David Kldiashvili
Encyclopedia
David Kldiashvili (August 29, 1862 – April 24, 1931) was a Georgian
prose-writer whose novels and plays are concentrated on the degeneration of the country’s gentry and the miseries of the peasantry, boldly exposing the antagonisms of Georgian society.
Born to an impoverished petite noble family in the province of Imereti
, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire
), he was educated at the military schools of Kiev
and Moscow
(1880-1882). Returning to Georgia, he joined the Russian army. While serving in Batumi
, he was close to the local intelligentsia and engaged in cultural activities. Deemed to be a non-reliable officer, he was forced to resign as a non-reliable officer during the Russian Revolution of 1905
. During World War I
, he was remobilized in the army and served on the Ottoman
front. Following the 1917 February Revolution
, he was demobilized and, sick and tired, returned to his native village.
Kldiashvili’s best works belong to the first half of his life. He is said to have forgotten his Georgian while studying in Ukraine
and to have had to relearn it. Nevertheless, he is regarded as an exemplary prose stylist with superb humor and gentler social satire. Since 1880s, his translations and original works were regularly published in Georgian press. The first major novel, Solomon Morbeladze (სოლომონ მორბელაძე) appeared in 1894, followed by Samanishvili's Step-Mother (სამანიშვილის დედინაცვალი, 1897), The Misfortunes of Kamushadze (ქამუშაძის გაჭირვება, 1900), Rostom Mashvelidze (როსტომ მანველიძე, 1910), and Bakula's Pigs (ბაკულას ღორები, 1920). His plays, especially Irine’s Happiness (ირინეს ბედნიერება, 1897) and The Misfortunes of Darispan (დარისპანის გასაჭირი, 1903) resemble the French comedies of the 1840s only set in an Imeretian village at the turn of the 20th century. They are typically tragicomic impregnated with what the author himself referred to as "tears mixed with a smile".
In the 1920s, Kldiashvili returned to writing and produced his memoirs On the Road of My Life (ჩემი ცხოვრების გზაზე, 1925), as well as two new novellas published between 1924 and 1926. In 1930, he was awarded the title of People's Artist
of Georgia.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
prose-writer whose novels and plays are concentrated on the degeneration of the country’s gentry and the miseries of the peasantry, boldly exposing the antagonisms of Georgian society.
Born to an impoverished petite noble family in the province of Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
), he was educated at the military schools of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
(1880-1882). Returning to Georgia, he joined the Russian army. While serving in Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
, he was close to the local intelligentsia and engaged in cultural activities. Deemed to be a non-reliable officer, he was forced to resign as a non-reliable officer during the Russian Revolution of 1905
Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was remobilized in the army and served on the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
front. Following the 1917 February Revolution
February Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
, he was demobilized and, sick and tired, returned to his native village.
Kldiashvili’s best works belong to the first half of his life. He is said to have forgotten his Georgian while studying in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and to have had to relearn it. Nevertheless, he is regarded as an exemplary prose stylist with superb humor and gentler social satire. Since 1880s, his translations and original works were regularly published in Georgian press. The first major novel, Solomon Morbeladze (სოლომონ მორბელაძე) appeared in 1894, followed by Samanishvili's Step-Mother (სამანიშვილის დედინაცვალი, 1897), The Misfortunes of Kamushadze (ქამუშაძის გაჭირვება, 1900), Rostom Mashvelidze (როსტომ მანველიძე, 1910), and Bakula's Pigs (ბაკულას ღორები, 1920). His plays, especially Irine’s Happiness (ირინეს ბედნიერება, 1897) and The Misfortunes of Darispan (დარისპანის გასაჭირი, 1903) resemble the French comedies of the 1840s only set in an Imeretian village at the turn of the 20th century. They are typically tragicomic impregnated with what the author himself referred to as "tears mixed with a smile".
In the 1920s, Kldiashvili returned to writing and produced his memoirs On the Road of My Life (ჩემი ცხოვრების გზაზე, 1925), as well as two new novellas published between 1924 and 1926. In 1930, he was awarded the title of People's Artist
People's Artist
People's Artist is a honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states , as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR....
of Georgia.