Courtly Love in the Caucasus: Rustaveli’s Georgian Epic, The Knight in the Panther Skin
Dianne E. Farrell
The Knight in the Panther Skin by Shota Rustaveli is great medieval (ca. 1200) epic of Georgia, and its most distinctive feature courtly or romantic love, which basic motivating force. This article seeks to establish respects resembles Western what explanation for this resemblance might be. In endeavor I have had challenge a common (mis-) conception that love was essentially illicit One can easily demonstrate literary roots lie Persian literature rather than direct contact with but reason more problematic. Various possibilities are entertained: namely, (1) Arab poetry gave rise it Georgia (and possibly also West, as has been held); (2) Neoplatonism produced constituted philosophic underpinning transmitted and/or Europe (a) Neoplatonists; (b) Christian Neoplatonists (c) Byzantine Neoplatonists. A third possibility (3) arose due social political conditions. And were circumstances which, at same historical period, elaborated culture so deferential ladies? being absent Islamic world, did not produce there? sovereign queen presided era Georgia’s greatest power, wealth extent. Feudal servitors crowded court, eager gain honors riches themselves through preferment queen, virtually guaranteeing cult adoration queen. It Sovereign Queen Tamar whom dedicates his poem, her he declares undying love. Provence, where there many feudal heiresses, similar incentive “please ladies” prevailed. No influence from troubadours minnesaenger Southwestern be found. evidence does support source conduit nor played role. Neoplatonism, however, prominent Rustaveli’s time, conditions likewise favorable Thus both intellectual socio-political favored blooming twelfth-century Georgia.
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