Nikoloz Baratashvili was a man with a tragic and difficult fate. Now he is considered to be a recognized classic of Georgian literature, but during his lifetime not one of his works was published. His first poems were published only 7 years after he passed away. A collection of works was released in Georgian only in 1876.
Biography of Nikoloz Baratashvili
Nikoloz (Nikolai) Melitonovich Baratashvili was born on December 15, 1817 in the city of Tiflis (Tbilisi). His parents were Georgian nobles, princes: father - Prince Baratashvili Meliton Nikolaevich; mother - Princess Efimia Dmitrievna Orbeliani.
His mother was a descendant of the famous Georgian king Irakli II (Kartli-Kakheti ruler). The famous poet Grigol Orbeliani, who served as the Russian governor in the Transcaucasus for some time, was Nikoloz's uncle. During his studies at the gymnasium, his spiritual mentor was a well-known representative of the intelligentsia, author of the textbook of logic, Solomon Dodashvili.
The personality of the future poet was formed surrounded by educated people who were inspired by the ideas of the Decembrists, the French enlightenment. In the circle of adult communication that young Nikoloz listened to, there were ideas of Georgian independence, sadness about her loss of independence, and memories of past greatness.
Study, accident
In 1827, the family identified Nikoloz to study at the Tiflis noble noble school. It was there that he fell under the influence of his mentor, a well-known political figure, philosopher Solomon Dodashvili. He instilled in the future poet the ideas of humanism, the spirit of national freedom.
However, during his studies at this institution, Nikoloz had an accident that affected his whole future life. One day he fell down the stairs and seriously injured his legs. As a result, Baratashvili acquired an incurable limp, which led to the collapse of his dream - the desire to join the military.
Unloved work, family problems
Family problems, namely the rapid decline in the income of his family, which fell into a rampant lifestyle, as well as his father's debts and illnesses, led Nikoloz Baratashvili to refuse to continue his education at a Russian university. As the sole breadwinner of the family, he began working as a simple official on the Expedition of Reprisal and Court.
Nikoloz took this turn of fate as humiliation. Moreover, he stopped seeing any prospects for himself, lost hope for the future.
The beginning of creative activity, disappointment
This time Baratashvili was already seriously writing poetry. The ups and downs of life were reflected in the content of his poetry. She is saturated with disappointment and loneliness. Outwardly, however, Nikoloz tried to give the impression of a witty man, a reveler, sometimes angry with his tongue.
Nikoloz’s worldview and work were also influenced by the events of the political conspiracy of 1832, when some representatives of the Georgian intelligentsia, among whom was his teacher Solomon Dodashvili, made an attempt to separate Georgia from the Russian Empire. The actions of the conspirators were not successful, and Baratashvili, who sincerely supported them, realized that he would have to say goodbye to the dream of independence of the country.
Failures in personal life, love lyrics
In the personal life of Nikoloz, who was experiencing serious financial difficulties, suffering from his acquired lameness, there were also setbacks and disappointments. He fell in love with Ekaterina Chavchavadze, daughter of the famous Georgian writer Alexander Chavchavadze. But this love did not become mutual. He did not achieve the location of the beauty. Catherine preferred Prince David Dadiani, the de facto ruler of Megrelia. However, the verses of Nikoloz dedicated to his beloved are a brilliant example of lyrical love works.
The coming of fame
By this time, by the beginning of the forties of the XIX century, the young Nikoloz Baratashvili was already known as a poet. He was able to unite like-minded people and talented young people around him, becoming the head of a literary circle. After the death of Baratashvili, his comrades subsequently created the famous Georgian theater on the basis of the circle in 1850. In addition, they began to publish the literary magazine Tsiskari in 1852.
Nikoloz’s fame as a talented poet spread far beyond Georgia. He was noted at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, offering the post of correspondent, whose main task was to collect materials on Georgian history.
However, at this time, Nikoloz Baratashvili again overtook family problems. His father was completely ruined. In order to somehow solve the financial problems, Nikoloz was forced to leave Georgia, to Azerbaijan.
Death of poet
At first, he continued his service in the city of Nakhchivan, and later he moved to the Azerbaijani city of Ganja. In this village, he caught a serious infectious disease. According to some, it follows that it was a malignant fever. Others say Baratashvili fell ill with severe malaria. However, for him, she was a fatal disease. Nikoloz Baratashvili died on October 9, 1845, at the age of only 27 years.
A long way to eternal peace
The poet’s ashes were reburied three times. The first time a foreign land received him alone, in the absence of relatives and friends at the funeral. He was buried in a cemetery in the Azerbaijani city of Ganja.
7 years later, after the verses of Nikoloz Baratashvili were published in Georgia, he immediately became extremely popular in his homeland. A social movement arose that set as its goal to rebury his remains in Georgia. This Georgian people was able to carry out in 1893. His ashes were buried in the Didubian pantheon, where Georgian cultural figures rested.
The third time, Nikoloz Baratashvili was reburied after another 45 years. In Soviet Georgia in 1938, his ashes were transferred to the Pantheon of Mount Mtatsminda. The most famous and worthy figures of Georgian national culture found peace there. In this place, Nikoloz Baratashvili rightfully took his place of honor.
The legacy of the poet
The literary heritage of Baratashvili in the quantitative component is small. Only 36 poems and one historical poem “The Fate of Georgia” came out from under his pen. However, the importance of his work and personality for Georgian literature cannot be overestimated.
Researchers of the poet’s work believe that after the legendary Shota Rustaveli for 600 years no one was able to raise Georgian poetry to such a high national and universal level that Nikoloz Baratashvili brought it to.
The dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron devoted the following lines to the Georgian poet:
“Severe personal setbacks and the insignificance of the environment left a seal of melancholy on the work of the poet, nicknamed“ Georgian Byron ”. In the era of the struggle against the highlanders and the general enthusiasm for military exploits, he appeals to another, better glory - to make his peasants happy; he longs for self-sacrifice in the name of his homeland. The pessimism of Baratashvili does not fit into the framework of personal discontent; it is philosophical in nature, determined by the general demands of the human soul. Baratashvili is the first Georgian poet and thinker who embodied the universal ideals of justice and freedom in his beautifully shaped works. ”
The peak of his work is considered "Merani". It is considered the most beloved poem of the Georgian people. He is attributed to the perfect examples of poetry by the romantic poet Baratashvili.
In Azerbaijan, Nikoloz is known for writing the poem "Song of Gonchabayim." It is dedicated to the famous poetess of Azerbaijan - Gonchabeyim, who was the daughter of the last ruler of the Nakhichevan khanate, Eskhan Khan. Moreover, he translated her works into Georgian.
Baratashvili entered the Soviet, Russian culture at the beginning of the 20th century, already under the Soviet regime. His works, translated from Georgian by Boris Pasternak, immediately gained considerable fame. Songs, vocal cycles, oratorios are written on Baratashvili’s poems. Their authors are such famous cultural figures as Sergey Nikitin, Elena Mogilevskaya, Otar Taktakishvili.
The works of Baratashvili also became famous thanks to the translations of Bella Akhmadulina, Evgeny Evtushenko, Maxim Amelin.