LEPL – Sokhumi State University

Faculty of Humanities

With the permission of manuscript

Neli Petriashvili

“Enemy Icon” in Imagological Viewpoint

(Based on the Postcolonial Georgian Literature)

Dissertation Manual

Presented to obtain the Academic Degree of the

Doctor of Philology

Tbilisi - 2019

Dissertation Thesis is written at LEPL – Sokhumi State University at the Faculty of Humanities

Scientific Adviser: Mariam Miresashvili

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 Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of LEPL – Sokumi State University

Experts: Nana Kutsia

Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor of LEPL – Sokumi State University

Nana Gaprindashvili

Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Official Reviewers: Marine Turava

Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor of LEPL – Sokumi State University

Nino Tsereteli

Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

The protection of the dissertation will be held on February ___ , 2019 at ___ at the Dissertation Board
Meeting at the Faculty of Humanities at LEPL – Sokhumi State University.

Address: #26 Ana Politkovskaia Street, VII Floor, Presentation Room.

Dissertation Board Secretary,

Doctor of Philology

Associate Professor

Miranda Todua

General Review of the Thesis

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Problem Importance

Through centuries, the imago type of enemy (stranger/other) in the Georgian writings was an
important question, and in every epoch it was perceived to be a different type of artistic ethnography.
In the footsteps of literary epochs, from the historical reality and the current literary processes, the
perception of the enemy icon was transformed. Postcolonial reality has made a substantial correction
in understanding this problem; Changes were conditioned by the epoch's demands, as well as the
spiritual condition of the nation. The postcolonial epoch of writers led to a new interpretation of the
concept of the enemy / stranger / other, which implies not the reintegration of the enemy / stranger
ethnography, but in the context of contemporary ideological views of literary ethnology.

In the 50s of the previous century, imagological research conducted by “Annales” the French
Literary Study School (at the stage as one of the types of Comparative Study) became especially
important in post-colonial period in Europe and the post-Soviet space. The problem of literature-
cultural discourse - the idea of a stranger/other - perception and reciprocation has been activated on
the background of post-colonial studies and literary dialogue. In the study of national literature it was
explicitly revealed that the existence of stranger/other in my/own world always leaves a certain
amount of impression; therefore, the reciprocal of a stranger/other in the literary-cultural discourse
gives not only the distinction but also the possibility of identifying myself/oneself, which is so
important in the process of globalization.

The importance of the topic of the thesis is based on the fact that the dominant role in the
intercultural dialogue, values of the epochs and cultural heritage revisionism has led to the search of
new ways of developing the artistic system, in particular the research of new modifications of the
other / stranger / enemy concepts. While analyzing this problem, we understand that the factor of
neighborhood is one of the most important aspects that should be taken into consideration when
studying other/stranger/enemy literary image. Territorial proximity with ethnic other/stranger gives
opportunity to communicate with him/her and communicate, which, in turn, is a precondition for
understanding the psychological motivation of his actions. Taking into consideration the above
mentioned, the literary images of a stranger/enemy represented in the Georgian literature through
centuries are derived from historical past and requires a thorough study in the same way.

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 The relevance of the work also promotes the popularity of postcolonial literature (and
consequently studies) both in the world and in the Georgian reality. There is still a deeply
developed postcolonial syndrome in which the research and analysis of the USSR began in the 1990s
and continues up to this date. Postcolonial literature seeks for reasons and roots, crimes and facts of
collective/cultural trauma, details and nuances that have led to the establishment of enemy icons in
public consciousness. It is necessary to properly understand the enemy imago type, to face all the
circumstances that have made certain ethnos in the Georgian literature as an enemy icon. These are
the facts that we will try to analyze in the present work, and we hope it will become an object of
scientific study in the future. The present work is a modest attempt to study the problem of a
stranger/other/enemy icon, to identify it in postcolonial Georgian literature and to clarify this
interesting and irrelevant literary phenomenon.

Problem Study Level

The study of the concept of an other/stranger leads to ancient authors whose works we meet
for the first time in the description of new countries and unknown peoples. In terms of genre, these
works are often accompanied by memorable literature, in which together with the tendency of an
enemy/other/stranger to reflect the interests of certain societies, and even state policy.1 The
tradition of the literary-artistic study of other/stranger has only been founded since the 19th
century and at the basis of the novelty, Madame de Staёl, is considered with her treatise "About
Germany" ("De L'Allemagne", 1810). Over time, the study of the same research (which had a
disciplinary nature, as well as with literature, considered certain aspects of history, ethnology,
anthropology, psychology, etc.) was not widely expanded and conceptually filled. It considered not
only literary works, but a concrete historical analysis of collective representations of individual
nations/peoples; Ethnic, national, cultural auto- and heterostatites, ways of their formation, means
of functioning and the process of transformation in the context - we/they, my/someone else’s.

1
E.g., Julius Caesar's memoirs - "Comments about the Gallic Wars", which combine military, political,
ethnographic, geographical information on Gaul and Gallic tribes, is clearly followed by a trend in a negative
context (barbarians, illiterate...) of the conquered country of Rome Against the background of the empire.

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In the second half of the XX century, as mentioned above, the problem of the ecological research of
other/stranger in the new scientific stage was taken by the French literary studies of "Annales".
Theoretical aspect of other/stranger perception in this period became the subject of active discussion
of Western literature theorists’ - Jean-Marie Carre (Jean-Marie Carre), Marius-Francois Guyard
(Marius-Francois Guyard), Daniel-Henri Pageaux (Daniel-Henri Pageaux), Hugo Dyserinck (Hugo
Dyserinck), Joep Leerssen (Joep Leerssen), Manfred Beller (Manfred Beller), Edward Wadie Said
(Edward Wadie Said), Tzvetan Todorov and etc. – scientific-research works.

As for the Georgian scientific space, we share the opinion of Professor Nana Gaprindashvili
that the research of other/stranger "images" was still going on when the term "Imagology" was not yet
introduced in scientific circles. In the 60s and 80s of the previous century Georgian literary studies
studied foreign forms and foreign themes in the form of literary relations; However, because these
studies were conducted in the Soviet Georgia, a large part of the literary material was socialist and
therefore, ideologically, mainly applied to the socialist aesthetics and ideology [Gaprudashvili, 2018:
10].

