Literary Researches

New Books

Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Man in old Georgian Historical Prose According to the Historian of David IV the Builder

Khatuna Sarishvili — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Aesthetic feeling is a genetic specificity of Georgian thinking. Georgian
nature has always been imbued with the spiritual need for beauty, the sublime
and goodness. Such an approach is significant not only for literary-poetic
thinking, but also for historiography. The purpose of our article is to present
the philosophy, aesthetic world view, and the human model presented in
the ancient chronicles, captured in Georgian historical texts.

The subject of our interest is to determine why Georgian chronicles often resemble works of art. Or why historians do not shy away from mythologizing events?

We think that we are dealing with a certain approach of Georgian historiography, a principle that I. Javakhishvili calls history philosophical. When evaluating this or that historical fact, the general depth of the historical works, its philosophical nature should be taken into account. As it is mentioned in the scientific literature, it is difficult to determine the meaning and regularity of history only in real historical facts, because most often the regularities themselves were violated in us. That’s why historians often filled the meaning of history with legendary and fairy-tale stories. In Georgian annals there are a lot of such facts and events, which are undoubtedly examples of literal prose. Narration, the style of story-telling is loaded with artistic-representative means, types of tropes. All this confirms the principle of aestheticization of history, that the Georgian chronicle is not just a synthesis of meaningless facts and events, it is the beauty and poetry of thought, from a certain point of view.

History is the history of human passions. On the pages of numerous annals and chronicles, in the background of great wars, political decisions, relations between countries, economic and social conflicts of demonstration of power, large-scale personalities distinguished by the depth of thought, who created epochs in the arena of history, are drawn. It is man who is the main hero of historical texts, every action of a man is the testimony and manifestation of his humanity.

Behind every large-scale event there is a great human being with his mental space and broad vision. Knowing their personality leads to knowing the historical truth. Thus, history is not so much a knowledge of external facts or events, it is also a form of selfknowledge; And self-awareness is impossible without one’s own “I”.

Historical consciousness forces us to stand face to face with our own “I”. It helps us to delve into the anthropological depths of humanity, the causeandeffect relationships of events. In history, man always returns to himself. He tries to restore past feelings in his memory. In the wake of this, the life of the “crowned ones”, the merits of our great ancestors, and the insight of individuals leads us to the knowledge of our own ethnicity, genetic identity, and this is the same self-knowledge, which, as we have already mentioned, belongs to the essence of historical consciousness.

Davit Guramishvili’s Davitiani: The Book as a Survival

Khatuna Nishnianidze — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The manuscript of Davitiani, similar to the other medieval book collections, showcases the extensive and diverse creativity of the author, David Guramishvili. This diversity converges around a singular idea and theme, providing insight into the worldview of David Guramishvili. This article focuses on Davitiani’s creation history and how the book’s symbolic content can be understood. One of David Guramishvili’s paradigms is the evangelical insatiable child. Often away from home, leading a nomadic lifestyle, Guramishvili gained a wealth of wisdom and experience, which he would then bring back home, book in hand. For Guramishvili, books were
tools for preserving oneself, aiding their country, and drawing closer to God. The book is personified, filled with parental emotion and care, alleviating the feelings of loneliness and the fear of death. Thus, the poet sees own book as personified subject, his only legacy, his child, which he nurtured and fathered, and by which he hopes to be survived.

Guramishvili well understood that the wisdom within the book had the power to liberate his homeland, hence his dedicated efforts. Through this book, Guramishvili’s tries rediscovering lost truths, wisdom, God, eternity, and his homeland. Having lived in both Russia and Ukraine, Guramishvili could not find a true sense of home in either place. He decided to send his book to Georgia, his motherland, where it would be read and understood.

It is well known that in many religions and cultures, storytelling and writing were expressions of life, combating darkness and death. In the Middle Ages, Christian thinking bestowed sacredness upon acts of creativity. Within ecclesiastical writing traditions, stories were considered an immortalization of the author and protagonist, serving as a basis of salvation for those who read or listened.

The poetic texts included in the sole handwritten preserved copy of Davitiani are estimated to have been written at different times. According to K. Kekelidze, Guramishvili started writing poems very early, between 1730-1734. However, an unfortunate event in the relations between Georgia and Russia from 1734-1737, particularly the tragic end of the Darubandi expedition, fundamentally altered the lives of the King Vakhtang VI of Kartli and all the King’s Men, including Davit Guramishvili. This was what drove him to take up poetry and writing, attempting to combat his despair with words.

The book that Guramishvili started writing took on the task of educating his nation. He aimed to enrich the readers’ national, religious, ethical, aesthetic values and worldview. Guramishvili harbored an especially emotional attachment to his creation, considering the book as his child. The book, along with its literal context, also held a symbolic one. Mistrust and fear followed Guramishvili everywhere. Hostility towards Guramishvili was evident, having experienced the bitter feeling of having his manuscripts
destroyed more than once.

Davitiani is a paradigmatic, symbolic representation of Georgia, Georgians, and Davit Guramishvili himself.

Irodion Evdoshvili –150

Zoia Tskhadaia — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Irodion Evdoshvili’s life and literary works were complex, fascinating and contradictory. His first poem appeared in the newspaper “Kvali” in 1893 and since 1895 he was regularly published in literary magazine “Iberia” edited by Ilia Chavchavadze. The poet was acknowledged as a brave freedom-loving singer, who felt deeply for the suffering of the oppressed and tried to make his poetic word to be a beacon for men, a guide for liberation. Evdoshvili thereby not only echoed Ilia’s concept, but also expanded and strengthened it. This was also dictated by the voice of the time, the epoch.

