Givi Gachechiladze’s Theoretical Views on Georgian Translations of Byron’s Poetry

Abstract

The term “Byronism” gave the Georgian translators opportunity to translate Byron’s works into Georgian, even if it was necessary to use the other language as a “mediator” in their translations. There were a few translations of Byron’s works (S. Aleksi- Meskhishvili, M. Tumanishvili) in the nineteenth century till 1850. However, some of the Georgian translators were able to translate Byron’s works into the Georgian language properly and effectively. Among the principal Georgian translators of that period figure Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Ioseb Bakradze, Mamia Gurieli and so on.

Ilia Chavchavadze made an attempt to develop the way of translation- what and how should have been carried out in the translated form; moreover, there should have been kept the form and content of the original thoroughly. Thus, his pieces of translations were praised as among translators as well as in the literary society.

Famous Georgian translator and scholar, Givi Gachechiladze published the monograph about Byron in 1938, where he tried to show an English poet’s life and creativity to the Georgian reader; Givi Gachechiladze, as a translator and the outstanding theoretician made not only the fundamental work entitled “Introduction to Artistic Translation”, but also even some publications in which he gave a critical assessment of the translations created in the nineteenth century by Georgian translators. In these publications (“Literaturuli Gazeti”, 1956 N1,3) G. Gachechiladze emphasized the Leaders of literary movement, such as Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli.

Givi Gachechiladze highlighted one of the most prolific Georgian translators, Ioseb Bakradze (1850-1904), who translated up to thirty verses of Byron, a satiric poem - “Don- Juan” and a narrative poem – “Childe- Harold”. Ioseb Barkradze did not know any languages except the Russian language; therefore, he translated Byron’s works through the Russian translations.

In Givi Gachechiladze’s opinion, Byron’s translations, which were created in the 19th century, focused on the readers to draw their attention and arouse their interests in Byron. In this way the Georgian readers acquainted with Byron’s works. However, all these translations inevitably lack the power of the original in terms of literary translation.

Givi Gachechiladze was not only a poet, translator, but he was also a prominent Georgian theoretician of literary translation, he was one of the first ones, who assessed nineteenth century Georgian translations.