The Taming of Literature
Essays
When I wrote The Taming of Literature, my aim was ...
Among Akaki Bakradze’s works, the book “Ilia Chavchavadze” holds a special place, as it addresses the life, ideas, and work of public figure Ilia Chavchavadze (1837–1907), who has been called the “conscience of the nation” and the “father of the nation.”
During the Soviet period, it was on the pages of this book that, for the first time, the question was raised about Ilia’s true killers and their motivations. The book brings together nearly all of the most pressing issues of Georgian life and demonstrates why “the fate of Georgia was decided” by this greatest of historical crimes.
What our ancestors did, we must do the same”—that is a philosophy of Chinese culture. If we follow that, we too will become like the Chinese: stagnant in one place, unable to move forward. If we truly want progress and victory, we must not shy away from naming our flaws. We must speak the truth and call out whatever is false and unworthy. How can we improve ourselves if we do not know where our shortcomings lie?
— Ilia Chavchavadze