Dissertation Subject, Purpose and Objectives

After dissolution of the Soviet Union, in postcolonial reality conceptual research again became
important in contemporary literature studies with taking into consideration the objective data of
literary process development, problem-style peculiarities, and permanent renovation of the universe
imagological picture. Nowadays, except separate letters, among Georgian scientific works, the only
available modern study around the above mentioned problem, is the monography – Imagology:
Peculiarities of Dialogues between Cultures, published in 2018 (on the example of postcolonial
Georgian Literature)2, one of its chapters is – “Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict: Imagological Aspect
according to Postcolonial Georgian Literature” – directly connected to the problem of our interest.

2
Nana Gaprindashvili, Mariam Miresashvili, Nino Tsereteli. Imagology: Peculiarities of Dialogues between Cultures (on the
example of postcolonial Georgian Literature). Tb., Publishing House “Meridiani”, 2018.

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The aim of the dissertation is to newly understand the imagological image of the enemy founded in
the postcolonial Georgian writings from the 90s of the twentieth century to the present day. It is
noteworthy that the similar problems presented in literary works of Georgian writers are interesting
not only in the aspect of post-colonial relations, but also in the internal ethnic confrontation. The
purpose of the thesis is to study the evolution of the enemy icon; consider how the ecological
perception of the enemy in the Georgian language and how this problem has been formed in
postcolonial literature according to the epoch. Our aim is to analyze what is the stereotypical and
innovative in understanding the ethnology of stranger/enemy in the early 1990s, what are the
expectations of Georgian writings for centuries of solving the problem and seeing what their role is.

Dissertation theory of the novelty of the enemy founded in the postcolonial Georgian writings from
the 90s of the twentieth century to the present day. It is noteworthy that the similar problems
presented in artistic works of Georgian writers are interesting not only in the aspect of post-colonial
relations, but also in the internal ethnic confrontation. The purpose of the study is to study the
evolution of the enemy icon; Consider how the ecological perception of the enemy in the Georgian
language and how this problem has been formed in postcolonial literature according to the epoch.
Our aim is to analyze what is the stereotypical and innovative stooge / enemy ethnology in the early
1990s, what are the expectations of Georgian writings for centuries of solving the problem and seeing
what their role is.

Taking into consideration the above mentioned conception, we consider the necessity of
solving the concrete problems:

 To discuss the problems connected to imagological perception in the context of contemporary

theoretical regulations and ideas;
 To discuss the emeny’s/stranger’s icon in evolutionary frame based on the theoretical
fundamentals as a result of a discussion of the above mentioned questions and problems
(From Hagiography to Postcolonial Literature);
 To form the principles of imagological analysis of other’s/stranger’s/enemy’s ethno image in
literary texts and define the role of separate parts of its presentation;
 To discuss the qualities and key markers of stranger/enemy icon in Georgian postcolonial
writings based on Otar Chkheidze and Otar Chkheidze's novels;

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  To identify the ethno image of enemy established on the basis of ethnic conflicts arising from
modern reality and illustrating it based on individual texts;
 To represent the writer's creative individuality in the process of creating literary ethnography
and analyzing the impact of authors on the cultural-public code of the Georgian recipient.

Consequently, in the dissertation we regarded as the subject of research as observation of

basic imagological notions, terms and techniques, as well as samples of the Georgian prose in which
the other/stranger/enemy feminine faces were displayed. In the selection of texts, we have analyzed
the hagiographical work of the poetical works (by Iakob Khutsisi “Martyrdom of the Holy Queen
Shushanik”, Arsen Didi Sapareli “Life and Martyrdom of Abibos Nekreseli”, anonymous author of
"The Martyrdom of Evstati Mtskheteli", Ioane Sabanisdze “Martyrdom of Abo”, anonymous author of
“Life of Constantie Kakh”, Stepane Mtbevari “Martyrdom of Gobroni”, anonymous author of "The
Martyrdom of David and Constantine") also tried to present an enemy as an abstract-philosophical
substance in the ancient Georgian literature (Shota Rustaveli "The Knight in Panther's Skin"). At the
same time, we analyzed the literary narration or poetry of Guramishvili, Georgian romanticists of the
19th century (Aleksandre Chavchavadze, Grigol Orbeliani, Nikoloz Baratashvili) and representatives
of classical realism (Ilia, Akaki ...).

As for postcolonial literature, we tried to find the texts in which the underlying trends were
revealed; in particular, we chose to analyze Otar Chiladze's novels "Avelumi" and "Basket of
Cylindrical"; Otar Chkheidze's "Artistic Revolution", "White Bear" and "Bermuda Triangle". In the
last chapter of the dissertation, we addressed the problem of Abkhazian tragedy and hysteria, which
we discussed in 2007 in the published edition of "Bridge" of the modern Georgian and Abkhazian
writers (Sergo Tsurtsumia’s "Bridge", Aleksi Gogua’s "Before Sunset", Irma Malatsidze's "Snowball",
Dato Kardava’s "Widow’s Stomach", Dato Turishvili’s “Tatash Marshani", Guram Odisharia's
"Nephew", Pazil Iskander's "Boy and War", Daur Nachkebia’s "Soon will be Autumn", Tamri
Pkhakadze's "Until They Call Us", Mikho Mosulishvili's "Cock will Never Cock-a doodle-doo" and
Nugzar Shataidze's “Travelling in Africa").

Theoretical Fundamentals and Methodology of the Research

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The following research sources are used in the dissertation:

 Authoritative foreign authors – H. Dyserinck, Daniel-Henri Pageaux, H. Bloom, M. Beller,

M. Schwiderski, J. Hofmann, A. Arndt, P. Pomerantsev, G. Gatchevi, A. Dima, O.
Kulishkina, L. Repina, E. Papilova and etc. – literary-critical discussions, separate articles,
critical letters, polemical letters, which provide purposeful, analytical orientation;
 On the one hand, postcolonial periodicals and on the other hand, writings of Georgian
writers in the 90s of the twentieth century and postcolonial periods; there are separate
theoretical researches and literary-critical discourses in Georgian scientific circulation and
literary criticism, which the analysis and understanding of the problem is based on in the
dissertation.

