Vol. 14 (2020): XIV International Symposium Contemporary Issues of Literary Studies : The Silk Road Countries` Folklore
Folklore and Literary Text

Folkloric legends and Georgian hagiography

Eka Chikvaidze
Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature
Khvtiso Mamisimedashvili
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Published 2020-10-20

Keywords

  • Christian Culture,
  • Hagiographical Narration,
  • Foklore Layer

Abstract

Christian culture has been spread in Georgia since the 1st century, primarily through oral means (this can be proved by the folk legends of the early centuries saints – Barbara, Kvirike, Saint George, Basil the Great, Maximus the Confessor, or, on the contrary – the evil spirit – Sa-mail, which differs from the literary versions, although we’re still lead to the literary grounds with general signs). However, novels preserved by oral transmission have been gaining ground in Georgian literature in a literary way since the fourth century. Accordingly, it is clear that literary hagiographical narration differs from folklore. At the same time, it is interesting and noteworthy how folklore and literary narration developed on the background of coming from a common source. However, as a preliminary conclusion, it can be said that the main basis and starting point for distinguishing between the causes and consequences of the two types of literary narration are their different penetration ways – orally and literary. Because one is the result of the free approach (A separate issue is which beliefs are synthesized by folklore layer), and the second – of the meticulous precision.