Irodion Evdoshvili began his literary activity in the early years of the twenties century, at a time when class tensions were at their peak, and the Social Democratic Party, a generation known as Mesame Dasi (third group) entered the arena of political struggle. His poems full of passionate pathos were sung and recited everywhere during the fiery days of the 1905 revolution: on the tribunes, on the barricades... Evdoshvili’s poem “To the Friends” (1895) especially stood out for its appeal to self-sacrifice in the name of freedom. It seemed well suited for the 1990s, capturing the revolutionary spirit of the time. This pathos distinguishes his poems “Song”, “To My Friends”, “Amirani”, “Fight Song” and others.

Irodion Evdoshvili was arrested in 1909 and exiled to Vologda prison for three years, where he fell ill with tuberculosis. The poet expresses the sadness of separation from his homeland in the poem “Farewell to the Exile”, which is classified as a piece of poetry
belonging to the “Valletta” genre in Europe.

Poems written on a marine theme are fascinating in Irodion Evdoshvili’s poetry. Georgian poetry of the early years of the twentieth century was not as rich in this sense. Evdoshvili’s poem “Georgian Mother” which addresses the theme of the First World War is also noteworthy. It is hard to find thematically similar poems in Georgian poetry.

Many were frustrated by the 1905 revolution’s failure, the carnage, the tactics of battle, and the questionable direction of the revolutionary doctrine, particularly Irodion Evdoshvili.Things got worse with IIia Chavchavadze’s assassination, which was clearly inspired by the Social Democrats. For Evdoshvili, the murder of Ilia became a source of sadness and disappointment. This is the beginning of the most challenging creative period for Evdoshvili – awareness and revaluation of reality, which is vividly expressed in his poem “Diary” (1909). However, in this regard, especially important is the postcard secretly sent to Sandro Shanshiashvili from exile, in which he expresses the bitter mental pain of about the murder of Ilia and blames the Social Democrats for this. “This bullet hit me like a mournful sadness,” he wrote to his friend.

Evdoshvili did not swing off the road which he had chosen, but in relation to the Social-Democrats, he clearly revised his ideology, and the “enthusiastic tribune” toward the end of his life suffered “mourning sadness.”

The Writer Priest On to the Centenary of the Death of Melania (Archpriest Nikoloz Natidze)

Merab Ghaghanidze — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Archpriest Nikoloz Natidze (1853-1921) was known in the Georgian literature of the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century by his pseudonym: Melania.

Melania’s not numerous writings were noticeably popular among readers during his lifetime and later (although some of his unpublished texts were published later, after the death of the writer).

It is usual for Melania’s writings to shift themes from story to story, however, for the most part, these themes change form or merge with other themes during such a journey.

The story is often built around some impressive symbol, the acquisition or possession of which acquires a defining value for the actor, whose possessions determine the public-social weight of an individual (or so these people themselves think!).

The sequence of events – sometimes throughout the entire text, from beginning to end – is conveyed only in the form of a dialogue or monologue, where the author is generally hidden, which gives dynamism, immediacy, and emotional charge to the text.

The author’s writings are characterized by a broken ending, as if the plot never ends, and this incompleteness or interruption of the story enhances the feeling of their uniqueness. The reader is given an open opportunity, after he has perceived the general structure of the story, to imagine many possibilities for its continuation and development.

The creative loading of language and mythos in Melania’s prose requires special attention, however, unlike Vasyl Barnov and Vazha-Pshavela, they are not given a decisive importance in shaping or presenting the author’s artistic world.

Melania’s work, like the heritage of many other forgotten writers of the past, really needs an academic publication, study, understanding and giving it a proper place.

Alexandre Tsagareli and Issues of New Georgian Literature

Levan Beburishvili — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Aleksandre Tsagareli is one of the prominent figures among the Kartvelologists of the nineteenth century. The scholar working at the University of St. Petersburg is more famous for his linguistic and archeographical works, although his contribution as a critic of Georgian literature of the nineteenth century should not be forgotten. It is true that his critical heritage is not extensive, but it is noteworthy for the history of Georgian literary criticism.

In 1870, Alexandre Tsagareli published in the newspaper “Droeba” (No. 2-7) an extensive cycle of articles “Our Unfortunate Literature in this Century”, which, although it is mainly aimed at discussing the work of Ilia Chavchavadze, at the same time offers an interesting characterization of Georgian literature of the nineteenth century, before Ilia Chavchavadze .

Aleksandre Tsagareli is one of the first in Georgian reality to discuss the relationship between cosmopolitanism and nationalism based on literature and art. He takes the completely correct point of view that the work of art will gain a universal, cosmopolitan meaning when it is deeply national in nature. Nationality of culture not only hinders its cosmopolitanism, but on the contrary, without it it is completely unattainable.

Alexandre Tsagareli is the first Georgian critic who periodizes the Georgian literature of the nineteenth century based on a certain conceptual basis. He distinguishes three main stages of the development of new Georgian literature and discusses the main representatives of these periods.

In spite of numerous disputed provisions, Alexandre Tsagarli’s critical observations on the new Georgian literature are noteworthy for many reasons. The main merit of his cycle of letters is that the author tries to understand Georgian literature of the nineteenth century as a systematic process, which is evidenced by the periodization of the literature proposed by him. The views of the critic about the genesis and artistic form of the work of Alexandre Chavchavadze, Nikoloz Baratashvili, Giorgi Eristavi, Ilia Chavchavadze later became a creative impetus for many researchers.

About the Political Orientation and Creed of Nikoloz Baratashvili

Maia Tsertsvadze — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The political orientation and creed of Nikoloz Baratashvili are some of the issues that caused the scientific interest of the researchers of his life and work. They tried and are still trying to find out the attitude of the poet towards such historical events, which are the signing of the 1783 Georgievsky treaty by the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti to get the Russian protectorate and its political consequences (loss of the country’s independence, abolition of the royal throne...). This research of scientists is characterized by one feature – when discussing the issue, the poetry by Nikoloz Baratashvili, especially his historical poem “Fate of Kartli” is chosen. As it is known, the characters of this poem – King Erekle and his judge Solomon Lionidze have a heated polemic on the controversial issue of entrusting the fate of the country to Russia and are trying to justify their conflicting attitudes.