 Scientific sources existing in the Georgian scientific space, analytical and critical discourses
(books, articles, periods, etc.) as well as material obtained through internet resources in
which Georgian authors (K. Abashidze, G. Asatiani, Ak. Bakradze, Z. Gamsakhurdia, N.
Gaprindashvili, N. Vakhania, A. Imnadze, Sh. Iatashvili, K. Kekelidze, N. Kutsia, L.
Kukhianidze, T. Lomidze, M. Mamardashvili, M. Miresashvili, N. Svanidze, N. Pipia, N.
Tsereteli, R. Ckkheidze, M. Jaliashvili, M. Kharbedia and etc.) discuss separate problems
highlighted in our dissertation. The works of the above-mentioned authors are in the process
of analyzing contradictory opinions in order to demonstrate more and more clearly the
problems and attitudes that we find.
Different methods of research are used in the dissertation taking into consideration the
purpose and objectives of the work. As a basic methodological principle we chose a comparative
method; to analyze the texts and to understand some of the concepts, we have also applied the
hermeneutic method in order to clarify the notion. The thesis also defines the typological and
interdisciplinary methods; also, we use the method of observation and analysis, which is the defining
factor for the identification and decoding of the hidden layers created by the author in the analytical
texts.

Innovation of the Dissertation

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 The novelty of the thesis, that we face for the first time in Georgian science, is imagological
perception of the established theoretical framework based on the enemy/stranger icon in
evolutionary terms (from hagiography - including postcolonial literature); formation of principles of
imagological analysis of other/stranger/enemy ethno image in literary texts and determination of the
role of its separate component presentation; discussion of the qualities and markers of stranger/
enemy icon in Georgian postcolonial writings, presenting the writer's creative individuality in the
process of creating literary ethnology and analyzing the influence of authors on the cultural-public
code of the Georgian recipient.

Scientific and Practical Value of the Thesis

Scientific and practical value of the dissertation is the possibility of using it as factual material in
further studies. The work will be attractive for readers interested in philology and culture. Research
conclusions, results and materials can be applied to higher education institutions for humanitarian
students (both for bachelors, as well as for masters and doctoral students) who are oriented on
learning theology and ethnology.

Thesis Structure

The dissertation contains 200 pages. It consists of three chapters (Chapter I. Imagology as a Discipline
of Literature Studies: Conceptual Apparatus and Main Markers; Chapter II. Enemy Imagotype: From
Hagiography to Postcolonial Literature; Chapter III. Comprehension of Enemy Imagotype in
Postcolonial Georgian Literature), seven sub-chapters (II.1. Personifying of the Enemy Icon in
Hagiographic Compositions, II.2 Enemy as Abstract-Philosophical Substance according to Shota
Rustaveli "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", II.3 Enemy Icon according to Davit Guramishvili
“Davitiani”, II.4 Enemy with the Same Religious Belief and Peculiarities of its Perception in the
Georgian Literature of the XIX Century (Romanticists and “Tergdaleulebi”), III.1 Inheritors of "Basket
of Cylindrical" (Otar Chiladze's novels "Basket of Cylindrical" and "Avelumi"), III.2 Otar Chkheidze

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and The North Passion, III.3 Tragedy of Abkhazia and a Friend that Became the Enemy). The work is
accompanied with a list of bibliography and certified literature, a total of 100 units.

Main Content of the Thesis

The introduction of the dissertation thesis determines the significance of the problem, the
review of the level of problem study, the subject of the thesis, the purpose of the tasks; the research
sources are defined; theoretical basis and methodology of the qualification thesis is discussed; the
novelty, scientific and practical value of the work is determined.

Chapter I.
Imagology as a Discipline of Literature Studies: Conceptual Apparatus and Main Markers

The chapter deals with the summary of scientific literature on literature study imagology, to summarize
the conclusions of the individual authors' views on the icon of the enemy. In the work we have noted
that in the modern world, in the context of globalization of culture, the establishment of stereotypical
representations about a particular nation and the transformation of these stereotypes is a matter of
mass consciousness that finds the corresponding imitation in artistic literature. It is important to
study such a particular historical-literary phenomenon, such as "enemy icon". The importance of this
stereotype is determined by the fact that it is not only used in artistic literature but is still considered
as an instrument in the practice of international relations of states that have aggressive policies and
create a negative international image of competing countries.

In the scientific literature the issue of existence and formation mechanism of "enemy icon" is
considered in different ways. In this chapter, we will discuss J. Frank, R. U Ribery, R. J. Kelly, S.
Kine's views on enimification3. In the same chapter we present the opinion of a famous Georgian
3
The term enimification is mentioned in many American studies and marks the process of introducing "enemy
icon" elements, its qualitative characteristics and signs in public consciousness. All this, John Frank has

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literary critic, G. Asatiani about “stranger” on kindness-cruelty, good and evil, based on his research
“Origins”. While summarizing the reviewed material, we note that in the scientific literature the
general typological signs of the "enemy icon" have not been formed, which is quite logical; It is
impossible to develop a unified criterion regarding the image of other/foreign/enemy, because the
structural elements of the concept are differently represented in different epochs and countries,
mentality and literature of different peoples.

Chapter II. Enemy Imagotype: From Hagiography to Postcolonial Literature

The second chapter of the dissertation thesis comprises four subdivisions, which are gradually
analyzed by the enemy iconic features of its recording from the hagogram texts until the 90s of the
previous century.

II.1. Personifying of the Enemy Icon in Hagiographic Compositions

In the hagiographic works, the enemy/enemy icon is personalized. In Georgian martyrological works,
as a rule, the icon of the enemy, despite its nationality and religion, is identified with the enemy of
faith and is connected with the person who opposed the orthodoxy, Georgian statehood, national
identity. The chapter does not aim (and is impossible) to discuss all works in Georgian writings that
go to the hagiographic/martyrological genre; However, analyzed works also (“Martyrdom of the Holy
Queen Shushanik”, “Life and Martyrdom of Abibos Nekreseli”, "The Martyrdom of Evstati
Mtskheteli", “Martyrdom of Abo”, “Life of Constantie Kakh”, “Martyrdom of Gobroni”, "The
Martyrdom of David and Constantine") provide the opportunity to present the main trends in
relation to the study problem:

 In the hagiographic/martyrological works "enemy icon" has the same connotation - it is the
enemy of Christianity;
 The imago type of the enemy is two: domestic and non-Georgian / foreign / "other", but due
to certain interests (power, greed ...) they coexist; that is why, they cause equal misfortune for
the country;

thoroughly considered the "enemy icons" in his monograph.

