Poetry
Anush
Անուշ
Hovhannes Tumanyan · 1892
Opening lines
Կանչում է կըրկին, կանչում անդադար
Էն չըքնաղ երկրի կարոտը անքուն,
Ու թևերն ահա փըռած տիրաբար՝
Թըռչում է հոգիս, թըռչում դեպի տուն։
It calls again, it calls unceasingly,
The sleepless longing for that enchanting land,
And now, its wings spread out masterfully,
My soul flies, flies towards home.
Translation by Erostrate
Text quoted from hy.wikisource.org
Synopsis
In a mountain village of Lori, Anush loves the shepherd Saro. At a wedding, Saro and Mossi, Anush's brother, wrestle for the right to play; instead of leaving the bout drawn as custom requires, Saro throws Mossi to the ground and humiliates him before everyone. Mossi swears to ruin him, attempts at reconciliation fail and the lovers flee, while the whole of nature, mountains, springs and clouds, accompanies their story like a chorus.
Context
The poet mentions it as early as July 1890 as a poem “of the life of Lori”, dedicated to his friend Anushavan Abovian, who advised him not to give it to a review. The text appeared in Moscow in 1892, in the second volume of his poems, then the author revised it entirely for the Tiflis edition of 1903 and kept returning to it until 1922. Drawing on lyrical songs, dances and popular laments, it inspired an unfinished opera by Komitas and an opera by Armen Tigranian, first performed in 1912.
Who it is for
A narrative poem of medium length, to be read in one sitting. It helps to know the customs of the mountain villages, which the text assumes are known.
Prizes and reception
The most famous poem by its author, and the source of the opera regarded as the most popular musical and theatrical work in Armenia.