Late Feudal Period

Recovering from the general downfall in the late High Feudal Period until the 16th century, Georgian literature at first reflected outside cultural influences but later showed more and more genuine Georgian character. Education was still more or less restricted to church institutions during this period, but first schools were opened in Tbilisi in the early 1800s and later in Kutaisi (1850) and elsewhere.

Translations from Persion epics were quite common, e.g. the love epics "Chosrov and Shirin" and "Baramguriani" or the educational "The Treasury of the Kings".

For example, the tragic king Teimuras I. of Kakheti became known for his religious and secular poetical works as well as for his translations of Persian epics and the political epic "Ketevaniani". Another influential writer and poet of this period is king Artshil II (არჩილ მეფე II), for example with his "Artshiliani", "Teimurasiani",  and "The Manners of Georgia" (საქართველოს ზნეობანი).

Author of the famous collection of fables and narratives "The Wisdom of the Lie" (სიბრძნე სიცრუისა) of the late 17th century is the writer Sulchan-Saba Orbeliani (სულხან-საბა ორბელიანი). He also published about his travels in Europe, poems and is the author of the first(?) explanatory dictionary of the Georgian language (სიტყვის კონა ქართული, რომელ არს ლექსიკონი).

Sulchan-Saba's student, king Vakhtang VI (ვახტანგ VI) was a strong promotor of literature and supported translations. It was during his reign 1703-1711 that the first printing shop was established in Tbilisi[1] He was also an active poet himself. Another king poet was Teimuras II ("Praise of the fruits" ხილთა ქება). Further notable poets and writers of this period are Mamuka Baratashvili, Davit Guramishvili ("Davitiani"), Besarion Gabashvili, Ioane Bagrationi and Kaichosro Andronikashvili.

Popular litarary themes of this period were religious themes, history, travel descriptions, philosophy love and moral lyrics. A returning themes were the fight of Georgians against foreign invaders and the daily struggle of the people.

Some works take up themes from High Feudal period, for example the epic "Omaniani" which is a kind of follow-up to the "Knight in Panther Skin" or the verse epic by the brothers Sulchan and Begtabeg Taniashvili based on Mose Choneli's "Amirandaredshaniani".

Theater pieces started to appear towards the end of the 18th century when the first theaters were active in Tbilisi: first Major Gabriel's Theater and later Giorgi Avalishvili's theater. Georgian pieces were, for example, Goderdzi Piralishvili's version of the "Knight in Panther's Skin" and Aleksandre Amilachori's "Happenings in Astrachan".

Russian influence on Georgian culture started to grow towards the end of the 18th century after the contract of Georgievsk (1783) and the annexion of Georgia as a Russian Colony in 1801. Russian administration was introduced to Georgia, with Russian officers in leading positions and Russian becoming the offical administrative language. Despite being unified as one country and relatively peaceful during this period, negative conditions like peasant serfdom, forced labor, high taxes and overall contempt for the obvious Russification of Georgia led to (unsuccessful) uprisings until the 1840s.

The dissatisfactin with Russian rule and occupation was a large patriotic and nationalistic influence to the upcoming Georgian Romanticism. Georgian romanticists take up themes of melancholy, desolation and protest concerning the situation in the country, but also a certain fighting spirit (e. g. the Bagrationi Sisters Mariam, Tekle and Ketevan). The most prominent figure of Georgian Romanticism is Aleksandre Tshavtshavadze (ალექსანდრე ჭავჭავაძე), translating many contemporary literary works from Russian and French to Georgian (e.g. Pushkin). He was the author of love and nature poems, who was able to express in allegories[2] his desire for an independent and thriving Georgia, e.g. in the poem "Oh, the times, the times!" (ვაჰ, დრონი, დრონი).

Grigol Orbeliani (გრიგოლ ორბელიანი) is mostly known for his songs, love poems and poems describing the life of the laypersons and shopowners in Tbilisi ("The worker Bokuladze" მუშა ბოქულაძე). His patriotic feelings show in the poems "Iarali" (იარალის) and "Queen Tamar's Face in the Betania Church" (თამარ მეფის სახე ბეთანიის ეკლესიაში). Overall, his poetry is perceived to be surpassing A. Tshavtshavadze's in quality.

Considered the acme of Georgian Romanticism and one of the best poets of Georgia at all, is Nikoloz Baratashvili (ნიკოლოზ ბარათაშვილი). Like his fellow romantic poets, occupied Georgia and the desire for independence are the main themes of his poems, e.g. in "The Fate of Georgia" (ბედი ქართლისა). His poems not only lament on the past and present situations but also hint on future prospects. His language is considered unique, combining antique and modern elements, with strict rhythm and extraordinary musicality.

Some influence to romanticism came from older sources as well, e.g. by the poet, folk singer and monk Arutin (or Sajatnova) of the mid 18th century or the fairy tale epic "Rusudaniani" (unknown author).

Vakhtang Orbeliani's (ვახტანგ ორბელიანი) poetry is more oriented on the past and what is lost in the present situation. He marks the latest period in Georgian Romanticism before themes became more realistic and the style more modern, reflecting a new objectivity and serenity towards the societal conditions in Georgia of the mid 19th century - the advent of Realism and the Modern Period of Georgian Literature in mid 19th century.


  1. Note that the first book printed in Georgian letters was printed in 1629 in Italy. Elbakidze (2016). ↩︎

  2. In order to avoid censorship of this works by the Russian administration. ↩︎

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