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  The policy of conqueror is of the same nature: to make the pseudo-religious and pseudo-
liberal impression of the population of the conquered country, to create conditions for
religious assimilation;
 At first glance, the outbreak of the relationship and the "disobedient" penalty is not the
desired form of activity for the enemy; At the initial stage, the enemy is trying to bribe the
opponent (with lichen, gifts, positions ...); Martyrdom - is an extreme act that the enemy will
use to avoid any desire to disobey;
 In general, the enemy (Persian, Arab...) realizes that its main opponent is Christian faith as
the main marker of national identity;
 Enemy icon in almost every hagiographic work is personified in one or more specific
characters and is a common imago type of the enemy.

II.2. Enemy as Abstract-Philosophical Substance according to Shota Rustaveli

“The Knight in the Panther’s Skin”

The image of the enemy shown in "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" is different from the previous
epoch, which is primarily related to the changing of the political situation in the Middle East. To
describe the existing situation, it is worth to note that Umberto Eko's view is interesting to describe
the current situation, which means that the enemy is not only important to determine our birth, but
also to create an obstacle examine and represent our own values. Therefore, if there is no enemy, we
should create [Eco, 2015: 15]. It is precisely in the prism of the postulate that the existance of the
enemy, and to overcome the obstacles spiritually elevates a person, and to emphasize the difference
between good and evil - we analyze some of the episodes from Shota Rustaveli poem, which results in
the following conclusions:
 In the "Golden Age" of Tamar, the Georgian nation was not threatened with physical
destruction and spiritual / devastating degeneration; accordingly, in contrast to previous
epochs, the attention of the author mainly concentrates on the understanding of spiritual
values in the philosophical-religious context; Thus, the icon of the enemy in the "The Knight

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 in the Panther's Skin" is in a spiritual and religious sense associated with the general, eternal
face of evil;
 According to Rustaveli, the main enemy of the human being is not a physical being, which
can be defeated by using more superior force. The real danger of a man from another type of
enemy - metaphysical enemy - the only physical force to defeat is not enough;
 According to Rustaveli, the enemy is an invisible substance that symbolizes the eternal dark
side of the universe; It's hard to find and it's hard to beat. Enemy may be everywhere (e.g.,
unidentified pseudo-psyche or personal dysfunction syndrome when a person finds
difficulties to distinguish between good and evil);
 We, people create the enemy; It is in each of us and we can defeat him only by the power of
faith and kindness.

II.3. Enemy Icon according to Davit Guramishvili “Davitiani”

Against the background of the changing political life of the country, different historic epochs in
Georgian literature represent different nations in the image of the enemy (Persians, Arabs, Turks...).
As noted above, only in the Rustaveli epoch Georgians have the right to think about the enemy's
philosophical icon and the spiritual heights; In all the rest of the time, the enemy was quite real-
devastating and abusive of the country. In this sense, the epoch of the enlightenment is an exception;
The literature of this period also failed to show the enemy image. From the age of enlightenment we
stopped our attention on Davit Guramishvili, because he not only saw, but also cherished Kartl-
Kakheti's enemies and the ruthlessness. This chapter analyzes Davit Guramishvili's "Davitiani", in
which the author represents the icon of the enemy in several aspects:

 The poet identifies the image of enemy/enemy imago type, first of all, with the occurrence
("Turkish, Persian, Lezgian, Ossetian, Circassian, Ingush, Tsez, Kist…"); The enemy is
sometimes personally associated with him (e.g., Shah-Tamaz), and more often - generalized
("Ottoman", "Turkish-Kizilbash"…);
 Together with the the enemy, there is no less harm from the domestic enemy in the process
of internalization; The poet finds the cause of its activation in the lack of lliteracy, the
ignorance that has been found in high societies (the rude episode of the Kakhetian

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 ambassador to Kartli, which has been shown by the Poet, in which the interest of the "fathers
of the state" does not go far from eating and drinking);
 The country that was weakened by the internal and external enemies, considered as an easy
loot, by the northern neighbor – Russia with the same religious belief, which, according to its
political interests, opens the door to the banished king and his army and sometimes indicates
to the exit;
 Choice is between bad and worse, and since there is no other way, David as a righteous
Christian still meets the northern neighbor with a hopeful eye.

II.4. Enemy with the Same Religious Belief and Peculiarities of its Perception in the Georgian
Literature of the

XIX Century (Romanticists and “Tergdaleulebi”)

In the beginning of the XIX century our country lost independence; Instead of Georgia as a state unit,
two provinces were established: Tbilisi and Kutaisi; Autocephaly of the Georgian Church was
abolished. Obviously, the political and social situation created has been effectively reflected in
Georgian writers' works. In this chapter we will continue our discussion on the problem of our study
- the imagology of the enemy - based on the works of the Georgian Romanticists and classical
realism, in which the "enemy icon" is not as an enemy of faith (because he is a believer), but as an
enemy of statehood, national independence and identity.

The enemy hidden under Christianity was much more dangerous and harder for Georgians than the
conqueror in Islamic turban. It is the same imago type of the enemy that is metaphorically
highlighted in the creative works of the Georgian Romanticists; However, we also note that some
romanticists (as well as part of the Georgian society of that time) seemed to be a darker one, and so
often they have a dual standard in artistic or epistolary heritage; doubled, oblique attitude towards
the enemy with the same belief.

