(The Republic of Georgia, Tbilisi). Translation and Publication of Sergey Esenin’s Poem “Anna Snegina” in Georgian
Authors:   Georgian Technical University, Tabatadze Khatuna Sh. 
Published: January 2022

The article examines the translations of Sergey Esenin’s poem “Anna Snegina” into Georgian, as well as gives a detailed comparative analysis. It is known that the poem “Anna Snegina”, on which Esenin worked with enthusiasm in December 1924 in Batumi, was very interested in Georgian poets and translators. This is evidenced by the fact that it was translated into Georgian four times and published five times. It was published twice in separate editions, and in other cases in periodicals. The writer and critic Simon Arveladze in the book “In the Mirror of the Soul” devoted a separate chapter to Esenin’s work, thus reminding the reader once again that in Georgia the author of the poem “Anna Snegina” “was recognized as a great poet during his lifetime, and today they remember him as a great lyricist...”. Considering the translations in chronological order, its first version is considered the 1927 edition in Tbilisi by the Sakhelgami publishing house. The translators was Grigol Tsetskhladze. He was a Georgian, Soviet poet and writer. It is noteworthy that the first version of the translation of the poem “Anna Snegina” published in the Georgian press was complete. One of the important facts for translators is the knowledge of the language from which they are translating. Considering the issue in this vein, Tsetskhladze, according to his contemporaries, was fluent in the Russian language, so he could fully grasp the essence of this work. The translator tried to create an adequate text as close as possible to the original. The great interest in Esenin’s work, especially in the poem, is indicated by the fact that by the end of 1956 the second version of the translation of the poem “Anna Snegina” was published in two periodicals at once. In the periodical edition of the scientific journal “Mnatobi”, as well as in the annual Almanac of the Adjara branch of the Union of Soviet Writers of Georgia “Talga” (“Wave”). The Georgian poet and translator Giorgi Salukvadze made both versions of the translation. Despite the fact that the poet-translator was quite active in translation, unfortunately, the translations in both editions are not complete. Unfortunately, the second version of the poem has not been fully translated, which prevents a detailed analysis of this translation. 14 years later, the third version of the translation of the poem appears, which dates back to 1970. Its translator is a Georgian poet and public figure — Jemal Indjia. Having started his career in 1955, he still tries not to deviate from the path he has chosen. It is also important that the Writers’ Union of Georgia consider the work on the translation of the poem “Anna Snegina” to be of great merit, in their opinion, Indzhiya with his translation made Esenin speak in Georgian. This version of the translation is complete, published as a separate publication (Tbilisi “Sabchota Sakartvelo” (“Soviet Georgia”) 1970). The fourth version of the poem was published in the two-month Almanac of World Literature “Soundje” (“Treasure”) for 1987 (no 5 and 6). One part was published in the fifth issue of the periodical, and the second part in the sixth. Georgian writer, poet and translator Zurab Kukhianidze translated it. This version of the translation is also complete. We can safely say that the above translators, with incredible great interest in Esenin’s work, in particular, to his poem “Anna Snegina”, presented the Georgian reader with the wonderful world of this work in its different interpretations. An analysis of the translations of this poem made it possible to identify successful finds and inevitable losses. In addition, it can be safely noted that, overall, all four versions of the translation turned out to be quite successful, although the musical structure of the works in Georgian sound could not be fully conveyed and underwent some transformation. Georgian-speaking readers got the opportunity to follow the character of the interpreters’ perception of a work of fiction. Moreover, rather active work of the Georgian translators gave the Georgian reader the wonderful world of this work.