From Literary – Critical Thought Of Geronti Kikodze

Abstract

During Geronti Kikodze’s scientific researches he relied on thoughts of WestEuropean writers and philosophers. He was a brilliant translator, critic and theorist of literature.

He speaks of Ilia Chavchavadze’s personality and works in the following letters and essays: “Ilia Chavchavadze for a portrait”, “Traditions of Georgian Culture and Ilia Chavchavadze”, “Ilia Chavchavadze”, “Sense of tragic in Georgian poetry”, “Poetry and reality”, From History of Georgian Literature of 19th century”. G. Kikodze’s following provisions about Ilia Chavchavadze are significant: Ilia democratized literary genres and types. He considered Ilia to be the first Georgian writer who based poetry on the nearest reality of his homeland. Besides, Kikodze thinks that the majority of patriotic poems are of programmed character or they develop some definite subject. He considered “The Hermit” as the most abstract creations among Ilia’s works, the moral of which is completely clear, which is rejection of asceticism in the name of humanism. He also notes that Ilia as an artist became famous especially with his writings on social issues. In a letter dated on 1936 “Kartli, traditions of culture and Ilia Chavchavadze” G. Kikodze concludes: “Like Rustveli Ilia Chavchavadze freed Georgian Literature from national seclusion, he united healthy traditions of Georgian culture with a great ideological movement of advanced mankind. Only in times of Rustaveli culture of Asia and Byzantine was most advanced, but in Ilia’s times – culture of West- Europe” (G. Kikodze).

G. Kikodze’s viewpoint on I. Chavchavadze literary heritage is relevant and important even today.