It is noteworthy that in the second half of the XIX century, the Georgian writers' mentality has been
significantly correlated to the perception of "enemy icon". Obviously, the epochal changes in the

14
history of the country and new life challenges were accompanied by a revaluation of values. Thus,
over time the enemy icon and its literary faces were diversified. The works of Georgian classical
religious figures of the second half of the 19th century are exactly the illustrations. Considering the
material discussed in this chapter, we have the following conclusions:

 Georgian romanticists were somewhat divergent in assessing Russian-Georgian relations.

Despite the fact that, after a certain period, it was clear to them that Russia's "custodian hand"
and being "under the protection of Russia" was still preferable than to be "controversial"
between Turkey and Persia;
 Romantic poets' dual standards, in many cases, were determined by their presence in the
Russian military service and close relations with the high society of Russian empire;
 According to the romanticists’ estimates, what was happening to the Georgians was only a
crime of local officials (i.e., they thought that there was "good" and "evil Russia"); In total,
Georgians believed that Russia's protection against the historic enemy - the Muslim world -
was an indispensable necessity for their country;
 There is a diversified palette of the imago type of enemy in the narrations and poetry of the
representatives of the classical realism (Ilia, Akaki, Al. Kazbegi…): strated from the
"Pazhalusta" from Russians (bureaucrat officials), rather than the obvious offenders (Kazakhs,
soldiers), and together with them, ended with the imagination of literary images of historical
enemies of Georgia (Turks, Kizilbashs, Persians and North Caucasian neighbors-Dagestan,
Lezgians, Ossetians);
 In general, the evaluation of "Tergdaleulebi" is much more realistic in difference with the
romanticists; They do not believe in "good" Russia (although it does not go to Russophobia); At
the same time, however, slightly, but still there is a “kind” image of Russia described by Akaki
(referring to Mikheil Vorontsov's evaluation by Akaki).

Chapter III. Comprehension of Enemy Imagotype in Postcolonial Georgian Literature

The third chapter of the dissertation thesis consists of three sub-chapters in which the study problem
is analyzed on the basis on the works created in the post soviet/postcolonial period. The dissertation
work notes that, at the beginning of the last century, after the forced sovietization of Georgia, the

15
Bolshevik Empire from the very beginning did its best to sovietize the literature as well. Thus, the
imago type of the enemy was created by the Soviet censorship itself and controlled it for decades to
show that the image of the enemy, which opposed the interests of Bolshevism and Communism,
hindered the creation and strengthening of the "Great Soviet State". The same imago type of the
enemy was quite viable; It had been a different interpretation till 1991 (i.e., till the USSR collapsed)
to Khrushchev's "thaw", Brezhnev's "stagnation" or Gorbachev's "Perestroika" period. The above
mentioned does not mean that Georgian writers did not suffer because of the homeland for seven
decades; That they could not understand the true enemy of Georgia. Unfortunately, in many cases,
such works could not see the day light or their authors did not sacrifice to the ruthless car of the
totalitarian state. The situation was slightly changed in the 1970s and 1980s, during Brezhnev's
stagnation, when the writers began to express their opinions ambiguously with "decrypted texts". In
the works of this period, the authors often refered to the allegorical, mythical forms; By their means,
they expressed their painful utterance about the fate of the homeland in the Soviet empire.

In 1991, after the disintegration of the USSR, the epoch of conquering the enemy icon was
completed. In the 1990s Georgian writings came to the full liberty; It was a period of assessment-
revaluation of the self-determination, re-discovering and past history of the famous truths. Georgian
literature recognized the true enemy - the Soviet regime – metaphorically, in different way. To
analyze the problem that has been raised in the dissertation work we chose two modern classics -
Otar Chiladze and Otar Chkheidze – Romance Philology, which presents the Georgians' aspiration
towards liberty and independence. Significant stages of both the writer's life and creative work are
connected to the Soviet Union; They have been self-centered and "enjoyment" of the Soviet empire
in general; However, in the end, all the life-saving incidents still come to the front of the Soviet
empire. That is the reason why it is interesting the imago type of the enemy perceived by Otar
Chiladze and Otar Chkheidze, who had long been living together.

III.1. Inheritors of "Basket of Cylindrical" (Otar Tchiladze’s Novels “Avelumi” and

"Basket of Cylindrical")

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The work notes that the Georgian literary society differently evaluated Otar Chiladze's novel
"Avelumi"; One part recognized it as the greatest success of the writer, and the others – as a failure. 4
The opinion of Georgian literary criticism is completely shared with "Avelumi" Otar Chiladze's first
novel about the topic of modernity; In other words, it describes the epoch in which he lived and
worked.5 The novel gives us the story of one of the ordinary writers who cannot belong either to
typical Soviet writers or be discussed as a anti-soviet element. It is a key to life that gives us the most
interesting "Homo sovieticus" and the problems in the dissertation work to identify Soviet
psychology.

The main character of the novel, Avelum realizes that the head of the Georgians’ misfortune
(and therefore personally his) is the Russian Empire so called the Soviet Union, in which he lives
with other millions of innocent people and is separated from the rest of the world. Avelum’s
cherished dream is to escape from this prison and gain the freedom. Otar Tchiladze describes the
mystery of the immortality of the evil empire, which lies in eternity of immobility. The alternation of
the old and new ones are confirmed by the eternity of life, but just like every value, it is fraudulent
by the founders of the empire to fool subordinates. It is noteworthy that the tragic events in Georgia
in the 1980s and 1990s are differently evaluated by politicians and historians as well as in literature.
To the extent of this period, the reader should deeply analyze the authors’ meanins between the lines,
in order to reveal the scene of the April 9 tragedy staged by the Soviet empire in 1956 and revived in
1989. It is not accidental that the latter develops on the background of the events of 9 March 1956,
reminiscent of the memorials of Avelum. The novel is an artistic illustration of the unwillingness of
the enemy, but the awakening of the national consciousness of the unwelcome Georgian, which
presents the tragic events of April 9 with a peculiar variation.