Recently, remarkable works of Georgian literary scholars were published, the authors of which (T. Doiashvili, L. Bregadze) consider such attempts to clarify the poet’s political orientation and creed as inappropriate. According to them, the main mistake here was and is the fact that the artistic character of texts chosen for analysis is not taken into account, in particular, the worldview principle of romantic irony, which is characteristic of romantic authors and which is reflected in their prose or poetic texts, is neglected.

We fully share the argumentation and point of view of the abovementioned scholars and consider that the study of Nikoloz Baratashvili’s political creed should be continued in such a way as to distinguish him, on the one hand, as a romantic poet, and on the other hand, as a historical person. In research, we should focus not on his poetry, but on the biographical material that we have mainly as a result of the critical study of the memories of the poet’s contemporaries and other sources, and his epistolary heritage –
nonfiction, which is more reliable for our intended purposes than his poetic works.

The presented article is an attempt to clarify the poet’s political orientation and creed on this basis.

For Understanding the Ideas in Vazha-Pshavela’s Aluda Ketelauri

Khatuna Kalandarishvili — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The study of Vazha-Pshavela’s, this genius thinker’s literary legacy was always an object of researchers’ various interests, although his works still hide a lot of secrets. The basis of this statement can be found within the philosophical interests that show themselves in Vazha’s fictional world. Vazha-Pshavela’s artistic vision reached the deepest layers of inner human nature, human interaction and defined their value in light of social life. A notable example, from this point of view, is Vazha-Pshavela’s poem Aluda Ketelauri.

The idea regarding the transfiguration of Aluda Ketelauri’s character has been stated within the scientific literature numerous times, as if the influence of meeting Mutsal caused a fateful change in his morality and led to him not cutting off Mutsal’s right hand. We believe that this was possible due to Aluda’s inner openness to see and value his enemy’s honor. Nothing in the poem hints at the fact that this trait developed within Aluda’s mind due to his fight with Mutsal – it’s just that meeting Mutsal created a favorable environment for this trait to be shown. The motif of Aluda not cutting off Mutsal’s right arm is employed by Vazha-Pshavela to define how special Aluda is and to continue the plot. In other ways, this incident has nothing to do with the conflict that shows the moral of this poem.

Within Aluda’s character Vazha-Pshavela showed us a sample of such a noble heart that is created within social understanding by the cultural environment built on the basis of Christian faith. Aluda’s world view is based on a humane attitude towards mankind, for him this is what being human is about, and he admits the importance of a human.

Thouugh these characters Vazha-Pshavela shows us that the philosophical understanding of a human excludes any wishes of conflict and bloodshed. These cannot ever become a definitive trait of human relations since in such a case people will move away from their true nature. Within the view of Aluda Ketelauri, the need of vengeance is transformed into such a wild act as human
cannibalism could be. A human is precious only through their humanity, and there are no other criteria that need to be met to define this value. The humanism that guides Aluda’s actions is based on such understanding.

From this point of view, the episode of Khatoba is especially important, when Aluda Ketelauri decides to sacrifice a bull to honor his enemy’s soul. The scientific literature agrees that this is the fact that lays the foundation for the separation of Aluda and his tribe. He “disobeyed the norms of religious justice” that would be “a reason enough to judge and exile a person in every society” (Grigol Kiknadze). But the question lies in the following, why is this man, who is blessed by god and respected by his neighbors, disobeying the religious rules and opposing that which is held sacred for all mountain men? It is not likely that Aluda Ketelauri’s actions have a simple explanation. We believe that the idea that in this case we are dealing with a difference in the understanding of faith between Aluda and the representatives of the tribe has been proven. The circumstances that would lead to this difference coming to light had simply not occurred before. Aluda brings the sacrificial bull without hesitation, he does not intend to offend his tribe’s faith, rather he honestly acts according to his own understanding of faith – that the true faith can only be based on universal love, and it is impossible for it to destroy hopes of any person’s survival. For this reason, only the other tribesmen see this as disobeying the norms of their religion, because their understanding is still primitive and closer to the attitudes of paganism. While Aluda’s personality “contains niches that characterize a higher level of social development” (Grigol Kiknadze). Therefore, the Christian world-view is closer to him, which represents the highest level of humanity’s development over the entire history of mankind. Within him the narrow-minded views of the Old Testament have been overcome, while a human, one who contains the immortal spirit
of the God, has been placed as the highest value. Aluda naturally understands the humanism on which Christian dogma is based on because it is a part of his ethical-moral world. For the other members of the tribe, given their current level of development, it is impossible to understand faith in this way.

On the basis of what was stated above, we believe that within the character of Aluda Ketelauri, Vazha-Pshavela demonstrated an aspect of the relationship of a person and a society where the difference in the understanding of faith acts as the basis for conflict. Vazha-Pshavela reached into the deepest layers of human nature and shed light on an issue that is relevant for all levels of mankind’s development.

Postmodern Reflection on the Protagonist’s Portrait in Umberto Eco’s Novel „The Name of the Rose“

Mariam Chkheidze — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

This paper undertakes a comprehensive exploration of the intricate portrayal of William of Baskerville in Umberto Eco’s seminal postmodernist novel, “The Name of the Rose,” with a particular emphasis on elucidating the key features of postmodern literature and the character’s dualistic nature. The analysis delves into Eco’s adept use of pre-existing literary forms to craft a highly complex and multi-dimensional character, positioning William as a captivating hybrid, embodying the attributes of both a Franciscan monk and an amateur detective.

At the core of this investigation lies the endeavor to decode William’s portrait, unraveling the layers of his dualistic nature. The character becomes a microcosm reflecting broader postmodernist themes, including an empirical approach to issues, intellectual curiosity, skepticism, double coding, duality, irony, and a nuanced sense of questioning established norms. In essence, William serves as a literary embodiment of postmodern complexity, inviting a nuanced analysis to grasp the intricacies of his character and the novel’s overarching narrative.

