Reflections on I, Grandmother, Iliko and Illarion

How old was the person when first reading Nodar Dumbadze’s novel I, Grandmother, Iliko and Illarion, and what emotions did it evoke? The answer came from a conversation with a theater student who was twenty-two in his third year at the institute. The book left a lasting imprint, especially the moment when Hilarion strikes Murad with the dog instead of the rabbit. As the dog dies, Hilarion surfaces with a light joke and the support, You didn’t do it on purpose. Dumbadze renders a tragic moment with gentleness and a touch of humor, and the reader is swept up in a narrative that blends sadness with tenderness. The overall mood leans hopeful, yet sorrowful episodes are woven through, frequently displaced by humor as life presses onward. This blend of optimism and levity is a recurring theme that resonates with many readers and performers alike.