KING EREKLE’S IMAGE IN FOLKLORE AND IN VAKHTANG ORBELIANI’S POEM ‘HOPE’

Abstract

Among the heroes of the past eras, the eternal images of Georgian monarchs devoted to their country are animated by Georgian romanticists with reverence and admiration and with national and civic responsibility. Erekle II, one of the last Georgian rulers, holds a particular place among the heroes. His name has been venerated by history, folklore, and literature.

Erekle II was a true national hero who earned his people’s undying love and respect for his glorious deeds, not just for wearing the Bagrationis crown. Because of this, he was lovingly referred to as “Patara Kakhi” (Little Kakhetian) until the end of his life.

That’s why Patara Kakhi, often referred to as the “Iron Door” of his country by reciters, becomes an ideal hero for the romanticist poet Vakhtang Orbeliani. This paper delves into Vakhtang Orbeliani’s role as a Georgian romanticist deeply interested in folklore, where our country’s history vividly comes to life. Orbeliani holds admiration for the heroic personality of King Erekle and his unwavering dedication to the motherland. It is no coincidence that Erekle’s epoch serves as a profound source of creative inspiration, as eloquently expressed in the poet’s work, particularly in the poem ‘Hope’.