The examination unfolds with a focus on Eco’s strategic use of double coding, a hallmark of postmodern literature. This technique involves the blending of disparate literary elements, in this case, medieval and detective genres, to shape William’s character. The paper explores how this double coding contributes to the richness of William’s character, making him a fascinating subject for analysis within the context of postmodern literature.

To further illuminate the postmodern characteristics, the author draws on comparative examples, invoking the names of William Ockhom and Sherlock Holmes. This comparative analysis serves as a lens through which we examine and accentuate the postmodern nuances present in William’s persona. By juxtaposing William with these figures, the paper delineates the unique synthesis of medieval and detective elements in Eco’s work.

The exploration extends to a detailed scrutiny of the similarities and differences between William and Holmes. Carefully selected passages from both novels are employed as illustrative evidence, offering a tangible foundation for the comparative analysis of the characters. The paper concludes by summarizing the key features of William’s dualistic portrait as a product of post-modernist poetics.

Georgia in Emile-François Dessain’s Recollections and Paintings

Rusudan Turnava — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

“Quelques Souvenirs d’un voyage au Caucase”(Some Recollections of a journey through the Caucasus) by Emile-François Dessain, painter, engraver and lithographer, is preserved as a manuscript made by the end of 19th century in a French city of Valenciennes. It contains 148 pages. The artist tells us his journey from Russia to the Caucasus and Georgia where he lived in 1850-1851. The recollections were recorded by Edouard Desiré Fromantin, his biographer, shotly prior to the artist’s deth and handed to the Municipal Library of Valenciennes in 1910. The manuscript is not studied in Georgian scholarship.

This is interesting material about the life of the family of Giorgi XII, the last king of Georgia, at court of Nicholas I, Russian emperor. The recollections provide important history of creating the portraits of the last queen of Georgia, Mariam Tsitsishvili and her progeny. Dessain’s narrative shows us his close relations with Georgian aristocrats in 1850-1851, after he came to Georgia.

The Recollections reflect Georgian character seen by French artist and Georgia’s socio-political and cultural life in the mentioned period. Dessain is trying to render the exotic of the Caucasus and Georgia, where aristocratism of high society is strangely connected with the local traditions deeply rooted in culture. He recalls the situation and people at that time with mild irony and evaluates people’s warmth, cheerfulness and hospitality; tells about M. Vorontsov and Georgian nobles: Iliko Orbeliani, Nino Chavchavadze, David and Ekaterine Dadiani. He sarcastically mentions the French consul Edmond de Barrerre and traditions of the French colony in Tbilisi. The months spent in Georgia he recalls the brightest and most interesting period in his creative life.

Dessain’s recollections are considered as a work in the genre of travel literature which deserves a due attention by its artistic level with reference to other French travelers( Jean Chardin, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, Jean-Pierre Moynet, Henri Pharamond Blanchard). There is pointed out the artist’s perfect aesthetic sense, refined humour and ability of a psychologist. It is worthy of note his benevolent and at the same time critical opinions. The pictures created by Dessain are kept in Zugdidi, in Dadiani Palace, Shalva
Amiranashvili National Museum of Fine Arts and in other museums abroad.

Using historical-systematic, chronologic, imagological, biographic and comparative methods of studies, we are able to analyze questions in many aspects overview the role of socio-cultural context.

As a result of our scientific research a vivacious picture of French-Georgian literary-cultural relations in the 1850s is retrieved. New historical information and the features of French-Georgian crosscultural dialogue are revealed. The results of research are worthy for the specialists of literary criticism, historiography, archival studies, art criticism and for the general public concerned with questions of literature and culture.

Way from the Days of US Marshals Escort to Idyll by Duane Bryers, or the Scenes from the Backstage

Gocha Kuchukhidze — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

In 1960, for entire academic year, the United States Marshals Service protected Ruby Bridges, an Afro-American girl enrolled at a school that did not accept black children before; there is a photo, showing US marshals escorting little Ruby; this photo inspired Norman Rockwell, an artist, to paint a picture – The Problem We All Live With.

On one of the photos (taken in the studio), Rockwell imitates the marshal’s posture in comic style. On the other photo, Rockwell placed William Obanhein, the model for his picture, also into the comic posture, perhaps, he needed this to cause the very smile, resulting from tragicomic situation – the marshals had to be an escort, to protect a six years old girl (of not these photos,
some viewers would hardly perceive the creative originality of the painting correctly humor, – characteristic to the artist, style of friendly caricature, needed to pain the marshals, would not be apparent and the picture would cause only sadness).

On the other photo, off studio, taken in the environment, far from the large city, here Rockwell is a little older – the artist has the necktie looking exactly like the one he had when he expressed the marshal’s posture, he has the same pipe as well. These two photos are directly related to one another. On the photo made off studio, there are no comic gestures any more. It seems that by means of this photo, the artist perhaps says: “I am old, I live far from New York; as the danger of racism is lower, I am relatively calm, but still I closely watch, to prevent repeating it again” (in 1953 Rockwell left New York and moved to Stockbridge).

It seems that the photos (including those, taken in the studio) are not intended for work only – by means of them, Rockwell tells us something, they are made to influence the viewers as well.

On Duane Bryers’s picture – Croaking Frogs and Crickets, where we can see idyllic picture (peaceful summer night, woman, man and a dog on the balcony), in our opinion, there is Rockwell’s image and for this picture there is used Rockwell’s photo taken off studio; we see the idyll on this painting by Bryers, but, it seems, he wants to say also that Rockwell has completed his mission and deserved the right to peaceful life...The idea, clearly stated in this picture, of course, causes pleasure, but, we should also understand, what else the author wanted to say. The mentioned paintings and photos show whole history and we can say that what Bryers has told, is the culmination, final party of this history…

In our opinion, the story about Norman Rockwell and Ruby Bridges demonstrates, once more that Roland Barthes’s view, expressed in his essay The Death of the Author, according to which, the author’s idea is not interesting and only how we perceive his work is of significance, causes doubts – it is necessary to understand the author’s idea and frequently, the nuances of his/her covered beyond the stage gives us esthetic pleasure.

