Ossetian literature

Ossetian folklore is diverse in its content. The heroic Nart epic - legends about sledges has been preserved . Legends about the adventures of the Narts — Uruzmag , Khamyts , Soslan , Syrdon and others, the poor, about the Nart famine and others — are especially popular. A large number of different songs, fairy tales, proverbs, sayings have also been preserved. Of these, songs stand out that reflect the life of the Ossetian working masses associated with agriculture, sheep breeding, hunting, etc. Historical (heroic) songs occupy a special place, most clearly reflecting the class struggle of the Ossetian workers against the feudal landowners known as Tagaur Aldar and digorel baddel . Such, for example, are the historical songs Misirbi Karadzhaev, Kantemirov Mazuk-Aldar and some others.

Later, the tradition of historical (heroic) songs was continued in the form of songs about the heroes of the civil war in Ossetia, about the Ossetians participating in the Great Patriotic War and about the heroes of modern times.

It should be noted that the influence of rich and diverse Ossetian folklore on all Ossetian writers almost without exception was enormous.

Many Ossetian writers addressed oral art, including Kosta Khetagurov , Seca Gadiev , Alexander Kubalov , Misost Kamberdiev and others. The most active collectors of Ossetian folklore were Tsotsko Ambalov , G. A. Dzagurov, Gagudz Guriev, B. A. Alborov , D. Berdiev, P. Gadiev, G. Temiraev, A. Tibilov, V. Karsanov, MK K. Gordanov and other

The origin of Ossetian literature dates back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries .

The first Ossetian writer was nobleman aristocrat Ivan Yalguzidze . An active conductor of tsarist colonial policy in the Caucasus , a missionary who spread Orthodoxy among Ossetians, he was the first translator of scripture books in the Ossetian language. Ivan Yalguzidze wrote a poem in Georgian “ Alguziani ” (translated into Russian), in which he tried to idealize the past of “powerful Ossetia”, to exalt its mythical king Alguz , who allegedly conquered the numerous ethnic groups of the Caucasus. The main ideas of this work: monarchism , nationalism and Orthodoxy.

From the time of the conquest of the Caucasus to 1905, very significant socio-political shifts took place in Ossetia, which could not but affect the growth and development of Ossetian literature. The exploitation by the feudal lords of the landless and landless peasantry was increasingly intensified. In 1861-1865, the so-called slaves were liberated, but the relationship between the broad peasant masses and the feudal lords, landowners endowed with autocracy with better lands, sharply escalated, reaching armed clashes. The transition from subsistence to commodity economy contributed to the birth of the Ossetian kulaks and the commercial bourgeoisie. Industry in Ossetia developed extremely slowly. In an atmosphere of national oppression, administrative arbitrariness and increasingly aggravating social contradictions, the writers developed their literary activities: Temirbolat Mamsurov , Aslamurza Kaitmazov , Inal Kanukov , Gappo Bayev , Alexander Kubalov , Blashka Gurzhibekov , Seca Gadiev , George Tsagolov and Kosta Kosta .

Temirbulat Mamsurov and Inal Kanukov were representatives of the Aldar-feudal group; both of them - participants in the resettlement of the highlanders in Turkey in 1861-1865 - came from Ossetian Aldars and were officers of the tsarist army.

Mamsurov's work reflected the pessimistic experiences of the Aldar settlers who did not get along in a foreign land, who realized the failure of this resettlement. Elements of nationalism and religiosity are strong in his works. In terms of form, he is close to folk poetry.

Inal Kanukov’s work is filled with longing for the “great past” of the Ossetian Aldar. Returning to his homeland, the poet plunged into memories of the past. Disappointed in life, divorced from the real present, the poet sought solace and peace in the cemetery, "where death makes everyone equal." Inal Kanukov wrote exclusively in Russian. He was heavily influenced by Russian poetry, especially Lermontov and Pushkin . Inala Kanukova is related to pessimism with Mamsurov, caused by the collapse of the social group to which they belonged (feudal lords-aldars).

