John Steinbeck’s Visit to Armenia
J.Steinbeck had been in Armenia. This fact should be a surprise for the many. “If it’s true, then why nothing was said of it?” they would ask. How come, one of the greatest representatives of American literature, awardee of Pulitzer and Nobel prizes visited our country, meanwhile there isn’t even a short mention of it?
Answer to likewise questions, probably, should be found in time. However it’s an undeniable fact that Steinbeck really had been in Armenia.
History is as follows. In 1963 after Caribbean crisis USA-USSR ties needed resolution. State officials engaged no only diplomats in this, but intellectuals as well.
John Kennedy, president of the United States of America, invites Steinbeck at his place and proposes to leave for the Soviet Union as a Goodwill Ambassador. The visit took place in autumn of 1963. It’s known that the writer visited the USSR with his wife and was in Moscow, Kiev, Tbilisi, Leningrad, and then Yerevan.
It’s worth noting, that before the visit of the prominent guest, there has already been some predisposition in Armenia. Propagandists did their best to explain, that one of capitalist culture “sharks,” cosmopolitan, wanderer, drunkard and a well-known Don Juan John Steinbeck would pay a visit to Yerevan, on the background of these “nuances” the most important was fading— a talented person. The command that they should be maximal restrained and cautious in a talk with a foreigner, was supplemented with a demand that Steinbeck should leave Armenia with best impressions.
And in Yerevan the writer and his wife were constantly accompanied by unsmiling people in civilian clothes, offering the route and program to them, as planned beforehand.
However, Armenian visits with their warmth and directness violated the defined “norms,” and although there is rather little information, however, the available information is enough to have imagination what country and nation Steinbeck saw thousand kilometers away from his country.
From the Union of Journalists famous reporter Vladimir Shahnazaryan accompanied Steinbeck. Photos were taken by photojournalist Yuri Levin. It’s also by their help, that today it’s possible to restore some episodes of those days. However, what is known from these few days? There is some information that Steinbeck participated in celebration of 250th anniversary of Sayat-Nova, visited sights and monuments of Armenia. Then, he visited Martiros Saryan. Saryan decides to paint his portrait. An interesting episode is being told from this rendezvous, “…all leave the studio, Saryan starts painting. But after some time Steinbeck jumps out of the room and exclaims alarmed:
-This old man feels bad. He’s angry and murmurs something loudly …
People go in and see Saryan there, brush in his hand, murmuring, “What blue eyes you have. Will I fail to haunt it?…old mule, it’s been hundred years you’ve been painting and hadn’t learnt to paint a man…
The portrait was really perfect. After watching the painting, Steinbeck said:
-He’s a genius.”
Fortunately, there is written evidence of Steinbeck’s visit, and the author is the well-known guest. After returning to the USA, John Steinbeck writes the abovementioned letter to writers of the Soviet Armenia:
“Writer’s Union, Yerevan
Dear friends,
I meant to write all of you separately to thank you for hospitality and cordiality, by which you welcomed us during our visit. But when I memorized people, which became our friends, I understood, that implementation of that program would require a few years. There are other difficulties as well. Surely, I should have written to the Great painter—Saryan and his family, but how I was going to thank to the peasants, which laid a nice dinner on the green, in the mountains, or the couple who treated us with chilly and fresh grape juice at the monastery high in the mountains? I don’t even know their names, but I want them to know, what important place they have in our memories.
We memorize a lot with great pleasure and tenderness…the songs at the table, monasteries, incredibly carved in mountains, the rapid bent on deep gorge, where Roman legions walked once, and dawn of Ararat mountain, and how it was changing during the day, lyrics of Sayat-Nova’s songs, which weren’t familiar to us before and which were silver-tonged.
I memorize Yerevan’s old glory with its generation risen till the mountains, its survival…a lovely country, a lovely nation, and everlasting… this is the most important—survival…
…despite miles and oceans separating us, despite difference in manners, ideology, methods and techniques, histories and origin, experience and memories, we are very much alike, rather than different.
Honesty is international, intertribal.
No language is needed for honesty, as it’s a united language. No, our dreams and needs aren’t different either. What are they? Peace, friendship, sufficient welfare, passion of keeping in distance, also a legality, time, power and will power for everyone, who live and strive to the peak of their abilities.
This is what we and you want…a favored world, not to be spoiled with evil thought or alarming noise, an open world, where children may externally grow with smiles and internally—neither offended nor gloomy.
And if with all these we are alike, why do we wonder that we were kindly treated in Yerevan?
Armenia imprinted a mark in us. It’s a wealthy and marvelous country. And why do we wonder that it instigated greed of the invaders? However, if Armenia is a favored country, it’s lucky then having a nation, which realizes with passion its beauty,, and spread its love on touchstone of ages. This iron sword is Armenia’s power, so that the country is blessed with its people and vice versa.
This feeling we took from you, and are thankful for it, as we know, we’ll never be a stranger in Armenia.
Yours,
John Steinbeck.”
Although the writer confessed he couldn’t write all of them separately, he did and exception for one person. This was writer Hovhannes Shiraz. This is the letter addressed to Shiraz.
“My dear friends,
Since my wife Elen and I have been back home, you and your attitude remained in our hearts. Warm treatment is with us as a kind memory. We don’t forget Your divine gardens, which weren’t a dream. And we should confess that real beauty of Armenia is that.
Of course, we had some contrasts and disagreements in our standpoints, but we take it naturally, and it can’t obstacle our friendship.
I came to the conclusion, that everything exists in this world: both good and bad, and happiness and disgusting trash, and smile. And I believe that friends overcome everything together, when they lough, and I memorize we had lost of occasions to laugh.
Hopefully, you’ll visit us one day. We undoubtedly believe that we’ll have the occasion to host you with the same warmth that we got from you.
Your friend,
John Steinbeck.
9 May, 1964.”
There is information, that Steinbeck took diary notes during his trip. Probably one day they’ll be published and we’ll learn more about what the world-famous American artist had seen and heard in our country about half a century ago.
By Hovik Charkhchyan