“Under a Radio Spell” (epigraphs) and „The Knight in the Panther’s Skin“

Lia Karichashvili — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The epigraph performs an important function in Niko Lortkipanidze’s writings. In the novel “Under a Radio Spell”, the writer uses excerpts from „the Knight in the Panther’s Skin“ and the Gospel as epigraphs. The first one almost exactly repeats the original and that is why the source is preserved (“Rustveli”), in the second case the relation with the Gospel is so formal that the writer does not refer to the Gospel as a source. Eli is the subject of both epigraphs; in the first, she addresses other characters, and in the second, the reader. Each of the two epigraphs is based on the same idea: phrases wellknown to the reader are deprived of their original meaning, so to speak, they are decoded and replaced with the motives and ideas of the story, i.e., the writer uses the verbal forms of well-known phrases to convey his own message. Both epigraphs encode the main message and idea of the story. They capture the mood and attitude of the writer himself towards his character and the main idea of the story.

The strophes from „the Knight in the Panther’s Skin“ (slightly modified) in the first epigraph demonstrate that the existence and state of mind of Eli and secondary characters – Heksley and Bromley – had nothing in common with each other, they lived in two distinct realities: on the one hand, there was a time for joy and feasting and on the other hand – a time for crying and mourning. Niko Lortkipanidze needs this contrast, so he calls forth Rustaveli’s strophes, but this time the substitution of the characters occurs. This text conveys Eli’s message. Obviously, the political subtext of the characters and their relationships are maintained.

If in the first epigraph, the trio’s diverse relationship is shown through the plot, which includes Eli’s meetings with Huxley and Bromley as well as their lives in various European cities, until the final episode, the second epigraph goes to Eli’s final. The only text to which the second epigraph refers is the Gospel. But this connection is so formal and associative that the writer did not point to the Gospel as a source. In the text of this epigraph, Eli speaks, not the Savior.

“For this is my blood...” – this is Eli’s blood (“the woman lying on her side was turned on her back, removed her hand from her cheek and then saw the only drop of blood dried at the base of her ear”). The Savior’s blood, a part of the Holy Communion, cannot be meant here, because it is inseparable from his own flesh (“Jesus took bread and having said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples with the words: “Take this and eat: this is my body” (Matthew, 26, 26). Niko Lortkipanidze “needs” only blood, he refers only to blood (obviously, it has lost its sacred content, that’s why the words of the New Testament are removed from the epigraph). As we mentioned, this is Eli’s blood, the counterweight of his sins and errors, the redeemer (“to forgive sins”). The syntagma “torturing life” is associated with this blood. What does “torture” mean here? Of course, the torture that Eli experienced before death, bitten by a snake. (“Tormented” should be understood as torture, suffering, and not in the meaning it has in „the Knight in the Panther’s Skin“ strophe: “You tortured me with life” (138). We believe that “gamitsame” (tortured) in this particular strophe is derived from the word “tsami”, which combines real and symbolic meanings of time in the poem and refers to the prolongation of
life. There is a different context is in the epigraph of the novel.

Eli’s behavior in the climactic episode – dancing with snakes in exchange for returning to homeland – is regarded by Niko Lortkipanidze as a sacrifice, imprinted with the character’s sinful blood (“This is my blood”), a life ended in torture (“for a torturing life”) that is of social and national significance (“For you and for many”). To express this idea and mood in the epigraph, the writer uses a specific verse of the Gospel and puts his message in its verbal formula in such a skillful manner that it exactly preserves the divine color, depth and mystery of the original text.

Tragic Peripetia Known as The Woes of Kartli in the Context of the 1950s

Manana Kvataia — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

This paper focuses on Guram Gegeshidze’s novel Natliskroba one of four novels in the writer’s cycle published under the general title The Woes of Kartli. As stated in the study, Guram Gegeshidze’s prose exhibits the elements of “magical realism” and late modernism. At the same time, neorealist tendencies are also apparent in his works. For the prose writer, new realism became a reliable alternative to socialist realism.

Literary critics point out that Guram Gegeshidze chose the saga genre for the novels of the cycle The Woes of Kartli which was a novelty in Georgian prose. Through the application of this literary innovation he could artistically reflect and re-evaluate the contradictory developments that Georgia underwent in the twentieth century. The author of the work discusses the history of the establishment of the concept “saga”. It is indicated that this term includes medieval Scandinavian and Irish epic works. It is noted that there are also Icelandic sagas, translated sagas, sagas about kings, knights, bishops, etc. Modern literary criticism under the concept of family saga considers the chronicles of the origin, development or disintegration of a large family, against the background of current political developments in the world or in a particular country.

The Natliskroba depicts distinct periods of the historical reality of 20th-century Georgia: a broad overview of the tragic events of March 1956 is presented in the main section of the novel, and the episodes that follow end up with the 1990s civil war. According to Giorgi Lobzhanidze, the title itself Natliskroba is saying a great deal, “it is a title containing substantive and emotional contexts”. It means the weakening and disappearance of the national spirit.

In the novel, Gegeshidze devotes a lot of space to analyzing and evaluating the events of March 1956. It is known that demonstrations in connection with Stalin’s cult had started in Tbilisi and other towns since March 3, 1956. On the night of March 9, the Soviet army attacked the protesters, and many civilians were killed in this brutal confrontation. Several conceptual literary texts were dedicated to the tragedy of March 1956: one of the first is Otar Chkheidze’s novel Revelation, which was written in 1973 and published in 1989. Guram Gegeshidze’s Revelation came out in 2016 (in the same year Levan Khaindrava’s novel The Sixth Hour translated into Georgian and others were published.

