Tamar Tsitsishvili
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature
Senior Researcher
Tbilisi, Georgia
ORCID: 0009-0008-8872-1916
Tamar Tsitsishvili
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature
Senior Researcher
Tbilisi, Georgia
ORCID: 0009-0008-8872-1916
Aleksandre Khakhanashvili on the history of ancient Georgian literature
Abstract
Dividing the history of national writing into periods (periodization) is to establish the main criteria for its systematization and at the same time evaluations. The history of assessment of the development of national writing by Georgian critics is not only important from the point of view of the history of Georgian theoretical-critical thinking, but also very noteworthy in terms of studying the main tendencies of the development of the literary process of the new time. At the end of the 19th century, a number of summary works were created in Georgia, in which critics tried to characterize the Georgian literary process in the wider context of the development of Georgian writing. Aleksandre Khakhanashvili made a great contribution in determining the periodization of Georgian literature. An important stage in the development of Georgian literary studies began with the publication of "Essays" by Aleksandre Khakhanashvili. His works were published in Georgian, Russian and European languages. It should be noted that the scientist has made a great contribution to the search, identification, recording, description, processing, publication and popularization of Georgian writing and culture of ancient Georgian literature. As it is believed in Georgian literary studies, the scholar's works are one of the first attempts to convey a unified picture of our writing. Korneli Kekelidze believed that Khakhanashvili's systematic course on the history of Georgian literature was quite a valuable work, because not only Georgians were introduced to Georgian literature through these works, but for a long time it also met the first requirements of our school, since it was converted into a textbook. And indeed Al. Khakhanashvili together with Kita Abashidze, were given the most honorable place in the study of the historical point of view of the works of Georgian writers. The scientist himself admitted that he approached the texts in question, sometimes from a multifaceted historical-literary point of view, and sometimes only by conveying the content and external description. It is significant that the scholar understands the genre and artistic-aesthetic characteristics of ancient Georgian literature in the general context of world literature. The scholar's understanding and characterization of ancient literature deserves special attention, which is not only an indicator of the achievements of that time and the specificity of the author's thinking, but also a proof of the development of Georgian literary theory in the general European context. The study of our cultural heritage with the modern methodologies of the finds of previous centuries, already forgotten, sheds light, not only on Al. Khakhanashvili's scientific achievements, but also important for studying the history of Georgian critical thought conducted by us. The analysis of Khakhanashvili's views made it clear - when understanding the history of ancient Georgian writing in a unified way, the scientist takes the basic principles of the cultural-historical school as a basis and at the same time considers the artistic-aesthetic principle.
Women's Vision and 19th-century Georgian writing (Barbare Jorjadze)
Since ancient times, science and art were considered only the privilege of men. In the XIX century, the process of renewal began in Europe, and women actively appeared on the public and literary scene, whose works captured the hearts of readers. In the XIX century, Georgian women were also actively involved in the struggle for equality. It is true that historically there has always been a cult of women in Georgia, but during the centuries-old hardships of our country, women were mainly engaged in raising children and doing family work. In different periods, the conquering policy of the Islamic states had an impact on the role of women in Georgia. Even in the XIX century, a part of Georgian conservatives actively campaigned against women's rights. They believed that if we "turned away from the customs of our parents", we would all die. One of the first defenders of Georgian women turned out to be historian Dimitri Bakradze, whose letter "Georgian Women" was published in "Tsiskari" magazine. A new generation of Georgian men, the liberals, marched against the conservatives. They not only came to us as defenders of women, but also encouraged them and supported them in every good work - Ilia, Akaki, Vazha, Niko Nikoladze, Giorgi Tsereteli, Sergei Meskhi, and others. The Georgian press of the XIX century did not make any effort to cover the issues of the women's movement. In XIX-century Georgian writing, Barbara Jorjadze (1833-1895) was a woman writer who broke the prevailing stereotype in society, changed the existing reality and was one of the first broadcasters of news. Barbara Jorjadze tried her luck in all genres of literature. Her poetic, prose, dramatic texts and critical letters were systematically printed in the Georgian periodical press. She took an active part in the struggle of fathers and sons. Jorjadze proved that: "As many people think, the purpose of a woman is not only external beauty, that the supremacy and angelic power of a woman is based on internal beauty, and that internal beauty is long-lasting and eternally immortal" ("Iveria"). The subject matter of Barbara Jorjadze's texts was largely determined by the complicated and difficult political history of Georgia in the modern period of the woman writer. It is significant that the writer's stories contain non-ethnographic information about Georgian traditions, customs and rituals, old, everyday, household stories, and seemingly ordinary but interesting stories. The writer was also involved in the fledgling Georgian theater life. It was with her comedy - "What I was looking for and what I found" - that the first season of the renewed Georgian Professional Theater was opened on September 5, 1879. A special topic is the widely known "Kitchen Book" by Barbara Jorjadze. Barbara Jorjadze was the first woman writer, the "first swallow", after whom society opened its doors to other Georgian women writers
Keywords: XIX century, Women writers Barbara Jorjadze