In the novel there is an incomparable masterpiece of the ideologists of the empire to control the
subordinates; The Russian colonizers conveniently place the targets that do not care who will get the

4
Tamar Barbakadze, Levan Bregadze, Zaza Gogia, Emzar Kvitaishvili, Manana Kvachantiradze, Nona
Kupreishvili, Inga Milorava, Mariam Miresashvili, Ada Nemsadze, Nestan Ratiani, Rusudan Tsanava, Zoia
Tskhadaia, Malkhaz Kharbedia, Maia Jaliashvili, Maka Jokhadze and others have expressed different opinions
about the novel problems.
5
We mean, O. Choladze's previously published novels - "One Man Walked on The Road", "My Each Finder",
"The Iron Theater", "March Cock" - show different periods of Georgian historical life and not the writer's
contemporaneity.

17
bullet; They inspire distrust as if it seems to a fool that the reason of his misfortune is a clever one,
shameless - honest, poor - rich; What is the principle is that the Kremlin ideologists are in
everybody's ideological scrutiny that even the closest people will mercy each other. There is no
"good" and "evil" Russia for Otar Chiladze; The writer emphasizes that the attitude of the Center
(Moscow) towards the Metropolis (Georgia) is clear: Georgia is the property of the Russian Empire.
Otar Chiladze did not avoid authoritarian Nobel laureate, dissident and human rights defender
Andrei Sakharov in the context of a sharp negative contradiction in the novel.6 We should note that
Sakharov called Georgia a "little empire" because Georgian people wanted to leave the Soviet Union.
Paradoxically (Nobel Peace Prize laureate), but it is logical that the words belonged to the author of
the "new constitution" of the Soviet Union, which was categorically opposed to Georgia's departure
from the "renewed Soviet Union". Otar Chiladze once again underlined Sakharov's reinterpretation
that the Russian soldier and Nobel laureate had the same, imperialistic approach to the "independent"
republics of the USSR, including Georgia.

There is a leitmot phrase in “Avelum” - "Everyone builds own Ark" that is a reminiscent of the
Noah's Ark and cautions that all empires will be drowned in the flood; That is why people should
fight with all means to save themselves. In this process (in the struggle for survival), the community /
individual members should have some moral orientation (which will soon be understood), although it
cannot be realized without understanding the past lessons.

Otar Chiladze's latest novel "Basket of Cylindrical" is saturated with conceptual idea of the homeland
and truth service. According to the novel, the "Basket of Cylindrical" - the locked, closed space
symbol - is reminiscent of the model of the Soviet totalitarian state, the origin of one of the Georgian
surnames - Kasheli - family chronicles. One of the personified image of the Imperial Russia in the
novel is "Uriadnik", who preliminarily planned each step: depriving the residents of the village to
prevent any resistance from them, the shameful descent of the honest shepherd's family (the lover of
the shepherd's wife).

Otar Chiladze identifies two types of enemies in the novel: On the one hand, the domestic enemy
(Georgian, "Uriadniki" descendants), who is a conformist and will fit in all situations. In the writer's

6
We note that Otar Chkheidze was involved in the same issue and personality in his work and called it one of
the inspirations of the Russian empires.

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view, the empire sows perfidy in our hearts (the more fertile soil than the stranger’s/other’s) being
hopeful that the seed of evil turns into hundred. The proof is the magnificent warrior Ilia the
Righteous who was described in the novel, who was betrayed by the Georgians themselves (many
times) and Zhordania saved the "Collected Parts of Georgia’s Corpse". According to the novel,
competitions of the descendants of the “basket of cylindrical” (i.e., the lackeys of the Russian empire
lacking national consciousness) expanded by entering of the 11th Army; The entry of the stranger /
enemy is described by the author as the change of the nation and the monk of the country, the moral
downfall (e.g., the episode of Anton Kashel and Ketusia’s marriae, when the twice shaved priest
encourages the wedding guests with obscened phrases and swears in church). The “Basket of
Cylindrical” is truly exemplary of degenerate Georgian character, thinking, suppression of the regime
and the artistic jealousy.

The face of the second type of enemy is as if it is easy for the writer, because the most frequently
"occurring" (bloody eyes, weapon handling…) is always ready to destroy your country. In the “Basket
of Cylindrical” not only the descendants of Kasheli are degenerated; Otar Tchiladze describes the
degenerated image of stranger/other/enemy who portray the warriors hired in the war in Abkhazia:
the invaders, the murderers, "watching the sun with closed eyes" who do not have nationality and
age; Georgians are ready to kill for the price a handful of sunflowers. This strange war (in which both
sides - Georians and Abkhazians - armed with Russian weapons) is joined by writer Elizbar, who is
aware that it is not easy to save the country from the target of the northern neighbor.

Elizbar's deep belief is that for the art worker (whether he holds a pen or not) priority is the
country and the nation, its sincere supportion, and the admission of the human duties. That's why he
goes to an undeclared war, but he does not know what he's going to do; Nor does he know whether
the land will be returned to his homeland. The enemy-friend is equally interested in acquiring this
land, but Elizbar should make it clear that the fighters are still in Georgia. He w ishes the country to
return its dignity and "be among other nations."

On the basis of analyzing the novels in the subchapter we go to the following conclusion:

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  In general, Otar Chiladze's novels present the imago type of the enemy by the characters of
different nationalities, but in both novels analyzed in this chapter, the Russians are the face
of the enemy;
 The writer emphasizes that the foremost and most suppressing opponent of the human
being is himself; The person who has fallen into a totalitarian regime and the ricipating
system loses nationality, identity and obedient acting into the hands of the enemy;
Sometimes it is more ruthless than against the own nation;
 The imago type of the enemy is not easy with Otar Chiladze, because his evil genie (which
broke through Uriadnik's seed in the consciousness of the nation) is much more dangerous
and difficult to escape from;
 In Otar Chiladze's novels it is clear that the Russification has left deep traces in the
Georgian genie, which will need quite a lot time to get rid of it;
 In both novels the author maintains optimism and thinks that time will come when
everyone will realize their crime and get rid of the evil genetics and create a better, free
future with the perfect understanding of their past.

III.2. Otar Chkheidze and the North Passion

Otar Chkheidze's uses distinctive syntactic order and stylistic peculiarities, unsteady pain,
unruly ambiguity, sarcasm, humour, the unusual color of the artistic expressions in which the
readiness of a patriot romanticist is clearly expressed. The writer, who is opposed to the Bolsheviks'
political regime, uses emotional nuances expressions in his writings, the socio-political tragic reality
at the end of the 20th century and beginning of the XXI century; and not seldom he mentions the
lentian persons responsible for this development of events.

