (hard-working, ethical, etc.). Here is one example (from page 250) and there is plenty of similar language throughout the book.
"'The ass is an ass, but the mule is even worse,'" the
Effendi replied in his usual style. "The Kurds are as bad as
mules, because they are illegitimate."
The comparison of Kurds to mules was not only the
Effendi's opinion, but the opinion of Armenians in general,
used to explain that the Kurds were unjust and malicious
because they had interbred with the Armenian population
through rape and abduction during wartimes, thereby re-
sulting in an 'illegitimate' race, like mules. Our people have
always had a bad consideration of such illegitimacy. For
centuries, the Kurds had beautified their race by select-
ing the tallest—the Kurds greatly admire tall women—and
most beautiful of the Armenian boys and girls. By losing
such boys and girls, the Armenians had lost their greatest
quality and gradually grown less beautiful. Anybody who
has closely examined the common family lines of the Kurds
and Armenians of Turkified Armenia will find a great re-
semblance between them, because the Kurds are nothing if
not a new race of what Armenians used to be. "
- Without giving a spoiler, I'll just say that the way one of the protagonists (T.E.) transformed towards the end of the story is simply not believable given everything we know about him. And, it kind of ruins the story.
- I feel like it's a book meant for Armenians. As a non-Armenian, I was mildly shocked by the amount of racist language towards Turks, Kurds, and Circassians. Throughout the book these people are portrayed as lazy, ignorant, and immoral barbarians while Armenians depicted in positive light (hard-working, ethical, etc.). Here is one example (from page 250) and there is plenty of similar language throughout the book.
"'The ass is an ass, but the mule is even worse,'" the
Effendi replied in his usual style. "The Kurds are as bad as
mules, because they are illegitimate."
The comparison of Kurds to mules was not only the
Effendi's opinion, but the opinion of Armenians in general,
used to explain that the Kurds were unjust and malicious
because they had interbred with the Armenian population
through rape and abduction during wartimes, thereby re-
sulting in an 'illegitimate' race, like mules. Our people have
always had a bad consideration of such illegitimacy. For
centuries, the Kurds had beautified their race by select-
ing the tallest—the Kurds greatly admire tall women—and
most beautiful of the Armenian boys and girls. By losing
such boys and girls, the Armenians had lost their greatest
quality and gradually grown less beautiful. Anybody who
has closely examined the common family lines of the Kurds
and Armenians of Turkified Armenia will find a great re-
semblance between them, because the Kurds are nothing if
not a new race of what Armenians used to be. "
January 5, 2021
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
At first, this book started out by giving me a feeling of sitting around a campfire, or by a blazing fireplace, listening to the village elder tell stories. Each chapter had a feeling of simplistic charm, and I could almost envision the rapt faces of the people absorbing the next chapter in the saga of The Fool.
Through the middle, as the tension grew between the cultures, there were multiple monologues that did not hold to that original style, and I found myself skimming at times. When the story would turn again to a more storytelling feel, my interest immediately picked up again.
The ending was again a mix of story and facts, which brought the book to its conclusion. I feel more knowledgeable about Armenia, and will do more research into the area. I liked how the author rounded out the end of the book, finishing with a future look, but I was slightly confused by the last sentence, as it was rather jarring.
The footnotes were as interesting as the story, and informative. The translators did an excellent job, there was never a time when I had to parse out what was trying to be communicated.
At first, this book started out by giving me a feeling of sitting around a campfire, or by a blazing fireplace, listening to the village elder tell stories. Each chapter had a feeling of simplistic charm, and I could almost envision the rapt faces of the people absorbing the next chapter in the saga of The Fool.
Through the middle, as the tension grew between the cultures, there were multiple monologues that did not hold to that original style, and I found myself skimming at times. When the story would turn again to a more storytelling feel, my interest immediately picked up again.
The ending was again a mix of story and facts, which brought the book to its conclusion. I feel more knowledgeable about Armenia, and will do more research into the area. I liked how the author rounded out the end of the book, finishing with a future look, but I was slightly confused by the last sentence, as it was rather jarring.
The footnotes were as interesting as the story, and informative. The translators did an excellent job, there was never a time when I had to parse out what was trying to be communicated.
April 29, 2025
Loooove the story. But it’s not for the faint of heart 💔. Amazing dynamic plot, good drama. Lots of archetypal characters with meaningful exploration of their motivation. Really touched by the symbolism of “a fool.” Also pretty wowed by the level of appreciation of women & understanding of Armenian women’s condition. Feels ahead of its time for 1890.
Something was definitely lost in translation though and moments that should have been monumental fell flat. For example, instead of reading how a character died and being slowly heartbroken, you’ll read “this person died” and it feels more like a fact than a devastating event. Raffi did some clever things w the plot (the funeral procession for example) but because it was translated so matter-of-fact, it was more difficult to appreciate. That said, I think the translators did a great job explaining Armenian / Ottoman / Kurdish words and metaphors.
Something was definitely lost in translation though and moments that should have been monumental fell flat. For example, instead of reading how a character died and being slowly heartbroken, you’ll read “this person died” and it feels more like a fact than a devastating event. Raffi did some clever things w the plot (the funeral procession for example) but because it was translated so matter-of-fact, it was more difficult to appreciate. That said, I think the translators did a great job explaining Armenian / Ottoman / Kurdish words and metaphors.
