From The History Of Kutaisi Literary Life

Abstract

Despite the important role which Kutaisi and generally whole west Georgia used to have in our history in terms of politics, culture, and education, the level of literary life in this region were quite low until the second half of the XIX century. This condition significantly changes from the 60s of the XIX century. From this time literary life of Kutaisi acquires so huge scopes that the professional achievements of local writers define the essence of the most important tendencies of the development of Georgian literature during the given periods.

The first writer who gave the fundament of this important occasion is Akaki Tsereteli. The new developmental stage of Kutaisi writers was connected to the creative activity of those authors who emerged in the literary arena from the 70-90s of the XIX century. That’s how Kutaisi approached the most important period of its literary life - the years of 1900-1910. At that period Kutaisi became the main center of the Georgian literature.

Unfortunately, the end of 1910 is the starting point of the long descending period in the history of Kutaisi literary life. This undesirable situation starts to change for the better from the 70s of the last century which together with emerging the new generation of the writers on the was significantly defined by the two occasions: the foundation of Kutaisi branch of the publication “ Soviet Georgia” (1973) and the journal “Gantiadi” (1975).

The literary life of present-day Kutaisi is going through a new stage of ascension and adds as a strong creative wave to the large river of the modern Georgian literary process.