Modeling of Verse by Symbol

Maia Jaliashvili

http://www.litinfo.ge/vol-4-iss-2/jaliashvili.htm

Modeling of Verse by Symbol According to Akaki Tsereteli’s Verse "Rise-rise"

Litinfo, Volume 4, Issue 2, 2010



Abstract: Akaki Tsereteli was using symbols of the culture (religious, philosophical, literary, etc.) for modeling the structure of poetry. Dekoding those symbols allows us to understand depth of verse. In this article is shown this principle of Interpretation according Akaki Tsereteli’s one of the most interesting verses "Rise - rise". The artistic characteristics of verse system are analyzed with the theological plane. He is the realist poet and his poetry is easy to understand, but some interpretation of symbols gave the reader opportunity to understand more deeply the content of verse. We can understand this verse as some kind of symbolic model of life.



Key words: Tsereteli; modelling; symbol.



Akaki Tsereteli was using symbols of the culture (religious, philosophical, literary, etc.) for modeling the structure of poetry. Dekoding those symbols allows us to understand depth of this or that verse. Now, in this article is shown this principle of Interpretation according Akaki Tsereteli’s one of the most interesting verses “Rise – rise”. The artistic characteristics of “Rise – rise” system is analyzed with the theological plane in the article. In our opinion, a poet in this verse looks at the past more than the future, however, as Albert Camus would say, hope is the second form of the past (Camus 1996: 34). Akaki Tsereteli is the realist poet and, as is well known, realist writers did not use many symbols to express their feelings. Akaki Tsereteli`s poetry is easy to understand, in spite of this, some interpretation of symbol gave the reader opportunity to understand more deeply the content of the verse.

The article shows the value of different codes, which are used in this verse. The rise, mentioned in the beginning of the verse, was changing to slope. In general, we can understand this verse as some kind of symbolic model of life, because the life is changing rise to slope. The poet from the first lines points difficulties of rise - rise walking. Rise - Rise walking is interpreted as the hard going to spiritual perfection. Poet slowly but stubbornly goes on the rise, symbolically, goes to God. The going on the mountain symbolically means come nearer to divine.

In this respect, it is very interesting Rezo Karalashvili’s letter “Reception of artistic work”, where the author discusses about what it means to understand the artistic work. In his opinion, any artistic work is a model.Thus, only then we can say that the work is adequately understood, when we know the character of this model. In general, the model is a combination of various components of artistic work, namely, story, style, art methods, the composition. In general, on the one hand, every good work he gives the reader a key to how the text should be read. In order to be adequately specified text, the reader should have the appropriate level of knowledge: “Readers should be able to understand the signals coming from the text and vividly imagined reality of artistic work. Consequently, as more knowledge of world literature and culture has a reader, thus, the greater will be the information from the art system of text” (Karalashvili 2008: 36).

Poet points to the beginning of the verse, how hard it is, when a person is doing something important and different from others. It is hard to go above and people in this way often fail. This is a symbolic way. Everyone will have to go through a lot of different ways.

Going to the mountains is very difficult. It requires great strength, energy, courage, a great experience. To go the mountain, as well as the people must have faith. Everyone needs a friend to help, when it will be and will give hope that, despite the difficulties, all will be well. When a person goes to the mountain, a symbolic, it goes to God. The sky is a heavenly place substantial. This is a religious parable, which means that people have a real home in heaven, where he must return when the will die, his spirit will return to the sky, that is a real homeland, where the soul will not alone, but with God, will happy, calm, full of hope, sinless. Biblical King David’s psalms often existing human thoughts about divine world, about which people always dream.

In the letter is drawn parallel with David’s psalm (the Bible) and is represented, how poet gave a depth to his poetry in this way. This verse echoes 24 psalms, in which there is written the following: The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory (Psalm 24 Of David: 1).

