Ultraviolet / S01 E03 / Where did the Real Armenia come from?

Violet Grigoryan delves into the origins of the concept of “real Armenia,” exploring its emergence and evolution in contrast to historical Armenia as portrayed in Armenian literature. Through a close reading of key works, she traces the ideological shifts and cultural tensions embedded in literary narratives.

She highlights how, driven by political recruitment or internal ideological conflicts, many writers have sought to align their works with prevailing party doctrines. By adopting artistic strategies to render these ideas more compelling and accessible, they often produced literature shaped by overt or subtle propaganda.

Grigoryan uncovers poetic declarations and internal literary debates that are intricately linked to political discourse—where party agendas are not only reflected in the narrative framework but often become its core text or subtext.