Tamar Sharabidze

Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Associate Professor

Tbilisi, Georgia

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8031-9528

Shagno12@gmail.com

Ilia Chavchavadze and Rafiel Eristavi 

Abstract

The difference between Ilia Chavchavadze and Rafiel Eristavi is 13 years; They are contemporaries; However, people of the 60s refer to Rafiel as "elder" and "old poet". It seems that even one decade is of great importance from the point of view of public activity. Before the "appearance” of Tergdaleulebi in the country, Rafiel Eristavi changed many government jobs and served the Georgian cause everywhere and always. Although he was considered a representative of the older generation, Rafiel stood by the side of the new generation and its leader - Ilia Chavchavadze. During the " the so-called Clash of Fathers and Sons", when Ilya gave a harsh answer to Barbare Jorjadze (Rafiel's sister) regarding language issues and other new generation youths followed him, it seems that Rafiel Eristavi refrained from getting involved in polemics.

We think, who but him the translator and creator of fables, the establisher of mountain dialects in poetry, the fan of the peasants, would have known the importance of the need to introduce the folk language into literary Georgian?! Rafiel had a close relationship with Ilya - he and Ilya's foster aunt Makrine were husband and wife; however, from the surviving epistles, business documents and publications, their relationship is more of a literary-social nature. Rafiel Eristavi evaluated the peasant songs published by Ilya in the "Collection" magazine and regarded the fact a great national matter. It was followed by the publication of the joint collection of Rafiel Eristavi and Ilia Chavchavadze - "Peasant Songs, Poems and Proverbs" - as a separate book.

Many public affairs connected Rafiel Eristavi with Ilia Chavchavadze. They were joint participants of the meetings of the book publishing association of Georgians, the meetings of the Society of the People' literacy, the competition for the selection of actors needed for the production of "King Lear"; determination and publishing sessions of the "Man in the Panther’s skin" text, various charity evenings.

 

Ilia took into account Rafiel Eristavi's aspiration and competence to collect and publish old manuscripts, and in 1881, at the meeting of the Society of the People's Literacy, he entrusted him with the selection of books to be purchased from Grigol Charkviani; Also in the same year, drawing up the library project and book collection plan. In connection with Arthur Laist's arrival in Georgia in 1884, Ilia first held a dinner, and then on December 31, he invited Georgian figures to celebrate the New Year and the release of the first issue of "Iveria". Rafiel Eristavi was irreplaceable at the New Year table. The vivid impressions are described in Arthur Laist's memoirs, as well as in the publication printed in "Iveria" by Ilia Bakhtadze (Khoneli). The relationship between Ilya and Rafiel is particularly evident at the Banquet held in Davit Sarajishvili's house in December 1887, where Ilya read "Otaraant Widow". Rafiel’s assessment of the work was preserved in the personal fund of the poet:

"Until today, I had never loved a true widow...."

The most interesting of the cards sent by Ilia to Rafiel during his tenure in the Caucasian censorship committee of Rafiel Eristavi is the letter of 1889, in which he asks Rafiel to leave Mikheil Nasidze's poem unchanged. Rafiel, to his own detriment, fulfills Ilya's wish. Ilya took part in drawing up the program of the 50th anniversary of Rafiel Eristavi held in 1895, he sat next to the poet all evening and gave a speech. The death of Rafiel Eristavi was a great loss for Ilia Chavchavadze. For the remembrance of his soul, the Peopple’s Literacy Socity held a funeral in the Kashveti church, the organization of which belonged to Ilia

Keywords: Rafiel Eristavi, Ilia Chavchavadze, relationship