Gappo Bayev, Alexander Kubalov and Blaška Gurzhibekov began literary activity in the 1890s. After the revolution, Baev left for Germany , where he continued to engage in literary creation and translations (including some biblical texts ).

Alexander Kubalov is the author of the poem Afkhardty Hassan and other works on the theme of the Ossetian heroic past. His poem “Afhardty Hassan”, directed against the custom of blood feud , is considered one of the best works of Ossetian literature, it is so close to oral creativity that articles by researchers are devoted to proving Kubalov’s personal authorship ^[1] . Under Soviet rule, Kubalov “could not reconstruct”, was arrested in 1937 and went missing in the camps.

Blaška Gurzhibekov was the first Digor poet, that is, an Ossetian poet who wrote exclusively in the Digor dialect (in the 1920s this dialect developed as “Digor language”, but later a political decision was made to recognize this division as “counter-revolutionary”, Digor again became a dialect ^{[ 2]} ). The main motives of his work: monarchism , loyalty to the tsarist colonial policy in the Caucasus, Orthodoxy and Ossetian folk beliefs and traditions. Blaška Gurzhibekov is valuable in that in his play The Undergrowth ( Æduly ), the first showed the growth of the merchant bourgeoisie in Ossetia and the contradictions that escalated between the feudal clan elite and the newly emerging bourgeois elite. Regarding Blaška’s form, Gurzhibekov was heavily influenced by folklore.

Seka Gadiev (1865-1915) occupies a peculiar place in Ossetian literature. A native of a mountain poor family, a self-taught poet, he was a psalmist for more than thirty years. The sympathies of Sek Gadiev are on the side of the mountain poor: he scourged the feudal lords who oppressed the poor, but did not call for a fight. On the contrary, the poet is Christian. He is a nationalist, an active missionary of Orthodoxy. Most of the works of Gadiev unfold in the villages of South Ossetia .

A very significant evolution was made in his work by Georgy Tsagolov (b. In 1871). At the beginning of his literary work, he was opposed to tsarism and national oppression, but did not call the workers to fight against the oppressors. Sympathizing with the poor (poem "Inaluk"), the poet did not see a way out. Only with the approach of the revolution did the poet begin to overcome his dreamy passivity and finally began on the path of active struggle with the enslavers. In the poem "Song of Kudainat," the poet exclaims. "Take everything by force ... And do not be afraid of stormy days," "the truth itself will not come down to earth to us." In Ossetian literature, Tsagolov was the first to artistically portray a new type of Ossetian kulak, which was the pillar of the tsarist administration in oppressing and exploiting the working people of Ossetia (Ossetian Motives, p. 46, poem Tembolat). It should be noted that Tsagolov wrote mainly in Russian and was strongly influenced by Russian poets, especially Nekrasov and the Ukrainian poet Shevchenko. Under Soviet rule, he translated into Russian the works of Ossetian writers, was known as a talented publicist.

Kosta Khetagurov (1859-1905) - remains the most popular Ossetian writer. Coming from a feudal noble environment, Kosta Khetagurov later renounced the nobility. In his fable "Geese" and in the unfinished poem " Khetag, " he ridiculed the aristocratic arrogance and reverence. The main motives of the work of Kosta Khetagurov are a protest against administrative arbitrariness, a call for the unity of Ossetians without distinction of classes. The poet sympathetically portrayed the life of the mountain poor (Widow, Shepherd Shepherd, Kubadi). He protested against national oppression, against such a specific phenomenon of Ossetian life as espionage in favor of the administration (Dodoy, Soldier, Spy, etc.). The literary encyclopedia of 1934 calls Kosta Khetagurova "a religiously pessimist." The works of Khetagurov, exposing the arbitrariness of the autocracy, had at one time "revolutionary significance."

