Duiliu Zamfirescu
Duiliu Zamfirescu | |
---|---|
Born | Dumbrăveni, Vrancea County | 30 October 1858
Died | 3 June 1922 Agapia, Neamț County | (aged 63)
Resting place | Focșani cemetery |
Pen name | Don Padil |
Occupation | novelist, poet, short story writer, journalist, memoirist, politician, diplomat, lawyer, schoolteacher |
Alma mater | University of Bucharest |
Period | 1877–1920 |
Genre | fiction, lyric poetry, autobiography |
Literary movement | Neoclassicism, Parnassianism, Realism, Romanticism, Literatorul, Junimea |
55th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania | |
In office 13 March 1920 – 12 June 1920 | |
Prime Minister | Alexandru Averescu |
Preceded by | Alexandru Vaida-Voevod |
Succeeded by | Take Ionescu |
34th President of the Assembly of Deputies | |
In office 30 June 1920 – 22 January 1922 | |
Monarch | Ferdinand I |
Preceded by | Nicolae Iorga |
Succeeded by | Mihail Orleanu |
Personal details | |
Political party | People's Party |
Spouse |
Henrietta Allievi (died 1920) |
Duiliu Zamfirescu (30 October 1858 – 3 June 1922) was a Romanian novelist, poet, short story writer, lawyer,
Biography
Born in Plăinești, Râmnicu Sărat County (present-day Dumbrăveni, Vrancea County), he attended elementary school and then gymnasium in Focșani. He later studied at the Matei Basarab High School in Bucharest (1873–1876), before entering the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Law.[1] He graduated in 1880.[1]
Zamfirescu made his debut with a series of poems in Ghimpele review (1877), and, later in the same year, became an enthusiastic supporter of the Romanian war effort during the Independence War, an experience which placed its mark on his later works and choice of subjects.[1] Three years later, he became associated with Alexandru Macedonski's Literatorul, a circle of Symbolist writers,[2] publishing a Romantic poem titled Levante și Kalavryta ("Levante and Kalavryta").[3] At the time, his work was under the influence of Macedonski's Parnassianism.[4]
In 1880, he was appointed
In 1882, after briefly serving as a prosecutor in Târgoviște and resigning, Duiliu Zamfirescu moved back to Focșani, where he practiced law and was a French language substitute teacher.[8] Later in the same year, he settled in Bucharest and joined România Liberă's editorial staff, publishing his first volume of prose and poems, Fără titlu ("Untitled"), in 1883.[3] Zamfirescu authored his debut novel, În fața vieții ("Facing Life") in 1884—the work was noted for the chapter "Pesimistul de la Soleni" ("The Pessimist of Soleni"), a satire of the Russian-born socialist thinker Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea.[3]
In 1885, he came out first in an examination for the office of
Ultimately, in May 1885, Zamfirescu was dispatched to Italy, as legation secretary in
An enthusiastic admirer of Leo Tolstoy's writings, he began work on a monograph entirely dedicated to the latter (excerpts of which were first published in 1892 issues of Convorbiri Literare).[15] With his 1894 volume of poetry Alte orizonturi ("Other Horizons"), Zamfirescu entered a prolific phase of his literary career: in 1894–1895, Convorbiri Literare serialized his novel Viața la țară ("Life in the Country"), followed in 1895–1896 by Tănase Scatiu, and, in 1897–1898, În război ("At War");[15] in 1895, he also published his collected novellas (Nuvele romane, "Roman Novellas"), followed by the poetry volumes Imnuri păgâne ("Pagan Hymns", 1897), and Poezii nouă ("New Poems", 1899).[15]
His relations with Dobrogeanu-Gherea was tense, but, in 1890, Zamfirescu approved of the decision taken by the
In 1899, Zamfirescu wrote a poem about
In 1909, Zamfirescu was accepted to the Academy, and delivered a much-discussed speech on the influence of Poporanism and traditionalism in literature, showing his disapproval for both currents.[26] It stated:
"I do not go as far as to state that the peasants' soul is not at all interesting to literature; that is because for me, all of nature is interesting. Despite this, the greatest critics and the greatest creators of human characters do not deal with simple souls, because they are as uneventful as nothingness itself."[27]
Zamfirescu thus attacked the use of folklore for direct inspiration, which saw Maiorescu, among others, defending folk literature and its supporters.[28] Maiorescu had by then ceased most contacts with his former protégé.[29] There were also notable tensions between Zamfirescu and the Transylvanian poet Octavian Goga, whose work was hailed as an example by both Maiorescu and Sămănătorul.[27]