July 23, 2022
Տարիներ առաջ էի կարդացել, էդքան էլ չէի հավանել։ Վերընթերցեցի ու հասկացա, որ շատ լավն ա, Րաֆֆին մնում ա Րաֆֆի։ Կերպարները մի քիչ մակերեսային էին, շեշտը դրված ա հիմնականում ընդհանուր պատկերի վրա, ասելիքի վրա ու կերպարները էդ ամեն ինչի մեջ փոքր մասնիկներ են։ Ու սրա հետ մեկտեղ, էս գործը շատ եմ սիրել, 5-ից 5 միանշանակ)
January 30, 2022
So painful and makes you angry when you read how your nation been brutally killed by Turks and Kurds and for what - for nothing.
The end I could understand, was the main character,Vartan killed or what ?
The end I could understand, was the main character,Vartan killed or what ?
July 6, 2021
The brutal subjugation of the Armenians by Turks and Kurds is vividly portrayed in this 19th century nationalist melodrama.
January 24, 2024
Պատմական գրքեր ընդհանուր առմամբ չեմ սիրում, բայց սա բացառություն էր։ Նկարագրվում էր պատմական դեպք, սակայն համեմված էր խորամանկությամբ, սիրով ու ցավով։ Անչափ հետաքրքիր էր։
November 14, 2025
Որոշել եմ հայ դասական գրականություն վերընթերցել ու արդեն ավելի մեծ մարդու աչքով գնահատել դպրոցում կարդացած գրքերս: Շատ մանրամասներ չէի հիշում գրքից, էնպես որ շատ մեծ սիրով կարդացի:
July 9, 2026
This book was written as a wake up call to Armenians, sadly, it is still up-to-date
December 11, 2023
“Bayazid was besieged.”
While most historical references regarding the Russo-Turkish war have escaped me, the novel illustrates the struggles that have accompanied Armenians into the present day - but I will not attempt to draw parallels. The story is fairly black-and-white, drawing clear lines between what is good and what is bad, idyllic rural life and harrowing besiegement, love and heartbreak, hero and coward.
The middle part of the book is an ethnography of rural life in Armenia, my favourite scene was the attempt to calm the buffalo Chora after startling him into a rage because the farmers were trying to protect him from the Evil Eye by throwing an egg at him. I didn’t quite enjoy the romance elements of the plot - Lila being thrown in between Thomas Effendj, representing corruption, and Vartan, our hero. I felt a bit detached from her fate.
[spoiler below]
The most interesting part was Vartan’s dream upon finding Lila dead: He dreams of an idyllic future where everything is Good and Right in the world. It’s a stark contrast to the battle and the real historic situation as well as to Armenia’s future (viewed from the 1880s). Waking up and finding it gone was a very good rhetoric device to deliver hopes for the future to the reader while highlighting the threats of the present.
While most historical references regarding the Russo-Turkish war have escaped me, the novel illustrates the struggles that have accompanied Armenians into the present day - but I will not attempt to draw parallels. The story is fairly black-and-white, drawing clear lines between what is good and what is bad, idyllic rural life and harrowing besiegement, love and heartbreak, hero and coward.
The middle part of the book is an ethnography of rural life in Armenia, my favourite scene was the attempt to calm the buffalo Chora after startling him into a rage because the farmers were trying to protect him from the Evil Eye by throwing an egg at him. I didn’t quite enjoy the romance elements of the plot - Lila being thrown in between Thomas Effendj, representing corruption, and Vartan, our hero. I felt a bit detached from her fate.
[spoiler below]
The most interesting part was Vartan’s dream upon finding Lila dead: He dreams of an idyllic future where everything is Good and Right in the world. It’s a stark contrast to the battle and the real historic situation as well as to Armenia’s future (viewed from the 1880s). Waking up and finding it gone was a very good rhetoric device to deliver hopes for the future to the reader while highlighting the threats of the present.
April 16, 2022
This book puts things in perspective, written much before the Armenian Genocide of 1915, this book already predicts the horrors of that epoch. Raffi has a writing style that makes clear that one understands his message, though sometimes repeating himself a bit too much for this day and age. The story shows the complexity of the geographical area of Armenia with all the mingling cultures of the Armenians, Kurds, Russians and Turks. He understood the history of the Armenian people, the mentality with its good and bad sides.
A wonderful and a must read for anyone, not just the ones interested in history but in humanism as well.
A wonderful and a must read for anyone, not just the ones interested in history but in humanism as well.
March 15, 2021
you know i usually don’t read books like these (you know... era-defining historical fiction) but this book was really freaking great and it taught me a lot about a period of time i had essentially no knowledge about.
i will admit though it was hard for me to relate or get emotionally invested in the characters, though it eventually clicked once the story left the main village (of a name i can’t remember).
i will admit though it was hard for me to relate or get emotionally invested in the characters, though it eventually clicked once the story left the main village (of a name i can’t remember).
April 17, 2015
A vivid account of the Armenian/Turkish dynamics leading up the armenian genocide commuted by the Ottoman Empire in 1915, where 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by the barbaric Turks. The christian Armenians should have known better than to trust the Muslim Turks.
November 5, 2023
#goodreadsgiveaway
Written in 1880, this book seems very dated - the language, the situations, and the morality. It was an OK story, but I really could not find myself getting fully engaged and I don't know if is was becasue everything was so foreign to me or just becasue I didn't love it.
Written in 1880, this book seems very dated - the language, the situations, and the morality. It was an OK story, but I really could not find myself getting fully engaged and I don't know if is was becasue everything was so foreign to me or just becasue I didn't love it.
August 3, 2025
lets just say this is my all time fav historical fiction
January 31, 2023
rlly slow start
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