ON INTERPRETATION OF GALAKTIONTABIDZE’S POEM OF THE TIGER

Abstract

Among the poets of 20^th century, inspiration by Rustaveli personality, generally, the “Tiger in the Panther’s Skin” and creative expression of the poem, attempts of their in-depth understanding, perception and interpretation are associated with GalaktionTabidze. In this respect, the “Poem of the Tiger” is of interest. It is distinguished from the poems created on the mentioned issues not only with respect of the poet’s mode of thinking but also with respect of its clearly modernist nature. Here the poet’s subjective reality is based on the artistic reality of the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”, providing starting point for the new interpretations. Galaktioni’s personal-individual is guided and led by Rustaveli’s universal.

The title of the poem – “Poem of the Tiger” expresses Galaktioi’s vision and perception of Rustaveli’s poem. In particular, in the title, unlike the “Knight in the Panther’s skin” no character wearing the panther's skin can be seen and only image-symbol of Nestan, the tiger is presented. In our opinion, such title is oriented towards the reader to declare the poem’s issue from the outset and specifying of the genre clearly underlines association with the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”.

“Poem of the Tiger” consists of multidimensional layers – Galaktioni’s personal-individual attitude, dream-like imagination and allusions and reminiscences penetrate into the depths of the artistic reality and creative language of the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”. Artistic paradigms here (together with purely Rustavelian images) are emphasized with different cultural codes, symbols, allusions, reminiscences attracted by the poet. There is created some kind of chronotopical collage – sequence of the dreams-apparitions of different cultural worlds (India and Arabia, Egypt, Greece, etc.) sometimes complicate identification of the logical links though psychological links are maintained as everything is associated with the in-depth contents of the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”. Such interpretation is evidenced by included paraphrased passages from the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin” that does not allow the reader to tear away from Rustaveli’s words. Imagination of one or another cultural spaces is provided through poetic visions which, again and again, are associated with the poetry.

Seeing and introduction of different cultural codes that are not limited by time into the artistic reality of the poem has certain purpose and function  - demonstration of Rustaveli’s genius, large scale of his vision, all-embracing contents of the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”, its universality. The poet feels in Rustaveli’s poem the universal wisdom and truth, breathing and colors of all epochs, old as east and at the same time, always new and renewed.

In the end of the poem, Galaktion’s thoughts are only about the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”. In the poet’s opinion the poet will be maintained by the east and the parchment, written with the “bloody tears” on the palm leaves or “carved delicately on the ivory”. As Galaktioni says, the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin” goes beyond the layers of centuries, “camps of the times”, different glory awaits it in the future. By these phrases the poet emphasizes universality and vividness of the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”.

Stances of the poem should be read in two planes (horizontal and vertical) as there, together with the passages from the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”, could be read Galaktioni’scontmporary life, reality. “Poem of the Tiger” accommodates entire contents of the “Knight in the Panther’s Skin”, relationship between the worldly and heavenly and, what is most important, the “human” that is an innovation of Rustaveli’s epoch, expressing the renaissance though it is quite far from Galaktioni’s epoch. Galaktioni is some kind of medium between Rustaveli and the reader, between possible and impossible, real and otherworldly, between the existing and desired.

In the “Poem of the Tiger”, through endless expressive capabilities the movement from the real plane is oriented towards something unknown and undiscovered. Seeking and seeing infinite in something finite, imagined in the real, making unseen clear, versatile and meaningful associations, feeling of estrangement saturated with the mystic esthetics turns Galaktioni and the reader into entirety.