THE SINGLE-MINDED ENEMY AND THE PECULIARITIES OF ITS RECEPTION IN THE GEORGIAN LITERATURE OF THE 19TH CENTURY (ROMANTICS)

Abstract

 The beginning of the 19th century is the most important stage in the historical development of the Georgian people; From this time, a new period in the socio-political life of Georgia begins. According to Tedo Zhordania, from the beginning of the 19th century, the fate of the Georgian people was firmly connected with the fate of the Russian people. The most far-sighted Georgian politicians, who expressed the interests of the advanced social strata, saw in Russia a single-minded strong state that could save Georgia, weakened by incessant battles with enemies and internal particularism, from the encroachment of the aggressive countries of the East" (Zhordania, 1967: 349).

Kita Abashidze's assessment of the same era is also interesting: ,,...for Georgia, the nineteenth century is surrounded by blackness and darkness. Georgia, as a political entity, was born in the first years of the nineteenth century. Since the nineteenth century, the Georgian nation no longer had a dignified life, it lived under the "protection" of others in words, and experienced the "slavery" of others in deeds.

If we submitted our own free will to the strong neighboring state, which was also Christian at the same time, we thereby accelerated the process of the historically inevitable march, we no longer used every means to save the homeland that was taken from the enemy, but for the first time we fulfilled what, "sooner or later", had to happen. We can only say that we made things easier for the state, under whose skirts we took refuge, and saved a lot of work and trouble" (Abashidze, 1962: 7).

Key words: Aleksandre Chavchavadze, Grigol Orbeliani, Nikoloz Baratashvili, icon of the enemy, fight for freedom.