Arsen Kotsoyev
Encyclopedia
Arsen Kotsoyev (January 15, 1872 - February 4, 1944) is one of the founders of Ossetic prose
, who had a large influence in the formation of the modern Ossetic language and its functional styles. He participated in all of the first Ossetic periodicals, and was one of the most notable Ossetian publicists.
There are streets named after Kotsoyev in Vladikavkaz
and Beslan
. Masterpieces by Kotsoyev are used in school courses on Ossetian literature.
Orthodox Seminary. A sudden illness made the young man leave the seminary. He returned to Gizel and began writing short essays for newspapers of the North Caucasus. He also worked as a teacher at the local school.
In 1902 Kotsoyev took part in the uprising at Gizel; this caused his expulsion from the region. He chose to go to South Ossetia, where he continued to work as a teacher and write short stories and essays.
In 1910 he began publishing a magazine called "Æфсир" (Æfsir, ear [of wheat]) based in Tiflis (today's Tbilisi, Georgia
). Only 14 issues of the magazine were made, but it had an immense impact on Ossetian literature and journalism. Many masterpieces of Ossetian literature were first published in Æfsir.
In the year 1912 Kotsoyev moved to Saint Petersburg
, where he worked in many places, including Vladmir Lenin's famous newspaper Pravda
. Though he was raised in the Ossetian countryside, because of his strong education, Kotsoyev knew the Russian language well enough to enable him to proofread a Russian language newspaper.
After the October Revolution
, Kotsoyev's fame grew. He worked for different newspapers and magazines and worked in education and related fields. He died in Vladikavkaz and was buried in the yard of the Literature Museum.
Kotsoyev also translated a lot. For example, he translated several stories by Pushkin into Ossetic.
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
, who had a large influence in the formation of the modern Ossetic language and its functional styles. He participated in all of the first Ossetic periodicals, and was one of the most notable Ossetian publicists.
There are streets named after Kotsoyev in Vladikavkaz
Vladikavkaz
-Notable structures:In Vladikavkaz, there is a guyed TV mast, tall, built in 1961, which has six crossbars with gangways in two levels running from the mast structure to the guys.-Twin towns/sister cities:...
and Beslan
Beslan
Beslan is a town and the administrative center of Pravoberezhny District of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia. In terms of population, Beslan is the third largest town in the republic behind Vladikavkaz and Mozdok...
. Masterpieces by Kotsoyev are used in school courses on Ossetian literature.
Life
Kotsoyev was born to a poor family in the Ossetian countryside (the village of Gizel, close to Vladikavkaz). At the age of nine he was enrolled in the local school. There he found a large collection of books; reading those books enriched his education. After school Kotsoyev studied at the ArdonArdon, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania
Ardon is a town and the administrative center of Ardonsky District of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia, located in the central part of the republic on the west bank of the Ardon River, northwest of the republic's capital Vladikavkaz...
Orthodox Seminary. A sudden illness made the young man leave the seminary. He returned to Gizel and began writing short essays for newspapers of the North Caucasus. He also worked as a teacher at the local school.
In 1902 Kotsoyev took part in the uprising at Gizel; this caused his expulsion from the region. He chose to go to South Ossetia, where he continued to work as a teacher and write short stories and essays.
In 1910 he began publishing a magazine called "Æфсир" (Æfsir, ear [of wheat]) based in Tiflis (today's Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
). Only 14 issues of the magazine were made, but it had an immense impact on Ossetian literature and journalism. Many masterpieces of Ossetian literature were first published in Æfsir.
In the year 1912 Kotsoyev moved to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, where he worked in many places, including Vladmir Lenin's famous newspaper Pravda
Pravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
. Though he was raised in the Ossetian countryside, because of his strong education, Kotsoyev knew the Russian language well enough to enable him to proofread a Russian language newspaper.
After the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, Kotsoyev's fame grew. He worked for different newspapers and magazines and worked in education and related fields. He died in Vladikavkaz and was buried in the yard of the Literature Museum.
Work
Most short stories by Kotsoyev are tragic ones. The action is often about the severe traditions of the highlanders, such as "blood revenge" (vendetta), irad (bride-money), and superstitions. Arsen Kotsoyev wrote a lot about the place for a person from traditional highland culture in the new, Europe-oriented world, and about the fate of a highlander in a larger city.Kotsoyev also translated a lot. For example, he translated several stories by Pushkin into Ossetic.