Criticism of 70-80s: from “Reconstruction” to Innovation

Abstract

The author's English summary from the article:

The complexity of the research of Georgian critical thought of the II half of XX century is conditioned primarily by unsystematic and controversial character of the reflection of the above mentioned period. From the Post Soviet position, in the conditions of the existing theoretical and disciplinary reorientation, it requires different vision and analysis. Popreception of western theories and the tendency of Nihilistic evaluation of brand new Georgian literary processes can be of no use in this case. After Stalin’s death, when public opinion had chance for transformation, there arose a new generation of writers and critics (O. Chkheidze, N. Chkheidze, G.

Asatiani, G. Kankava, T. Chkhenkeli, P. Beridze, N. Kakabadze, M. Kveselava, G. Margvelashvili), who after ripping “iron curtains” aside, after stepping in the world of different opinions and evaluations, conspirationally or semi-conspirationally struggled against complete disorientation of writing and considered depolitization of criticism, its returning to literature, as one of the most essential means. This important event, showed in the article, is connected not only with journal “Tsiskari” (1957) and with“Tskiskreli”, but with S. Chikovani’s journal “Mnatobi” (1955-60) and polemic letters of the newspaper “Young Communist” (1954). After analyzing publications of the followers of anti-socialist aesthetics, especially G.

Asatiani’s Essay “First Dialogue with Wide Remarks”, as a contemporary version of “Notes of a traveler” we considered it well-grounded to call this process reconstruction and those writers and critics who are actively involved in it, “Reconstructionists”. Reconstruction, in the given context, should be understood as an attempt to restore cultural gaps, as “replacing dead time “, as a hope to return in time, history “after a long period of time and life lack”, as a chance for awakening for those people who are “lost in history”. The analysis of the critical thinking of 60-70s serves as a proof that ground has been prepared for expressing interest towards culture.

We called this event “Rediscovery of culture” using K. Ginsberg’s term. To prove the free reflection of critical thinking of 70-80s the fact of the activation of following problems are listed and analyzed: The problem of mimetic and anti-mimetic art, the need for co-existence of conventive verse and vers libre (free verse) against the background of vers librophoby, the emergence of ironical-parodic vers libre flow, the issues of the use of traditional and anti-utopian novels, utilitarianism and anti-utilitarianism of literature, metaphoric thinking, traditional and structural methods in versification. The research showed that history of Soviet literature, so called post-Stalin period was marked by existence of not only true literature, but healthy critical thinking as well.

Published in the journal Sjani, vol. 9 (2008), pp. 147–148. Open the paper