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.
This poem is treasure and Georgians are so proud of it!
Georgians even Asks HBO to Make TV Series Based on Poem Knight in Panther's Skin!
In Georgia we have a little tradition. When girl gets married she gets "Vepkhistkaosani" as a dowry. And you possibly can't find family who don't have this poem. For example I have 9 different publishes of this poem.
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 itself is a curious mixture of cultural influences, Persian, Arabic, European knighthood and chivalry.
Rostewan the Arab king, is a hero’s name that can also be found in Shahnameh, The Epic of the Persian Kings, by Ferdowsi.
The language used in Rusthawelli epic is as colorful and overly romantic as is used in the Persian Shahnameh and in Arabian Nights.
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.
The history of translations of Knight in the Panther’s Skin began in 1802. After the Russian version, it was translated into many languages including those of the post-soviet countries, as well as French, German, English, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabian, Jewish, Hindi, and more. The most ancient printed version of Knight in the Panther’s Skin is in Georgian and dates back to 1712.
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.”
This is not just a story of great warriors and also great lovers. Whole story is built on life's main values like friendship, bravery, love, justice, honor, etc... Dive deep into the breathtaking story of two knights who will become best friends while helping each other on an epic journey. Medieval warrior's life can not be described better than this!
" 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".
Here is a link where you can see The Knight In The Tiger's Skin audio. I hope that you will enjoy that.
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 !