Futurism and Its Deconstruction in Contemporary Georgian Poetry: The Poem “We, Who Will Never Go Outside” by Zviad Ratiani

Abstract

The present article explores the transformation of Futurist aesthetic and ideological principles in contemporary Georgian poetry, focusing on Zviad Ratiani’s poem “We, Who Will Never Go Outside.” The aim of the study is to examine how the core concepts of classical Futurism, the cult of movement, the aestheticization of urban space, the manifesto-like collective “we,” and the ideology of heroism  are reinterpreted and deconstructed within a post-Futurist, ironic, and critical poetic framework.

The research employs comparative-typological and interpretative methodologies, drawing on the theoretical foundations of Italian and Russian Futurism as well as contemporary literary criticism. The analysis demonstrates that in Ratiani’s poem, Futurist dynamism is transformed into a reversed motion characterized by social apathy, silence, and moral paralysis. Urban space no longer functions as a symbol of technological triumph and progress, but instead emerges as a metaphor for historical trauma, collective guilt, and existential disillusionment.

The findings indicate that the poem represents a distinctly post-Futurist text, in which the deconstruction of Futurist ideology becomes a means of articulating the spiritual crisis of modern society, the degradation of heroic ideals, and the problem of collective responsibility. The article argues that Futurist heritage in contemporary Georgian poetry operates not merely as a formal stylistic reference, but as a critical and reflective ideological framework that facilitates deeper engagement with historical memory and social self-awareness.