The literary map of the conflict (based on Georgian textual data)

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Tsira Kilanava

Abstract

The entire 19th – 20th centuries were particularly significant for Georgia: In specified periods this country was forced to accept itself in a new political order: At the beginning as a colony of the Russian Empire, then  – temporarily as a democratic republic, then as a member of the Soviet Union, and finally as a free post – Soviet country. Even the literature of that time had strongly marked reflexive nature: it operated as a medium of formation of the social mind and shaped national discourse. The main lexical units of this discourse were avto and hetero images. Alongside these images were literary images of the political – geographical map of Georgia, among which  – markers of the national landscape and the literary passage of the situation existing in the border/conflict zones (mostly  – within the limits of illegal borders near Russia).


The emotions of the character that are represented in the zones of the border area, the specificity of the language and its relation to ongoing political processes  – these very aspects will constitute the main issues of the presentation. These points will be presented chronologically: 1) Literature of the 19th century: The works of Ilia Chavchavadze, Aleksandre Kazbegi, George Eristavi, 2) Literature of the beginning of the 20th century:The works of Demna Shengelaja, Grigol Robakidze,


Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, 3) Literature of the end of the 20th century: The works of Nugzar Shataidze, Guram


Odischaria, Beqa Qurchuli, Shorena Lebanidze, Zurab Jishkariani, Irakli Kakabadze, Irakli Shapatava, Tamta Melashvili, Tamar Pkhakadze, George Sosiasvili. The literary works of the above – mentioned authors emphasize the consciousness of the characters, who cross the geographic border of the country voluntarily or forcedly, and their attitude towards the "North", the "East" and the "West". The voices of these characters are voices of political minorities and they represent the protest because of the violation of the political borders.

Published: Nov 14, 2022

Article Details

Section
How Can Literature Change the Geography? European Globality and the Black Sea/Ge