The revolution of 1905 swept in a wide wave across Ossetia. Social differentiation by this time has deepened significantly. Along with a group of feudal lords, large landowners who owned huge latifundia, the significantly strengthened village bourgeoisie entered the social arena. The Ossetian intelligentsia grew up, heterogeneous in its origin and in its socio-political aspirations. At this stage, writers continue to be active - Gappo Bayev, Alexander Kubalov, G. Tsagolov, Seca Gadiev. They occupy the same positions as in the previous period. During this period, a number of new writers were nominated: Shamil Abayev , Mikhail Gardanov , Georgy Maliev , Andrey Guluyev , Ilas Arnigon , Alikhan Tokaev , Khokh Tlatov , David Koroev , Tsomak Gadiev , Akhmet Tsalikov , Batyrbek Tuganov , Elbazduko Britaev , Arsen Kotsoeva , Boris Alborov , Georgy Tsagolov and translators Tsotsko Ambalov and Bybits Datiev .

Ossetian literature of this period revolves in the circle of national everyday issues that are getting socially acute.

The protest against administrative oppression and arbitrariness was most vividly expressed in the works of Koroev and Kochisova. The romanticization of the heroic past of the Caucasian highlanders who fought against tsarism for national liberation is given in the work of B. Tuganov. The call for the struggle against tsarism and its foundations is imbued with the works of Ts. Gadiev, E. Britaev, Sh. Abaev, M. Gardanov. The preaching of national unity of the Ossetian people is characteristic of the works of A. Tokaev and Mzuron. Dissatisfaction with modernity and the cultivation of “socialist utopia” with a strong touch of nationalism are the main features of the works of Tlatov Hoh. Many writers of this period depict the dark side of the life of Ossetians ( horse-stealing , sorcery , blood feud , etc.).

Dramaturgy

The origin of the Ossetian dramaturgy belongs to this period, the founder of which is the Ossetian playwright Elbazduko Britaev . In 1908, Lena Kotsoeva published her only play, “Nog ahuyrgungyji fizzag bon skjolayi” (The first day of a new teacher at school). In 1912, the first play by the playwright Dmitry Kusov , entitled Children of the Mountains, was staged on the stage of the Vladikavkaz Russian Theater .

Soviet power was finally established in North Ossetia in March 1920, in South Ossetia in 1921, simultaneously with the Sovietization of Georgia. During this period, several revolutionary poems (K. Butaev, G. Barakov, Sozur Bagraev ) stood out from underground literature. With the restoration of Soviet power, the first Ossetian-language Bolshevik newspaper, Kermen, was published, which was originally the center of Ossetian literature growing under the new Soviet conditions. On the pages of the newspaper "Kermen" posted their poems Tsomak Gadiev , Gino Barakov , Boris Alborov and others.

In 1921, two small collections of literary works were published. One of these collections, entitled The Leader, is written by an Ossetian writer, a red partisan, a prominent communist Gino Barakov. The second collection, “The Book of Ossetian Songs” (1921), contains verses from various Ossetian poets. It is also provided with a preface by Gino Barakov. The collection contains poems by Gino Barakov, Kosta Khetagurov, Tsomak Gadiev, Bydtaev, Kazbek Butaev, Alborov, Bizer, Ch. Begizov, Niger and Turmega.

To complete the review of Ossetian literature of this period, the play “Pillar of the Ossetian counter-revolution” by Gappo Baev “Ossetian Prayer” should also be noted. This play, published in 1920 in Tiflis in the Menshevik newspaper Nog Tsard , is a condensed expression of Ossetian nationalism, connected by the strongest ties with the Ossetian kulaks. In this period of acute civil war, the embryos of revolutionary proletarian literature are discovered.

The twenties of the XX century became the heyday of the national culture of the Ossetian people, in particular, Ossetian literature. In 1920, Soviet power was established in North Ossetia, and in 1921 - in South Ossetia. New educational institutions, book publishers, periodicals have opened. At this stage, the new government, guided by Lenin's national language policy, did a lot for the development of national literature, education and theater.