The same year, Zamfirescu was named a
During
His short term in office was noted for the establishment of Romanian relations with the
Duiliu Zamfirescu's last published works were his poetry volume Pe Marea Neagră ("On the Black Sea", 1919) and a collection of autobiographical pieces and short stories, O muză ("A Muse", 1920).[30] In July 1921, he was involved in projects to crown King Ferdinand I as "King of Greater Romania".[34] He died at Agapia in 1922, and was buried in Focșani's southern cemetery.[30]
Style, assessments, and legacy
Zamfirescu's creations were original in style, blending a series of contrasting influences. One of the most enduring of these was the prose of Nicolae Gane.[35] After parting with Parnassianism and Romanticism, Duiliu Zamfirescu adopted some of Gane's themes (including his compassionate perspective on the decay of low-ranking boyars as a social class) and, in part, his storytelling techniques.[35] The writer was also known for the frequent comparisons he drew between his novels and those of Leo Tolstoy.[36] Most of his later works bear the imprint of Neoclassicism.[37]
The impact of Junimea guidelines in his writings is a disputed subject. An opponent of both strict Realism and rural traditionalism, Zamfirescu ridiculed the works of Junimist novelist Ioan Slavici as "sentimental mawkishness".[38] Such contradictions have literary historians such as Tudor Vianu to leave him out of their essays on Junimism.[38] It was also proposed that Zamfirescu associated with both Literatorul and Junimea due to one of their very few common traits, which was political in nature: the two groups shared Zamfirescu's conservatism and his interest in preserving a Romanian aristocracy on the boyar model.[39] Although his similarities with Junimea were extended after he adopted Neoclassical guidelines, Zamfirescu strongly disagreed with Maiorescu and his disciples on the issue of peasant themes and folklore in novels, arguing that the new literature was supposed to draw inspiration from the urban environment and the rural upper class.[40] In one instance, he is known to have referred to Junimea's theory on the peasant novel using the French expression c'est bourgeois et plat ("it is bourgeois and plain").[14]
In many ways, however, Zamfirescu was a Realist, notably using the guidelines imposed by Junimea as a means to give an accurate portrayal of his characters' speech.[41] Researcher Zigu Ornea argued that the main disagreement between him and the literary society was over Maiorescu's view that the national values of Romania were mostly embodied by the peasants, with Zamfirescu arguing that these had also been preserved by the cultured groups of low-ranking boyars.[42] As noted by Ornea, Zamfirescu's focus on the latter group and his nationalism came to contrast with his aesthetic guidelines, and, paradoxically, led to virtually all of his novels having a rural background and displaying a strong sympathy for the peasantry.[43]
Thus, Zamfirescu's positive characters lash out at boyars of foreign origins, to whom they refer as "
Duiliu Zamfirescu remained a maverick throughout his life, and his publicized outbursts against various trends has probably contributed to the decline in interests among his public and critics.[49] Ornea described him as "immeasurably arrogant, petulant and a snob", noting that these traits had led to "unjust" treatment of his work.[50] During the interwar period, Zamfirescu's views were defended by the modernist critic Eugen Lovinescu, whose arguments were later rejected by his colleague George Călinescu—the latter argued that Lovinescu had failed to prove Zamfirescu's aesthetic value.[38] Criticism of Zamfirescu was especially acute after his 1909 speech, when both competing traditionalist currents, Poporanism and Sămănătorul, attacked his work in its entirety.[51] However, according to Ornea, Zamfirescu's novels serve as a bridge between Junimea and 20th century traditionalism.[52]
Critics have traditionally held a more favorable view of Zamfirescu's correspondence, which was only published after 1937.[5] Offering a glimpse into his lengthy investigation of artistic styles and tenets, they have won acclaim for their refinement.[5]
High schools in Dragalina[53] and Odobești[54] and gymnasiums in Dumbrăveni and Focșani bear his name. Streets in Bucharest, Constanța, Deva, and Târgoviște are also named after him. The Cișmigiu Gardens in Bucharest feature a circular alley (the "Writers' Rotunda"), which has stone busts of twelve important Romanian writers, including one of Duiliu Zamfirescu.