Guram Gegeshidze processed a great deal of factual material in his novel. As a firsthand witness to the events, the author’s analytical understanding of all historical peripetia of his tragic century gives additional historical authenticity to the text. He portrays his contemporaries’ bitter experiences in an artistic manner, blending them naturally with historical challenges the country faces.
Guram Gegeshidze offers a critical evaluation of the harsh, depressing reality of the post-Stalin era. A prose writer is an artistic chronicler of his hard times. He tries truthfully and objectively present his contemporaneity, thereby helping the future generations in correct perceiving and appraising of the historical events of the 20th-century Georgia.

Movie Theatres in Georgian Poetry of Social Realism

Levan Gelashvili — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The paper discusses the theme of movie theatres in the Social Realism poetry. Movie theatres were an essential tool for the Soviet Government in raising masses in the Communist way. In the 1920s, movie theatres and cinema clubs were being opened at churches. It was the new Soviet Church that was to play a significant role in transforming the consciousness of the masses. Communism, which sought to incorporate the surrogate function of God, responded to cinema by politicizing it. During the Communism Era, the original tradition of relationships with fire was lost, but primitive forms of relation with fire did not give up and adapted to new cultural forms.

Rituals performed by the Fire: telling stories, singing or dancing – were visual-verbal expressive forms. It was the distance of the opened space, as well as the visual distance of the image – mobilizing the viewer in the dark to the center of one point of light (fire), which united the emotions of the viewer and the listener. It was exactly as it happened in the cinema centuries later. Thus, the ritualistic, centuries old collective going to the Church for centuries was replaced by going to movie theatres and cinema clubs in the
era of Communism of the 20th century. It can be said that Fire as a means of universal transformation in the 20th century, was manifested in the form of cinema.

In addition to the poems, the article focuses on the analysis of cinemarelated reports, feuilletons and articles found the press. Social realism poems are studied right in this context.

As a conclusion, it can be said that three main categories are distinguished in the poems created on the topic of movie theatres:

1. Dedicatory poems about movie theatres in social realism poetry can be found quite a lot in the press of that time. Movie theatres are glorified and the opening of each new building was perceived as another victory for the Soviet Government and the Communist Party. There are dedicatory poems, where the movie theatre is a kind of sacred place. It is not only a film screening space, but also the epicenter of a ritual gathering that replaced the Church during the Communist era. Movie theatres are glorified as the new Soviet church (the word Church itself is of Greek origin and means a place of assembly), where people should share the new Communist knowledge and educational examples. In this type of poems, the cinema screen is metaphorically connected with fire, sun and light. It is noteworthy that this type of tendency can be observed in the 1920s Georgian futurism and modernist authors’ works.

2. When studying the movie theaters, it was also revealed that: World War II-themed poems that reflect the inspiration received at the movie theatres, from the movies dedicated to World War II (such is the case of Mikheil Chiaureli’s The Great Dawn) or the emotions of a lyrical hero are described in parallel with the seen documentary footage. It should be noted that the film frames are also described in the poem in such a way that the mood and montage of the accelerated film rhythm is not lost and preserved.

3. Issues of organizational order and discipline in movie theatres are acute and are almost always the same in different years. Technical defects in film screenings, interruptions in screenings, littering in theatres, undisciplined behavior and etc... are criticized in the press from a Communist ideological point of view, and in the work of educating the labor masses they are called
to improve cinema service for viewers. This type of feuilleton poem is distinguished by humor, exposing established ugliness. This includes specific individuals, movie theater employees, and generally poorly conducted film screenings.

Poems of all these three categories served for the good of the Soviet ideology and the common goal.

One Unknown Specimen of Byzantine Hymnography

Lela Khachidze — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Among 9th-century Byzantine hymnographers, there is one relatively lesser-known author who is referred to as Markos Sabbaite, Markos from Otranto or Markos the Monk in scholarly literature.

Markos the Monk is most known for the hymn intended for Holy Saturday, which he attached to the hymn of the outstanding hymnographer – Kosmas of Jerusalem.

The study of Georgian manuscripts, particularly Lenten Triodion under George the Athonite’s redaction, has revealed a hitherto unknown hymn composed by this author – a hymnographic canon, which is intended for the same day – Holy Saturday.

This unique collection attests the peculiarity characteristic of the work of its compiler, George the Athonite, who is extremely accurate in indicating the hymn writers and defining their texts. In a vast repertoire, in conditions of a large number of manuscripts and various testimonies, tremendous effort in identifying the authors lost over time is the most important peculiarity of George the Athonite’s activity.

In Lenten Triodion under George the Athonite’s redaction (Paris. Georg. 5) the author’s name Mark[o]z is written at the beginning of the hymn. A comparison with previous manuscripts revealed that this hymnographic canon of Markos the Monk was translated into Georgian for the first time by George the Athonite.

This hymnographic canon of Markos is an excellent example of ecclesiastical poetry. It is based on the “Gospel”, namely, the episodes depicting Great Sabbath not only in content, but also in phraseology. There are other biblical testimonies in the hymn. The odes of the hymn are characterized by refrains which are linked to biblical hymns attached to the psalms.

This hymnographic canon consists of 8 odes. From the point of view of the composition, the following circumstance deserves attention: the hymn contains two ninth-odes. The first of them begins with the dialogue between the Savior and the Mother of God standing near the crucifixion and continues with captivating of the hell.

No less impressive is the second version of the ninth ode of the canon, in which the deep theology characteristic of the author is clearly visible. Here, the symbolism of the tree is conveyed with great skill – the healing of Adam’s pole (i.e. the tree) punished by “vision of the taste of the wood” on the cross and understanding of the Savior as “a tree of life”.

At the beginning of the hymn, the relationship between the divine and human nature is discussed at the time of the crucifixion, when it was the mankind suffered the passion rather than the divine nature.

As it turns out, both in the canon of Great Saturday and in other hymn of the same day, the same hirmos is used by Markos the monk. In the canon, this hirmos is indicated only by the initial words, but in other hymn it is presented in full text, as in the first troparion of the hymn.