The sun is an important symbol in this verse, which is performing a cultural function code.The sun, generally, is a symbol of life almost in every culture and religion. The Sun Symbol is found in all cultures throughout history. Considered by most peoples as a cosmic power, it’s not surprising we see the sun emblazed upon countless artefacts and writings. Ancient Chinese culture recognized the sun as the Great Male Principle – the ultimate Yang. These symbolically appreciative people also personified the sun as a cosmic eye viewing out upon its dominion during the day. Alchemically the sun is sol and is esoterically symbolic of the mind or intellect. Gold is considered the material of the sun in outwardly symbolic practices of alchemy. Other materials that are esoterically recognized as sun symbols are: Bronze Gold Diamond Ruby Topaz. The planetary sign of the sun (a circle with a dot in the centre) is also an alchemical symbol of origin signifying completion of the Great Work. Furthermore, this sun symbol represents the Self in its relation to the cosmic whole. This is also the case in astrology where the sun is symbolic of the Self that is expressed outwardly – the self that shines openly to our friends, family, co-workers, etc. The sun position at our time of birth gives special illumination as to our characteristics. It's as if the sun shines upon our symbolic selves and makes us most visible to the world . A quick list of sun symbolism includes: Life, Power, Strength, Energy, Force, Clarity, Self.

Why is it necessary to decrypt characters? Iuri Lotman writes, that every artistic work has its own structure:”Life that constitutes the main feature of a living organism is inconceivable without its physical structure, it is a function of the operating system. Researcher of literature, who hopes to understand the idea, isolated from the simulation authoring system of the world, from the product structure, like a scientist, an idealist who is trying to separate the living from the particular biological structure”.

“Forget those who remember” (Tsereteli 2010: 99). For the poet it is very painful to forget, that his homeland is not free. This is worse than death. Unfortunately, there is no other choice. Friedrich Nietzsche was writing: “Not peak, but slope is terrible”. (Nietzsche 1993: 64). Precisely this pain is suffering poet. Lyrical hero of this poem we can compare with this pain is suffering poet. Lyrical hero of this poem we can compare Hans Kastorp, the main character of Thomas Mann’s novel, “The Magic Mountain”. Hans symbolically is seeker of wisdom, humanity (Mann 2008: 98).

Thomas Mann himself considered this hero as knight of Graali. The writer’s opinion, the Graali symbolially is the idea of humanity. When he was asked, what the Graali is, he replied: “Grail is the secret. It is a prophecy about anew human, who passed a long suffering way. A certain sense, the Graali is a human being secret. Poet writes in verse, that he stopped at the rise and rest. Poet, left the land, ordinary life, suffering, unpleasantnesses, desires, and approached the divine.

The letter is described Greek mythology parallels as well. Especially with Myth of Sisyphus. As mentioned above, lyric hero of poetry is like with mythological character Sisyphus. As is known, Sisyphus took the boulder on the peak, but it fall downhill.

Sisyphus knew in advance that the boulder will fall below. This was his punishment, but he still went ahead. On the peak he feel momentary joy, happiness, and then started suffering and torture. According by Akaki's poetry, the sun is a symbol of God's, Therefore the poet watch him with great admiration. Poet is added to the spiritual power of grace. He no longer afraid of death. As if the poet was born to, given a great faith, grace, hope and the power of love. Everything around is beautiful, because poet’s watching to everything with spiritual eyes and he loves each animated or inanimate object.The poet feels eternal and he is glad that is alive and able to breath, to feel and delight the beauty of the world.

At this time, a fire lights in the heart of poet, but this fire is not dangerous, on the contrary, this fire lights his soul. In that way, the poet achieves the peak of beatitude. In this letter also is drown a parallel with “Life of Grigol Khandzteli”.

Poet uses folklore symbols as well to express artistically his feelings. In this poetry philosophical, religious and patriotic questions are knit together.





References:

Camus 1996: Camus Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus, Lomisi, Tbilisi, 1996 (in Georgian).

Karalashvili 2008: Karalashvili R. Perception of artistic work, Tbilisi, 2008, (in Georgian).

Lotman 2010: Lotman I. Structure of the Artistic texts http://www.gumer.info/search_results.php?domains=www.gumer (in Russian).

Mann 2008: Mann T. Introduction to `Magic Mountain~.// `Georgian word~. #2, Tbilisi 2008, Tbilisi, (in Georgian).

Nietzsche 1993: Friedrich Nietzsche. So saying Zaratustra. Tbilisi, 1993 (in Georgian). Psalm 24 Of David. A psalm. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+24&version=NIV(in English).

Tsereteli 2010: Tsereteli Akaki, Favorites Poetry. Kutaisi, 2010(in Georgian).