Notes
- ^ a b c Săndulescu, p.XLIII
- ^ Ornea, p.262, 303; Săndulescu, p.XLIV
- ^ a b c d Săndulescu, p.XLIV
- ^ a b Ornea, p.263
- ^ a b c Ornea, p.262
- ^ Cristea, p.XXXVII; Săndulescu, p.XLIV
- ^ Zamfirescu, in Cristea, p.XXXVII
- ^ Săndulescu, p.XLIIV
- ^ Săndulescu, p.XLIV-XLV
- ^ Ornea, p.67, 71, 260, 261-263; Săndulescu, p.XLIV-XLV
- ^ (in Romanian) Daniela Șontică, "La un șvarț cu capșiștii" ("Having a Coffee Substitute with the Crowd at Casa Capșa")[permanent dead link], in Jurnalul Național, August 8, 2006
- ^ Ornea, p.303
- ^ Ornea, p.67, 157, 259-260
- ^ a b Ornea, p.266
- ^ a b c d Săndulescu, p.XLV
- ^ Dimitrie Ghyka, "Memorii" ("Memoirs") Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, excerpts published by Magazin Istoric, February 2000
- ^ (in Romanian) Ana Maria Luca, "Dacul din Columnă" ("The Dacian from the Column") Archived 2006-11-06 at the Wayback Machine, in Jurnalul Național, April 10, 2005
- ^ Ornea, p.316
- ^ Ornea, p.326
- ^ Ornea, p.334-335
- ^ Ornea, p.335
- ^ Constantin Coroiu (September 13, 2012), "Duiliu Zamfirescu, Basarabia și Bucovina", Cultura (in Romanian), vol. 389, retrieved September 29, 2022
- ^ Săndulescu, p.XLV-XVI
- ^ Cristea, p.XLI
- ^ Ornea, p.77-78
- ^ Ornea, p.71; Săndulescu, p.XVI
- ^ a b Ornea, p.267
- ^ Ornea, p.71-72
- ^ Ornea, p.266-267, 268
- ^ a b c d e f g Săndulescu, p.XVI
- ^ a b Ornea, p.268
- ^ (in Romanian) Ioan Scurtu, "Mit și realitate. Alexandru Averescu" ("Myth and Reality. Alexandru Averescu") Archived July 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, in Magazin Istoric, May 1997
- ^ a b c (in Romanian) Dumitru Preda, Marius Bucur, "România - Vatican. 80 ani de relații diplomatice" ("Romania - Vatican. 80 Years of Diplomatic Relations") Archived October 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, in Magazin Istoric, May 2000, p.57
- ^ (in Romanian) G. T. Kirileanu, "Memorii. Culise regale (V)" ("Memoirs. Royal Side Scenes (V)") Archived March 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, in Ziarul Financiar, March 9, 2007
- ^ a b Ornea, p.259
- ^ Ornea, p.261, 262
- ^ Ornea, p.262, 263
- ^ a b c Ornea, p.260
- ^ Ornea, p.262-263
- ^ Ornea, p.263-265
- ^ Ornea, p.264-265
- ^ Ornea, p.265, 268-269, 271-274
- ^ Ornea, p.268-277
- ^ Ornea, p.269
- ^ Ornea, p.270, 273
- ^ Ornea, p.272, 275
- ^ Ornea, p.272-276
- ^ Ornea, p.275
- ^ Ornea, p.260-261
- ^ Ornea, p.261
- ^ Ornea, p.261-262
- ^ Ornea, p.276-277
- ^ "Liceul Tehnologic Duiliu Zamfirescu Dragalina". liceudragalina.ro (in Romanian). Duiliu Zamfirescu Technological High School, Dragalina. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
- ^ "Liceul Teoretic "Duiliu Zamfirescu" Odobești". www.ltdzodobesti.ro (in Romanian). Duiliu Zamfirescu Theoretical High School, Odobești. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
References
- Duiliu Zamfirescu, În război ("At War"), Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1977
- Preface by Valeriu Cristea, p. V-XLI
- Chronological Table by Al. Săndulescu, p. XLIII-XLVI
- ISBN 973-21-0562-3