Vepkhistkaosani - The Most Iconic Georgian Medieval Epic Poem
The Knight in the Tiger's Skin is the most iconic Georgian medieval epic poem.
And even after decades it is still well-known for new generations. Nowadays children still reading and teaching this poem in school.
The book gets more and more interesting as you read on, starting in a rather not so obvious melancholy. But once you get to know the style of euology, it becomes interesting. Enjoyed reading it.
You may wonder what does makes this poem important and specious. Well here I am to tell you everything about it! Get ready because it will be so interesting!
The Knight in the Panther's Skin is a Georgian medieval epic poem, written in the 12th century by Georgia's national poet Shota Rustaveli.
Who was this man, Shota Rustaveli? No one knows for sure. We don't even know his name, since "Rustaveli" just means, "from Rustavi." He seems to have been a minister at Queen Tamar's court. (And who was Queen Tamar? Only the most fascinating woman ever to have lived- so brave and warlike, she was called King Tamar, which is sort of like King Betty.) There is a fresco at the formerly Georgian Monastery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem which depicts a man with the same name, described in 1757/8, rediscovered in 1960, defaced in 2004.
Little, if anything, is known about Rustaveli from contemporary sources. His poem itself, namely the prologue, provides a clue to his identity: the poet identifies himself as "a certain Rustveli." "Rustveli" is not a surname, but a territorial epithet which can be interpreted as "of/from/holder of Rustavi."
A legend states that Rustaveli was educated at the medieval Georgian academies of Gelati and Ikalto, and then in "Greece" (i.e., the Byzantine Empire).
The poem, strangely enough, is not set in Georgia, but in fictionalized versions of Arabia, Persia, India and fairy-tale lands set in the environs of the Indian Ocean.
(However the characters are at one point described as speaking fluent Georgian!) There are two chief male protagonists, Avt'handil and Tariel. Tariel, the eponymous 'Knight in the Panther's Skin' is made heir to all India, but tragically falls in love with his adoptive sister, Nestan. Driven mad by this love, he ends up killing the man she is to marry and fleeing India. Nestan is also spirited away to parts unknown.
The search for Nestan, described as radiant as the sun, so beautiful that everyone she meets falls in love with her, is the central thread of the story. Avt'handil, the suitor of the Queen of Arabia T'hinat'hin, sees Tariel wandering disconsolate one day and goes in quest of this mysterious knight. Eventually they meet up and after a long quest end up finding Nestan. Nestan and Tariel marry, and Avt'handil marries T'hinat'hin.
In the very prologue, Rustaveli mentions that he wrote this poem for praising the "King" Tamar.
By shedding tears of blood we praise King T'hamara,
Whose praises I, not ill-chosen, have told forth.
For ink I have used a lake of jet, and for pen a pliant crystal.
Whoever hears, a jagged spear will pierce his heart!
" A definitive work of the Georgian Golden Age, the poem consists of over 1600 Rustavelian Quatrains and is considered to be a "masterpiece of the Georgian literature".
The Knight in the Panther's Skin Quotes
“Know that a rose without thorns has never been plucked”
“That which we give makes us richer, that which is hoarded is lost”
“He wore wrapped around his body a luxurious panther skin
And on his head he wore a panther cap that came down to his chin.”
“There's none to rival me in archery, that's the thing I most rue.
Only Avtandil is like me at all, because I taught him true.”
I really hope that I gave you a little bit of information about Georgian culture, literature and history.
If you have any questions let me know by commenting down below.
If you want to read this amazing poem, you can find many translations in many languages on internet. If you are going to read please let me know about it !
Lots of love,
@simplysteemian