Literature of the XX century
Literature during the Great Patriotic War and the post-war period
During the Great Patriotic War, publicism by Avetik Isahakyan and Derenik Demirchyan, historian Joseph Orbeli, essays by frontline writer Hrachya Kochar, heroic ballads by G. Saryan, patriotic poems by frontline writers T. Guryan, G. Boryan, A. Sagiyan, R. Hovhannisyan, historical novels by V. Khechumyan were popular.
Post-war years were marked by works in the genre of historical novel (D. Demirchyan, S. Zoryan, N. Zaryan), philosophical poetry (Hovhannes Shiraz), the genres of social novel (H. Kochar, G. Sevunts, S. Alajajyan, A. Siras, Kh. Dashtents), adventure literature (V. Ananyan) were actively developed.
In the 1950s and 1960s the leading genre was poetry, especially the works of Hovhannes Shiraz, Silva Kaputikyan, Sarmen, A. Sagiyan, R. Hovhannisyan, V. Davtyan, P. Sevak, M. Margaryan, R. Davoyan.
The poem by Paruyr Sevak «The Unceasing Bell Tower» (1959), a lyrical and epic work about the Armenian Genocide, is one of the notable phenomena for this period. Sevak introduced new forms of rhythmical verse, demonstrating the complex inner world of a modern human.
In the 1970s, the genre of stories undergoes new developments - lyrical miniature, psychological story - in the works of R. Hovsepyan, A. Ayvazyan, M. Galshoyan, V. Petrosyan. Poetry continues national artistic traditions (G. Sarukhan, O. Grigoryan), mastering modern principles, and taking its place in the world literature (D. Hovhannes, A. Harutyunyan, E. Edoyan).
The 1990s are characterized by an original vision of the world, search for unconventional means of expressiveness, documentary realism of mapping reality, attention to the inner world of the modern human, hidden motives of his behavior. Many authors are categorical in their dissociation from classical traditions, in applying the newest methods of depicting the human and the world. A new image of «an underground person» appears – an individual who broke his ties with society. The image becomes more «physiological», the dark sides of the human soul are revealed. Literature tries all the means of the literary arsenal. The historical background - the war in Karabakh, the fundamental restructuring of the social system - is presented in an emphatically unromantic tone.
The leading authors of this generation are as follows: prose writers Gurgen Khanjyan, Levon Hechoyan, Varuzhan Ayvazyan, Samvel Mkrtchyan, poets Violet Grigoryan, Marina Petrosyan.
In the genre of drama, old masters (Aghasi Ayvazyan) as well as new ones, who have already received recognition (David Muradyan, Karine Khodikyan) work and create. Journalism acquires particular importance during this period.