In 1920, the Institute of Public Education was opened in Vladikavkaz, since 1924 transformed into the Gorsky Pedagogical Institute (now North Ossetian State University ). In those same years, the Ossetian Pedagogical College began to work. Here cadres were trained for the national school, the press and literature. Clubs and libraries were opened in rural areas ^[3] .

In 1924, the Scientific Research Institute was founded on the basis of the Ossetian Historical and Philological Society. A similar institute was opened in Tskhinvali. These scientific institutions did a great job of codifying the Ossetian language, collecting and publishing folklore works ^[4] .

Textbooks on a number of subjects, as well as many works of art, were translated for the national school.

In April 1923, the first issue of the Ossetian newspaper Rastdzinad (still published) was published in Vladikavkaz, and the first issue of the Khurzarin newspaper (still published) was published in Tskhinvali in 1924.

Only in the 1920s did the first associations of Ossetian writers appear. So in 1922, the organization “Ossetian Literary Group” ( Osset. Iron Literary Chord ) appeared, which was engaged in publishing, distribution of books, as well as the organization of educational events. Among the members of this group were Tsomak Gadiev, Gino Barakov and others ^[5] . In the same year they published the literary almanac "Malusag" with a preface by Georgy Bekoev . The almanac contained pre-revolutionary works by Elbazduko Britaev, Seca Gadiev and other authors - for this and for the opinions expressed in the preface, the book was long recognized as “counter-revolutionary”, one of the critics even introduced the word “Malusagovism” by the name of the almanac ^[6] .

In 1924-1925, a circle of Ossetian proletarian writers Ziu was founded at the Moscow Association of Proletarian Writers. In 1925, the organization was founded in Ossetia. Sozruko Kulaev , Kudzag Dzesov , Geor Kokiev , Sergey Dzhanaev and other young writers actively participated in it. The group published its almanac (two volumes came out - in 1925 and 1927). The desire of the Ziu participants was to break with the previous tradition, to create literature based on proletarian ideology. In the introduction to the almanac, the leader of the group, Sarmat Kosirov, wrote: “Of all the Ossetian writers known to us, not one has embarked on the path of revolutionary literature ... They broke away from the people building a new life, and remained alone.”

In general, the development of literature of this period is characterized by the advent of a new generation of writers, the expansion of the subject of works, the emergence of publishing opportunities and, through the spread of literacy, an increase in the number of potential readers.

In 1936, Baron Botsiev’s book “Torn Chain” was published

A number of Ossetian poets wrote poems on the fronts of World War II. Some, like Mukharbek Kochisov ( 1920 - 1944 ), died in battle. Songs were written to Kochisov’s poems ^[7] .

Kozayev Isidor Sofromovich (1929-1986) .He is a handsome and courageous man with an unprotected look and a naked heart, full of tragic forebodings. The idea of ​​the inextricable unity of the human race, that all people on Earth were born brothers, pierces through all his books, in which there are many poems about love, sometimes unquenched, but always exalted to self-denial, about love for a woman to the ancient land of fathers and grandfathers, to his amazing nature, full of ascetic greatness and spirituality.

Literary magazines are published in North Ossetia: “ Daryal ” (in Russian), “ Iraf ” (in the Digor dialect of the Ossetian language) and “ Mach Dug ” (in the Ironian dialect of the Ossetian language). Literary works are also published in Ossetian and bilingual newspapers. In South Ossetia, the journal " Fidiuag " is published.

• Essay on the history of Ossetian literature. Ordzhonikidze, 1967.
• Jykkites Shamil. Iron Literary History (1917-1956 aztæ). Dz .: Ir, 2003.446 p.

• Ossetian folk tales. Compiled and translated by T. A. Salamov (in Russian)
• Writing texts, translation, foreword and notes by G. A. Dzagurov (in Russian)
• Library of Ossetian literature of the journal "Daryal" (in Russian and Ossetian languages)