Quantitative Analysis of Versification Parameters in „The Knight in the Panther’s Skin“ Based on Nestan-Darejan’s Letters

Abstract

This paper presents a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the versifica­tion parameters in Shota Rustaveli’s 12th-century epic poem, The Knight in the Pan­ther's Skin (Vepkhistqaosani), with a specific focus on its lyrical interludes: the two pivotal letters written by the heroine, Nestan-Darejan, to Tariel. Buil­ding upon the founda­tional metrical studies of Giorgi Tsereteli and Akaki Khintibidze, the research inves­ti­gates the intricate alternation of meter – specifically high and low shairi – alongside the unmatched lexical richness of Rustaveli's rhymes and the profound euphony of his text.

Tsereteli and Khintibidze established that Rustaveli’s verse relies on strict cadence rules and achieves extraordinary musicality through a dominance of so­no­rant consonants. To achieve a precise quantitative assessment of these phone­tic and structural features, the study employs the digital humanities software CATMA (Com­puter Assisted Text Markup and Analysis). Custom tagsets were developed to tho­roughly annotate and visualize metrical structures (high shairi 4/4//4/4 and low shairi 5/3//5/3), rhyme schemes, and phonetic distribution across the letters.

The analysis of Nestan-Darejan's first letter – in which she requests a ride (veil) as a battle trophy – reveals a deliberate structural transition where concepts in­tro­duced in the low shairi stanzas are dynamically concretized in the high shairi verses. The paper highlights the unprecedented, consecutive use of unique homony­mic rhymes (e.g., ushenosa, arideno), a poetic phenomenon not found elsewhere in the epic. For instance, the low shairi cadence shenisa organically evolves into the complex homonymic ushenosa, shifting the semantic focus. Furthermore, phonetic visualization demonstrates that specific consonants (m, n, r, s) and the vowel ‘a’ heavi­ly dominate the text. Notably, the pervasive allite­ration of the consonant ‘n’ – the heroine’s initial – serves as a core phonetic an­chor that binds the stanzas together.

The examination of the second, sixteen-stanza letter, sent from the Kadjeti fortress, explores the interplay between narrative tempo and character psy­chology. While low shairi traditionally slows the pacing for descriptive purposes – such as depicting her physical captivity – the quantitative analysis reveals a high concent­ration of dynamic verbal rhymes in the high shairi sections. Additionally, the strate­gic use of pre-caesural internal rhymes (e.g., samartali martali) vividly conveys the protagonist's emotional agitation, psychological depth, and intellectual focus on pro­found justice. The second letter masterfully utilizes these shifting tempos and struc­tural metaphors (comparing the body to a pen and the heart to paper) to amplify the heroine's grief.

Ultimately, the study concludes that Rustaveli’s metrical alternation, phonetic choices, and rhythmic oppositions transcend formal poetic rules. Through digital and qualitative analysis, it becomes evident that these versifi­cation parameters serve as vital metaphorical instruments. They meticulously articulate the inner turmoil and intellectual rigor of the female protagonist, further confirming the unrivaled musica­lity, structural genius, and lexical wealth of Rustaveli's verse.