Gurieli Mamia

Gurieli, Mamia (January 16, 1836, village of Lesa, now in Lanchkhuti Municipality – July 25, 1891, Kutaisi) was a poet. He was raised in the palace of the princes of Guria. From 1851 to 1853, he studied at the Kutaisi Gymnasium. In 1853, he served in the military and participated in the Crimean War (1853–1856). In 1861, he left the military service, though due to financial difficulties, he occasionally returned to it between 1876 and 1884.

He began writing poetry in his youth. His first published poem was “Faravana” (Tsiskari, 1860, No. 1). He was influenced by Georgian Romantics and the Tergdaleulebi ( a social, political and cultural movement in 1860s Georgia). His poetry reflects the heavy emotional turmoil caused by a disordered public and personal life, loneliness, and poverty, often expressing melancholy (e.g., “Fantasy” (1868), “Moon” (1887), “Dream” and “Testament” (both 1887),etc.).

These same feelings are evident in his poems with bohemian tones, dealing with themes of wine, love, and escapism. One of the central themes of Gurieli’s poetry is patriotism (“To My Brother Jabba” (1871), “Mountains of Karchkhali”, “My Alaverdi”, and others).

His poem “The Song of the Kobuleti Field” (1887) touches on the issue of peasants’ lack of rights. His well-known poem “Man” (1867) is imbued with humanism.

Gurieli also translated works by R. Burns, G. Byron, A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, T. Shevchenko and others. His pen name was Fazeli.

Literary works: თხზულებანი, ქუთ., 1897.

Literature: ზ ა ნ დ უ კ ე ლ ი მ., თხზულებანი, ტ. 1, თბ., 1972; მ ე უ ნ ა რ გ ი ა ი., ქართველი მწერლები, ს. ცაიშვილის გამოც., [ტ.] 1, თბ., 1954; ჟ ღ ე ნ ტ ი გ., მამია გურიელი, თბ., 1961.