The Literature of Georgia: A History

Description

The first comprehensive and objective history of the literature of Georgia, revealed to be unique among those of the former Byzantine and Russian empires, both in its quality and its 1500 years' history. It is examined in the context of the extraordinarily diverse influences which affected it - from Greek and Persian to Russian and modern European literature, and the folklore of the Caucasus. Contents Preface Preface to the Second Edition I. The Making of the Classical Age: The Fifth to the Eleventh Centuries: Asceticism & Byzantium 1 Laying the foundations 2 Lyrical poetry: hymnography 3 Original prose: from homilies to hagiography 4 The Lives of the Fathers: Serapion Zarzmeli, Grigol Khandzteli 5 Chronicles: The ‘Conversion’ & ‘Life’ of Georgia 6 The dawn of secular literature: ‘Balahvar & lodasap’ II. The Golden Age, The Fall & The Resurrection: The Twelfth to the Eighteenth Centuries: Court & Courtly Love 7 Prose romance: Rustaveli’s precursors 8 Rustaveli & ‘The Knight in the Panther Skin’ 9 Religious literature of the Golden Age 10 The later chronicles 11 Rebuilding on a ‘tabula rasa’ 12 The authorial persona: King Teimuraz I 13 Kings & enlightenment 14 Three great poets: Guramishvili, Sayat-Nova & Besiki 15 The last gasps of the eighteenth century III. Romantic & Civic Literature: The Nineteenth Century: Russian Tutelage 16 Exiled royalty: the Bagration writers 17 Romantic poets: Chavchavadze, the Orbelianis, Baratashvili 18 The birth of modem prose & drama 19 The luminaries: Ilia Chavchavadze & Akaki Tsereteli 20 Lesser luminaries: populists & pedagogues 21 Melodrama, revolt & commercial literature IV. The Rediscovery of Roots: 1880-1914: Vazha-Pshavela & Heroic Folk Poetry 22 Vazha-Pshavela 23 Folk poetry & its relevance to literature V. The Age of Internationalism: The Twentieth Century: The Dashing of Hope 24 Two theatres: the political arena & drama 25 Narrative prose & Mikheil Javakhishvili 26 Dreaming poets: Grishashvili, Robakidze & the Blue Horns 27 Mythmakers under Socialism: Shanshiashvili, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia 28 The poetry of Galaktion Tabidze, Giorgi Leonidze & Simon Chikovani 29 Beria’s Holocaust 30 Literature after the Great Terror 31 From thaw to deluge Notes Preface 1. Laying the foundation 2. Lyrical poetry: hymnography 3. Original prose: from homilies to hagiography 4. The Lives of the Fathers: Serapion Zarzmeli, Grigol Khandzteli 5. Chronicles: the ‘Conversion’ and ‘Life* of Georgia 6. The dawn of secular literature: Balahvar and lodasap 7. Prose romance: Rustaveli's precursors 8. Rustaveli and ‘The Knight in the Panther Skin ’ 9. Religious literature of the Golden Age 10. The later chronicles 11. Rebuilding on a tabula rasa 12. The authorial persona: King Teimuraz I 13. Kings and enlightenment 14. Three great poets: Guramishvili, Sayat-Nova and Besiki 15. The last gasps of the 18th century 17. Romantic poets: Chavchavadze, the Orhelianis, Baratashvili 18. The birth of modern prose and drama 19. The luminaries: Ilia Chavchavadze and Akaki Tsereteli 20. Lesser luminaries: populists and pedagogues 21. Melodrama, revolt and commercial literature 22. Vazha-Pshavela 23. Folk poetry and its relevance to literature 24, Two theatres: the political arena and drama 25. Narrative prose and Mikheil Javakhishvili 26. Dreaming poets: Grishashvili, Robakidze and the Blue Horns 27. Mythmakers under Socialism: Shanshiashvili, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia 28. The poetry of Galaktion Tabidze, Giorgi Leonidze and Simon Chikovani 29. Beria’sHolocaust 30. Literature after the Great Terror 31. From thaw to deluge Bibliography Index