In this subchapter we deals with the perception of a problem in the qualification work - the imago
type of the enemy - based on the prose of Otar Chkheidze. Basedon this viewpoint we considered the
cycle of writer novels - a trilogy that reflects the political life of Georgia in the 90s of the 20th
century. When reading this trilogy, the reader feels as if the writer follows the tragedy of the events

20
in Georgia with the enemy's plan and creates the latest history for the future generations. Trilogy -
"Artistic Revolution", "White Bear" and "Bermuda Triangle" - reflects the achiements and mistakes of
the national-liberation movement developed in Georgia in the 90s of the 20th century; He describes
the "wires" of the Russian Empire (at that time metaphorical, and now in direct meaning), in which
unfortunately the Georgian people have been jettisoned.

In these novels Otar Chkheidze, together with the artist's strong and fierce neighbors,
presented the authentic individuals who were actively involved in the last decades of the previous
century and the beginning of our century in Georgia's political life. The writer was not scared to
name all of them with names. First of all, O. Chkheidze did not hide his concern about the persons
permanently claiming the existence of two - good and evil Russia. In the deep belief of the writer,
there is no loving enemy; Strong and evil neighbor - is a single enemy of your statehood. His
invincible spirit counts for centuries and time cannot change. Thus, a Georgian who inspires,
willingly or unwillingly becomes the enemy of the country because of its ignorance or strangest
"loving enemy" stereotype.

In such a misunderstanding occurred the characters of Otar Chkheidze's documentary novel -

"Artistic Revolution" - the characters whose story unfolds on the background of the tragic events of
the autumn of 1991 and the first week of 1992. Narrator style - ironic-satire. It irritates the chaotic
situation in Georgia; He regrets that people are not genuinely realizin their actions. The author
presents the amazing story of the enemy's ostrich scenario and Georgians becoming puppets in the
Russian regime. According to Otar Chkheidze, the country has turned into a great theater; Georgian
has been divided into two parts: one is red high society, which has lost national consciousness and
memory of the past; The Kremlin became an integral part of the "Great Moscow" (the writer does not
change the names of the authentic characters of the novel to make the reader more intuitive to every
detail of the tragic scenario imposed by the empire, unfortunately Georgians are involved); On the
other hand, they are the ones who are in the hearts of those who seek to build a state based on the
national empire. Result will be one: chaos, civil confrontation, violation of territorial integrity of
Georgia, victims, return to Russian political orbit.

O. Chkheidze gave great importance to the title of the work; The next novel (which represents a
continuation of “Artistic Revolution“) has a well-known title - "White Bear" - which allows for easy

21
identification of the northern neighbor's metaphorical face without considering the novel's story. It
should be noted that Otar Chkheidze never shared the idea of the existence of two Russia; For him
Russia was always a deconstruction and destruction country; The "white bear" from the doors of the
Caucasus, which is supposed to be all-in-one, including Georgian spirit. The opinion expressed in
literary criticism (R. Chkheidze, M. Jaliashvili ...) should be fully accepted, that in the consciousness
of Georgians, Russia has finally emerged as a "loving enemy" whose goals and actions towards Georgia
were hostile for decades.

O. Chkheidze in the novel clearly reveals that Russia acts like all the empires; On the one hand, with
caring and "love" justify the fact that deprived and hurt you, and on the other hand, with fear
observes own colonies, not to let the colonized nations be stuck to their roots and remember their
history. Fortunately, the colonizers cannot turn what is "native" because for two different countries
with the same religious belief the values are different. Hence, it is difficult to fully reconize the spirit
of the conquered country; Moreover, it is something else that makes happy and unhappy the people
who were forcibly deprived from the most valuable thing - independence!

The writer feels hurt because of the indifference of the world community towards the ongoing
situation in Georgia; In the twenty-first century, the white bear, lying on the Eurasian continent,
does not interfere with its imperial intentions; Some of the neighboring countries (including
Georgia), and others - are in the forefront of the new enemies in the foreground (in the case of
Georgia, "... if you have escaped or screwed up or Chechens or Ossetians or Cossacks, The Russian
battalions of Armenia, now disbanded from Afghanistan ... "[Chkheidze, 1999: 43]. The writer,
together with the metaphysical face of the strong and stupid neighborhood of the enemy,
demonstrates the authentic individuals who were actively involved in the political life of the 1990s
and carried out the evil intentions of the Empire (Defense Minister Grachov of the Russian
Federation, Union ALKK First Secretary Pastukhov, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Kozirev,
Russian President Yeltsin...); In addition, the author presents Georgia's devoted and traitor
children ... Otar Chkheidze conveys the novel concept in a final metaphorical picture: White Giorgi
does not leave the "parent of the saints" country and challenges the fiery bears. The main point of the
writer is this - the country must survive the enemy! Nationality and spirit should be maintained!
Main goal – take care of the survival of the nation; everything else is secondary to the writer.

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Otar Chkheidze believes language is the basis of statehood; The cornerstone of Ilia - "Motherland,
Language, Faith" - is the bedrock in the foundation of the writer's novels. As it is known, one of the
goals of the Soviet regime is lack of national identity, the creation of a new man, because the lack of
knowledge of native language, the past, the tradition, and the citizens without national identity are
much easier to control. Similar policy was a direct route to the national degeneration of the allied
republics of the USSR.

Otar Chkheidze's next novel title - "Bermuda Triangle" - is metaphorically thought out. The novel
chronotop is headed to a chaotic (a little bit of anarchic) condition that has already gained freedom of
Georgia. Similarly, the Bermuda Triangle, where everything is missing, in Georgia also has a
somewhat shaky national charge; Georgians acted in different ways - patriots and renegates who
sacrifice victims for their homeland, fight for the interests of their homeland and become a blind
weapon in the hands of the enemy. The main character of the novel, Givi Kordzheladze, sent by the
Security Service in Moscow from Batumi, returns to Georgia as GizoKordzeli (i.e. denies his own
surname, that recalled him his past). In Moscow, he grew up with Russian and he went to the Russian
school, but he had nothing to do with his "homeland" and returned with unfaithful plan. Gizo
Kordzeli is a self-confessed, unchallenged person, whose actions are only related to the earthly
virtues and calculations. It is noteworthy that Tbilisi is a city that is unconsciously associated with
Pushkin, Griboedov and not Georgian writers (because they did not teach him in Russian school).
With the character Gizo Kordzeli writer tends to show the voluntary process of becoming Russian
planned in Russia (obviously, the writer implies the change of mentality of Georgian children in
Russian schools and the consciousness changed in the Russian one).