The scholarly literature on Markos the monk does not mention this hymn. This is a hitherto unknown work by this author.

It is interesting to mention that this hymn is not included even in the reductions of Greek and Slavic Lenten Triodions available today, where only certain sections of it (troparia) are found, included in the hymn of another author.

This hymnographic canon of Markos the Monk is not included in the modern Georgian Triodion, which exists after the reform carried out by Anton I. In modern Georgian Triodion on the occasion of the Great Shabbat, other hymnographic canon is presented.

Thus, this hymn represents an unknown specimen of Byzantine hymnography. In ancient Georgian manuscripts, in particular in Lenten Triodon under George the Athonite’s redaction, both its full text and a reference to the Greek author can be found.

The Difficult Path of St. Hilarion of Iberia

Saba Metreveli — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The arrival of Hilarion the Iberian in Rome in a difficult era for Christianity was a remarkable event. It created a complex task of searching for religious relations between Georgia and Rome, in terms of the relationship between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, for the researchers. Understandably, focusing on the fact that Hilarion arrived in Rome at a time when the relations between the Christians of the West and the East were very strained and stayed there for two years demands an answer to the question: did he
have a special role regarding the dispute between the Patriarch Photius of Constantinople and Pope Nicholas I? Naturally, Hilarion the Iberian would not be a simple worshiper of Roman relics. Peter and Paul, who are called chief apostles, are equally great saints of both the East (for the Orthodox) and the West (for the Catholics). Thus, connecting his stay in Rome and praying to the saints with Catholicism is irrelevant and beyond the scope of any logic. There is no reference to the Catholic Doctrine, nor is there any disputable dogmatic (even Filioque) issue in the entirety of hagiography. Therefore, Hilarion’s two-year work in Rome, in fact, does not provide any groundwork.

Hilarion the Iberian, the co-believer of the Greek, came to Rome to pray. It is possible that he was concerned about the confrontation, the great schism at that time, and took a kind of conciliatory position between Eastern and Western Christianity, which, of course, does not imply dogmatic tolerance of the Latins. Moreover, the West and the East were not divided during this period, so they did not shy away from relations with Rome. Hilarion the Iberian, who came to Rome freely, worked miracles. Performing acts of devotion and veneration at the tombs of Peter and Paul and the holy parts of priests and martyrs can not be connected with Hilarion’s sympathies towards “Roman Christianity”, because we are talking about the universal sanctities of Christianity.

Considerations on the Svan Versions of Amiraniani

Mary Khukhunaishvili-Tsiklauri — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

Comparative analysis of the versions of the legend confirms that it is a quite complex epic story. there are not only many layers created and precipitated during the course of time, but the story from the beginning was created in the form of episodic legends and each of them even being relatively independent had the interconnection, where is indisputably presented the Georgian mythology.

Legend of Amirani is divided into three cycles: the birth of Amirani, his exploits and the punishment of Amirani. The motif of the birth of Amirani ought to be derived from the legend about hunting goddess Dali giving birth on the crag. The story of the parturient Dali underlay the round dance song which is one of the oldest Georgian (Svan)round dance songs together with
“Amirani’s Round Dance” or so called „Hunting”. The traces of Dali’s cult is found in Eastern Georgia,too. It must be noted that the name of ” God” or “Deity “is phonetically close to the name of the Georgian deity Dali among the nations living in the Northern Caucasus .Hence,we can suppose that at some time“ Dali” was the common Caucasian Goddess with higher rank and functions.

The results of the investigation of the versions of the Legend of Amirani we have carried out revealed the attempts of Patriarchy, Astral and Christian religions to diminish the role of Dali as of Amirani’s mother. The subject of our nvestigation are three Svan versions of the epos. The tale describes adventure of king Iva’s sons Visipi, badri and Chalam Kalami. While hunting they came
across the balled-up bull skin roaming like wind on the mountain, which they could not capture. King Iva told the sons that it was Angel’s son wrapped up in the ball that wanted to transform into a human being and advised them not to touch it as it could turn up badly. They ought to capture the bouncing skin-ball in a silk net (being apotrophaic to avert evil)which his godfather Christ God had given him, then to take it to Jordan spring and immerse it in the spring water. So they did, brought the skin at home, opened it and a child jumped out, glowing like a candle. He began leaping without stopping all night toward the ceiling. The next day he came down and sat down before the hearth. Christ God came, baptized the child and named him Amirani. King Iva declared Amirani his son. In one month Amirani matured. He noticed that the king was blind in one eye, he demanded to know the reason. Iva for testing Amiran’s bravery sends him to bring meat of giant grasshopper and honey of man-sized bees. Amirani defeated them with the help of tiger’s tail that he inherited from his mother after birth and brought meat and honey to the king. In world mythology grasshopper symbolizes abundance, fertility and longevity, honey is associated with divinity, is celestial meal, a life sap of the Sun. Iva names his enemy, Urad Dev, who took away his eye.

In Georgian traditions names of many pagan spirits or deities under the influence of Christian religion were changed into the name “Angel”, the same happened to Dali. So under the “Angel’s “child Dali’s child is meant. According to the versions dying goddess giving birth of prematurely born Amirani asked to wrap the child in the animal skin for ending his growth. Thus the child wrapped in the balled– up skin was Dali’s son.

From the versions of the legend among Amirani’s mythical weapons were known diamond or golden knife, short sword that he inherited from his mother or during christening was given to him by the Sun or the Christian Saint. In the world mythology sword, knife are attributes of the sky deities representing male solar symbols. Tiger’s tail as Amirani’s weapon and a tiger was unknown motif not only in the epos of Amirani but generally in the biography of Goddess of hunt Dali, that brings forward the necessity
of investigation of the history of the mythological origin of the Goddess. It must be noted that the ancient image of the master of beasts was zoomorphic having form of tiger, tur, bird or serpent. Later the zoomorphic image became anthropomorphic.

