Egnate Ninoshvili’s Autobiography (A Short Diary) and the Problematics of Personal Letters

Abstract

Egnate Ninoshvili’s works vividly reflect, with full rigor and intensity, the harsh conditions of ordinary people in one region of Georgia, Guria, which profoundly affected their health and appearance.
This study analyzes Ninoshvili’s Autobiography (A Short Diary), the title of which already indicates the author’s intent. Specififically, the short diary recounts the early stages of the writer’s life, capturing difficult periods marked by poverty, orphan hood, and hardship. Alongside the Autobiography (A Short Diary), Ninoshvili’s personal letters are particularly valuable for highlighting certain issues. In this study, we focus on two personal letters, each addressing distinct problems and offering rich insight. These letters were addressed to Iakob Gogebashvili and Giorgi Tsereteli. They complement the material presented in the Autobiography and provide additional information about Ninoshvili’s personality, views, and way of life.

The topic is significant because it presents Ninoshvili’s perspectives across different areas of reflection. The aim of this research is to reveal the writer’s worldview not only from the standpoint of his contemporaries but also from the perspective of today’s national and global context, thereby emphasizing the value and significance of the issues reflected in his work.