Between two worlds: the image of a Greek in the short story “Hellados” by Nodar Dumbadze

The analysis of the image of a Greek in Nodar Dumbadze’s short story “Hellados” reveals a complex relationship between national identity and contemporary ethno-cultural and historical realities. The aim of this study is to identify national cultural components and motifs within the text and explore their symbolic significance. The long-standing historical connection between Greeks and various regions along the Black Sea coast is well documented. Over the centuries, settlements established by Greek colonists have interacted with a multitude of cultures, including the Romans, Byzantines, Ottoman Turks, Russians, Abkhazians, and others. This article examines the “us/them” dichotomy and the issue of the intersection of worlds, focusing on the conflict between ethnic identity, the character’s Greek self-awareness, and the Georgian society of the Soviet era. The image of the Greek character in Dumbadze’s short story is used to address critical issues concerning universal values, interethnic relations, national identity, individual choice, and a human’s place in the modern world.