In the world mythology tiger was worshiped as a symbol of fertility, lord of the forest and protector of the people against demons. Tiger ‘s skin was a cloak of Bacchus and Dionysus, it was a sacred animal of Shiva. Tiger and dragon symbolized Earth and Heaven, tail meant power.

In Georgian traditions and legends, in hunting and ceremonial poetry there are kept totemistic beliefs on tiger. For Georgians tiger was a sacred animal and was great sin to kill it. Killed tiger was mourned and given a warrior’s funeral with armor and weapon placed by its body. In the versions of the famous hunting ballade “ The Young Man and the Tiger” are revealed mythological images of the tiger fighting against the young hunter with its tail and the Dalis (the community of deity Daly)waiting for taking the hunter’s
soul for killing their sacred animal.

Prof. K. Sikharulidze in her book on the Caucasian (Iberian –Caucasian) mythology discussing Dali’s problem, thinks that several Caucasian mythological characters (among them goddess Dali)and motifs are keeping in touch with the elements of the mytho-religion system of Asia Minor and supposedly are originated from there. Such is the image of Mother Goddess that was established in Asia Minor and spread from there over Aegean and Mediterranean seas and in the Caucasian cultures, too. It must be noted that
the cult of the Mother Goddess that embodied fertility developed after the transformation of totemism in the early agricultural society, when together with the Goddess appeared certain species of the animals in the epoch of the developed totemism having the function of the defender and the protector. The scientists as an example name the Mother Goddess of Catalhoyuk of
Anatolian Civilization (around 6000 B.C.). The sculptural figure depicts the Goddess seated on the throne and giving birth. She is accompanied by her sacred animals, two leopards from the both sides. If we share K. Sikharulidze‘s opinion Dali’s biography must be discussed in the same mytho-religion direction together with her sacred animal, tiger.

Poetics of Roman Virtue According to the Tragedy Cinna by Pierre Corneille

Tamar Antia — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0400

The word la vertu (virtue) appears in French texts and plays since the Middle Ages. Clergymen, philosophers and moralists believe that the quality of human ethics is measured by the quality of virtue. So, virtue can be considered one of the most important concepts of Western civilization and literature.

In the XVII century, the theme of virtue is relevant in French literature, in particular in French classical drama.

In Roman tragedies of French classicist dramatist Pierre Corneille, the poetics of virtue occupies an important place, which varies according to the context of the tragedies.

The article we present an analysis of the poetics of Roman Virtue according to the tragedy Cinna by Pierre Corneille.

Cinna ou la Clémence d’Auguste ( Cinna or the Clemency of Augustus), the second tragedy from the cycle of Roman tragedies by Pierre Corneille draws our attention to the different nature of the virtues shown by its characters, which is closely related to the socio-political situation and worldview.

As in his first Roman tragedy – Horace, in Cinna P. Corneille again refers to the concept of virtue (la vertu) in both moral and political contexts.

Unlike Horace’s Roman virtue (la vertu romaine), which is a masculine virtue, while female virtue is completely subservient to male virtue, in Cinna on the contrary, we find a different definition of virtue. The virtue of heroes of Cinna is determined by the feelings of love, revenge and clemency.

If in Horace Roman virtue is associated with patriotism, then in Cinna Roman virtue includes all the ideas and aspirations of its heroes that determine their actions.

In Cinna men’ s virtue depends on the virtue of women. The actions of Cinna and Augustus are determined by the virtues of two strong women – Émilie and Livie.

Augustus’s virtue – clemency, is the merit of his wife Livie, because the idea of clemency belongs to her.

For Cinna’s sweetheart– Émilie virtue is associated with revenge. The virtue of emperor’s wife – Livie, is expressed in her intelligence and wise advice, which is based on the main defining concept of virtue– caution. It is true that women’ s virtues do not appear in the foreground in Cinna, however, their virtues have an important function in tragedy. The virtues and actions of the female characters of Cinna differ from the actions and virtues the female ones of Horace .

In Cinna, women do not obey masculine virtues. Both Émilie and Livie react to the men’s actions. Émilie ‘ s reaction is intense and spontaneous, Livie’s – is moderate and reasonable, but in the end both are influenced by the virtues of the men – Cinna and Augustus.

Virtue has both a dramatic and a structural function in tragedy. In addition being a moral example for the audience of the theater, virtue plays a special role in the development of the plot in the French classical drama of the XVII century, Because the virtue of the characters in the play determines both the development of the plot of the play and the final act.

The virtues that were considered masculine virtues in antiquity are characteristic of the female characters of Cinna. In antiquity, clemency was not a characteristic virtue of women, but of men who ruled the State.

According to Cinna, the source of Emperor Augustus’s virtue is a woman – his wife – Livie. Émilie and Livie express feminine virtues in Cinna. Émilie and Livia are not only virtuous characters in the tragedy, but they control and subjugate the virtues of men according to their desires. Unlike Horace, in Cinna men obey women’s virtues and fulfill women’s wishes or advice. The virtue of Augustus, which is the merit of Livie, causes the admiration of his subjects, which increases loyalty and respect for the monarch.

It is worth noting that for Corneille’s heroes, true virtue does not exist without sacrifice. In “Horace” Horace and Curiace sacrifice family and love relationships for the State interests. In Cinna, Émilie sacrifices her virtue (desire for revenge) to Augustus’ highest virtue (clemency). And Cinna sacrifices her virtue (patriotic obligation) for Émilie ‘s love.

In Cinna, the paradigm of the poetics of virtue is created by three main concepts: 1. revenge – la vengeance, 2. Obedience to the wishes of the lover – Obéissance aux souhaits de l’amant and 3. clemency – la clémence.

The full title of the tragedy, Cinna ou la Clémence d’Auguste – Cinna, or the clemency of Augustus indicates that the highest virtue is the clemency of Augustus.