The writer deeply believes that the violent evil settles when the proper soil is ready; less loving
people are easy to be trampled (it is not accidental that the epigraph of the “Bermuda Triangle” is a
folk course: "The oak tree said: the ax would not do anyharm to me, if there is no part of myself”);
The plan of finishin the Georgian government was obviously developed in Russia, but it was worked
out by the collective Gizo Kordzels. The last book of Otar Chkheidze's trilogy - "Bermuda Triangle" -
reveals the essence of events of the last decades of the 20th century, triggering tragedy organizers and
performers in the 1990s, as early as the beginning of the 20th century, Bolshevik Russians in the

23
Georgian space. This autonomous mission was the suppression of Georgia and eventually its state
collapse [Chkheidze R, 2008: 794].

The following conclusions can be made out as a result of analyzing enemy types in the above novels:

 The main hostility in the trilogy is that the Kremlin can present itseld in different prisms,
like double-faced Janus, but its purpose is unchanged in all geopolitical areas of Georgia;
 The trilogy emphasizes that most fraudulent, frightened people, willingly or unwittingly,
become the puppet of "Artistic Theater" of the enemy;
 Many Georgians (authentic or literary subjects) presented in Otar Chkheidze's trilogy
continue to consider the existence of good and evil Russian; In contrast to the deep belief
of the writer, there is no loving enemy; Strong and evil neighbor - the single-minded
enemy of your statehood;
 The invincible spirit of Russia counts for centuries and time cannot change it; Thus, a
Georgian who joins, willingly or unwillingly, is the enemy of the country due to the lack
of stereotypes of his ignorant or "loving enemy".
 Otar Chkheidze tries to undeceive the readers, to point towards Ilia’s way, to emphasize
the National Identity rather than the citizens of the country, to accelerate to the
compatriots raised in national traditions that can easily identify the enemy and strengthen
the state of Georgia's statehood;
 In Otar Chkheidze's analyzed novels the enemy's image is openly declared; According to
the writer, in the twenty-first century the Russian state is a historical atavism and a dark
reminder that creates a real threat to its neighboring state - Georgia, as well as the
civilized world.

III.3. Tragedy of Abkhazia and a Friend that Became the Enemy

In the last chapter of the dissertation, we discussed the problem of Abkhazian tragedy and hysteria,
which we discussed in the 2007 edition of the collection "Bridge" (of Sergo Tsurtsumia’s "Bridge",
Aleksi Gogua’s "Before Sunset", Irma Malatsidze's "Snowball", Dato Kardava's "Widow’s Stomach",
Dato Turashvili’s “Tatash Marshani”, Guram Odisharia’s “Nephew”, Pazil Iskanderi’s “A Boy and

24
War”, Daur Nachkebia’s “Soon will be Autumn”, Tamri Pkhakadze's "Before They Call Us", Mikho
Mosulishvili's "Cock will Never Cock-a doodle-doo", and Nugzar Shataidze's "Traveling in Africa").
As it is known, separatist part of ethnic minority-Abkhazians living in Georgia started armed conflict
with the Georgian side in 1992. Post-Soviet Georgia has proved to be very difficult for the conflict:
about 30 000 Georgians died, 250,000 people became refugees in their own country. Justice requires
to note that no conflict has been brought to the Abkhazians; About 4000 Abkhazians died in the war,
and 20,000 turned into refugees. As for the self-proclaimed independence of Abkhazians, it still
remains a matter of concern and in fact the Abkhazian region is completely dependent on the Russian
Federation.

The topic of the Abkhazian conflict is still very painful and we are interested in what the Georgian
anthropological icon of the Georgian writers saw in the literature on war; How have you seen and
evaluated contemporary writers (both sides) the type of the enemy? Was it the third party to blame
the enemy's creation and whether it would be possible to eliminate alienation and hate after a quarter
century. As a result of analyzing the above mentioned works we can draw the following conclusion:
 Both sides were severely affected by the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict; Civil war has no
winner; The conflict has caused terrible consequences: alienation, disruption of habitual life,
changed psyche, aggression, hatred, traumatic memory;
 The enemy icon is differently perceived by the Georgian and Abkhaz writers; Georgians are
more compassionate in evaluating Abkhazians; Representatives of other nations (mostly
representatives of the Confederation of Mountaineers, Cossacks...) have been marked as an
enemy image; In many works the human, brave behaviors committed by Abkhazians are
highlighted;
 In turn, Abkhazians speak from the winner's position about the war; they are proud to gain
independence and thus confront the conflict; In their works, apart from the exception,
Georgians are presented as auslaenders, conquerors and so on;
 The Georgian authors have made sense (sometimes directly and sometimes in subtext), that
the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict is inspired by the third force and this power does not leave
the total control over Abkhazia;

25
  To understand the crimes of others by the writers or the people of their own nation, create
the image of the enemy and at the same time, the desire to reconcile with the desire to
reciprocate the hatred between the children of one country.

Conclusion

The concluding part summarizes the research results; the qualification thesis studies the evolution of
imagotype of the enemy icon; it discusses the perception of the enemy ethno image through epochs in
the Georgian literature and formulation of this problem in postcolonial Georgian literature. The
concluding part underlines the significance of understanding the imagological image of enemy
established in postcolonial Georgian literature; that imagological problems represented by the Georgian
authors are worthy not only in the aspects of postcolonial relations, but from the viewpoint of internal
ethnic conflicts; namely, the expectations of the Georgian literature towards the problem solution and
understanding own role in this process.

Main Regulations of the Dissertation are Published in the Following Publications:

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