City – Cultural Space in the Symbolist Text (Intertext and Georgian Creative Experience)

Abstract

The author's English summary from the article:

Key words: modernism, literature, intertexst, city, text.

Specific concepts, which bear certain symbolic binaries or creative-paradigm meaning by their creative value in literary criticism, are perceived differently in the mod- ernist space from the comprehension and worldview perspective.In this regard, among other analogues (son, moon, God, water, Cross and etc.) is considered the city also, as the symbolic and creative concept in literary texts. In Georgian literary discourse, the city concept related with conceptual perception and formed as the creative-symbolic binary from the beginning of the 20th century. Creators of the given process in the literary reality of the 20th century were the modernists, as they perceived the world from irrational space and from the symbolic- paradigm discourse.

The given fact was initially reflected in the Caucasus and namely Georgian Simbolism. The given process of centralization became irreversible, which was followed by the attraction of creative forces. The social and cultural function of the city was revealed to its full significance. The given process coincided with the introduction of modernist move- ments in arts. Starting from the given period emerged the character that developed the system of thought in the city and the so called “city text” (city requisite) was created – the oppositional creative form and the so called “oriental model” of symbolist perception. The city text is the complex of concepts, motives and plots, which covers the author’s model of city life – both generally and in its private manifestations.

For a simbolist writer the city is not only the space for thinking, but also the per- sonified creative image; to the extent that it is the symbol of dynamism, modernity and in- novation; and as result the space for action. Reason for such inspiration is always a certain methodological alteration or certain variation. We should also consider the previous and parallel periods of modernist era, the classical-realistic movements with outlined percep- tion of materialization of subjects and events and sometimes with pseudo and utilitarian deviations; the counter-position or opposition of the given approach was formed in the modernist (in the given case symbolism) worldview; such perception saw reflection and became the characteristic feature of modernist methodic in the French, Russian and Geor- gian creative discourse.

To main codes of perception of the city, as of the creative space, are revealed: 1. City-bridgehead, the arena for physical existence, with the strictly restricted requisite of anaestheticity and randomness; 2. City-symbol, with the motivation of creative-symbolic perception, with the deliberate, conceptual-binary essence towards the new, paradigm of creative reconsideration. The second scheme must be noted too (mainly in the symbolistic discourse), which is related to the certain materialization of the city concept: on one hand the city is displayed as the generally congregatory, conceptual, schematic image, for ex- ample as: Paris, Petersburg, Moscow, Tbilisi or additionally the imaginary city with Bibli- cal and antique (eternal) symbolic features and with all the parameters and characteristics of the worldview perception.

In parallel with the given perception appears the specific thinking space, also characterized with all the methodological features. Every symbolist worldview poet has reflected city topic in their works; series and poems have been created with the city topic dominating in their titles and essence. Certain city philosophy has been formed; “city myths” have been created, in which the reality intermixed with fantasy and tradition.

Published in the journal Sjani, vol. 19 (2018), pp. 130–147. Open the paper