Художественные модели империи в романах Отара Чиладзе

Abstract

In second half of the 20^th century, Georgian literature paid particular attention to the issues of time and space. In Otar Chiladze’s novels there are provided several different models, each of which bears typological signs of empire. These are: Old and new Vani (“A Man Was Going down the Road”), the Bottle of Cucumber Vodka (“The Iron Theatre”), The Sunrise Island (“Avelume”) and “The Basket” (“The Basket”).

In the “Avelum” one of the ways to describe Soviet imperial space is the Sunrise Island, which was found by Granny Phransuaza. The Sunris island is the opposite symbol of totalitarian space of Evil Empire. In the Sunrise Island the highest standard of personal liberty is expressed by external nakedness. And the Bottle of Cucumber Vodka is stored in Zhurulebi’s family and it is not only a symbol of living of one family, but also the sign of limited licensed space of the Empire. Lifecycle, trafficability and principles of thinking (what is the most important) here, are strictly limited.

“The Basket” is the interesting novel in many respects. In the context of wide range of issues the problem of chronotope is of significance and this is pointed from the beginning – the basket is a micro-model of the strictly limited space where Georgia was in the early 20^th century. Basket has open top and this leaves the chance of aspiration towards the freedom. The last novel by Otar Chiladze is of such complicated structure with the basket as main semiotic mark: at first it is the artistic image of Georgian space within the scopes of the empire and further – of the soviet and post-soviet space.