Professor
Akaki Tsereteli State University
Kutaisi, Georgia
ORCID: 0000-0001-8419-6976
nestani.kutivadze@atsu.edu.ge

“Literary Fairy Tale of Aleksandre Kazbegi”

In the history of Georgian literature, Aleksandre Kazbegi stands out as a distinctive figure. He is a writer who embraced the aesthetic credo of the Georgian Sixtiers, and his creative works prominently reflect Russia's oppressive policy in Georgia and the Caucasus. The heroes of his prose selflessly fight for freedom and independence, face moral dilemmas, endure lives filled with tragedy, and maintain the pathos of victory.

Kazbegi’s fictional world, despite its tragic nature, remains valuable and compelling for contemporary readers. The study of his literary legacy reveals many previously unknown and significant layers. A clear example of this is the collection Known and Unknown Kazbegi (Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature, 2019), which includes two fairy tales: King’s Steed and The Thirty-Ninth Stick.

The literary fairy tale as a genre emerged in Georgian literature in the second half of the 19th century and gained popularity toward the end of the century and the beginning of the 20th century. The genre effectively incorporates motifs, plots, characters, clichés, and established formulas from folk tales, highlighting its transformative potential. Kazbegi’s fairy tales, rooted in magic and wonder, reflect socio-political and aesthetic tendencies of the era, and are comparable to the works of Akaki Tsereteli and Vazha-Pshavela.

Kazbegi’s literary fairy tales include folk-tale symbols and motifs (e.g., the steed, magic apple, stepmother motif), clichés, structural markers (e.g., the prince rescuing the future queen from captivity), and various poetic devices unique to his style. They reveal familiar layers and nuances from his prose, and the allegorical nature of episodes resonates with cultural and epochal contexts. Kazbegi’s fairy tales are characterized by organic narrative style, clear and transparent expression, belief in the triumph of truth and the defeat of evil, resilience against violence, and thought-provoking messages for the reader.

Keywords: literary fairy tale, fairy tale clichés, structural element, epochal context, struggle against violence