Nar-Dos

Nar-Dos Նար-Դոս
Born	(1867-03-01)March 1, 1867 Tiflis, Tiflis Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	Tiflis, Transcaucasian SFSR, Soviet Union
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Armenian

Michael Hovhannisyan (Armenian: Միքայել Հովհաննիսյան, March 1, 1867 – July 13, 1933) known by the pen name Nar-Dos, (Armenian: Նար-Դոս) was an Armenian writer.

Biography

Nar-Dos was born in a wool seller's family in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1867. He started his education in a parochial school of Saint Karapet church, then he continued in «Nicolaev» municipal school and entered «Khon seminary» in Kutaisi state which he did not finish because of scarcity of living and returned to Tbilisi. He started locksmith profession at Michaelian craft school where he met Armenian poet Alexander Tsaturian.

After one year Nar-Dos left Michaelyan craft school and started practicing journalism. In 1890–1906 he was the responsible secretary of Nor dar ("Նոր դար") periodical. He worked as a secretary and proofreader in Aghbyur-Taraz ("Աղբյուր-Տարազ") periodical in 1903, and in Surhandak ("Սուրհանդակ") newspaper in 1913–1918.

Nar-Dos began writing in the 1880s starting with poems some of which were published in Araks ("Արաքս") (Saint-Petersburg) and "Sokhak Hayastani" ("Սոխակ Հայաստանի") collection. He also wrote stories, feuilletons and plays. Under the influence of Gabriel Sundukyan Nar-Dos created the plays "Mayini gangaty" ("Մայինի գանգատը"), “Honey and flies” («Մեղր և ճանճեր»)(1886), “Brother” («Եղբայր»)(1887).

Under the pen name Mikho-Ohan he published “Tchshmarit barekamy” («Ճշմարիտ բարեկամը»), “Nune” («Նունե») (1886), “Barerar ev vordegir” («Բարերար և որդեգիր») (1888), “Knkush larer” («Քնքուշ լարեր»)(1887), “Zazunyan” («Զազունյան»)(1890) in "Nor dar" newspaper. In the stories and novels of his first period he mainly describes the urban life focusing on certain social groups (“Our District” («Մեր թաղը»), "Hopop" (1890), "Hogun vra hasav" ("Հոգուն վրա հասավ") (1889), "Anna Saroyan" ("Աննա Սարոյան")(1888)). One of the famous stories of this period is “Me and Him” («Ես և նա») wrote in 1889.

After 1890 a new period begins in Nar-Dos' creative life of which deep psychological analysis is typical. Famous works of this period are “The Killed Dove” («Սպանված աղավնին»)(1898) in which the author depicts the tragedy of an Armenian woman and “Struggle” («Պայքար»)(1911) and “The Death” («Մահը»)(reedited in 1912).

Nar-Dos developed the psychological trend of Armenian critical realism displaying refined Armenian language.

Nar-Dos died in 1933 in Tbilisi. He is buried in Khojivank Armenian cemetery.

External links

• «Սպանված աղավնի» (in Armenian)
• «Անհետ կորածը» (in Armenian)
• «Ազատամտության դրոշակակիրը» (in Armenian)
• «Եղբայր» (in Armenian)
• «Հենակներով մարդը» (in Armenian)
• «Քնքուշ լարեր» (in Armenian)
• «Մահը» (in Armenian)
• «Մեղր և ճանճեր» (in Armenian)
• «Նեղ օրերից մեկը» (in Armenian)
• «Նոր մարդը» (in Armenian)
• «Պայքար» (in Armenian)
• «Մեր թաղը, զանազան պատմվածքներ, վիպակներ, հեքիաթներ»(in Armenian)
• «Զազունյան» (in Armenian)
• «Ես և նա» (in Armenian)
• Nar-Dos biography in Russian