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Welcome toWelcome to
Discovering Eminescu
The Evening Star of the Romanian poetry
Discovering Eminescu
The Evening Star of the Romanian poetry
by Stefaniada Voichitaby Stefaniada Voichita
Agenda SlideAgenda Slide Mihai Eminescu
Introduction to the life and literary work of the last European romantic Discovering Eminescu Eminescu’s Life Literary Work The Poet The Storyteller Eminescu within Romanian Culture Eminescu within Universal Literature Seen by others Today - A Romanian Icon
Mihai Eminescu
Introduction to the life and literary work
of the last European romantic
Mihai Eminescu
Introduction to the life and literary work
of the last European romantic
1850-18891850-1889
"Days go past and days come still All is old and all is new,
What is well and what is ill, You imagine and construe;
Do not hope and do not fear, Waves that leap like waves must fall;
Should they praise or should they jeer, Look but coldly on it all".
Discovering EminescuDiscovering EminescuDiscovering EminescuDiscovering Eminescu
Eminescu’s Life on 15th of January, in Botosani,
a North Eastern town of Romania, the future poet Mihai Eminescu is born as the 7th of 11 children
his parents were small land owners
ParentsParents
MotherMotherRaluca Iurascu
MotherMotherRaluca Iurascu
FatherFatherGheorghe Eminovici
FatherFatherGheorghe Eminovici
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life
1850-1857 the future poet spends his childhood in Ipotesti,
a village where his parents had a small estate, 8 km away from Botosani
today, here we can find Mihai Eminescu Memorial House
photo from the beginning of the XX-century
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life1858-186 0 registered to National School in Cernauti here he attends the courses of the 3rd and 4th form,
and finished 4th grade as the fifth of 82 students
186 0-1863 he attends Gymnasium in Cernauti,
courses of the 1st and 2nd form, repeating the latter
Cernauti town center, at the middle of the XIX-century
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life1864 he works for a short time as a clerk to Law Court in BotosanI
1865 comes back to Cernauti gymnasium as a private pupil he takes up lodgings with Aron Pumnul, his gymnasium teacher, a
great linguist, philologist and owner of a large library
1866 in January, Aron Pumnul dies
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life1867 he joins as a prompter and copyist into a theatre group, with which he
travels all over the country
1868 settled in Bucharest, he meets I. L. Caragiale, the greatest Romanian
playwright
The make-up box used by the time of theatrical tour
Ion Luca Caragiale1852-1912
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life1869-1872 he registers at the Faculty of Philosophy, Vienna University here he meets Veronica Micle, a poetess, whom he will have a
passionate and troubled relationship with
1872-1874 he attends Philosophy, History, Economy and Law courses of Berlin
University
Veronica Micle1850-1889
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life
1874 he is appointed director of the Central Library in Iasi
1875 takes good care of the Central Library in Iasi and he is appointed a
school inspector he meets Ion Creanga, whom he advises to write
the latter will become one of the greatest Romanian storyteller and his best friend
Eminescu’s best friendIon Creanga1838-1889
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life
1876 has public lectures at Junimea Society and Literary Talks periodical
1877 continues his journalistic activity with Iasi Messenger, writes theatre
chronicles and attends the meetings of Junimea society in the second half of October, he moves to Bucharest, where he works
as an editor to The Time newspaper
1878 works at The Time newspaper
The court yard of the building where the newspaper The Time used to run
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life1879-1882 his relationship with Veronica Micle is going to be deteriorated and he
gives up the idea of marrying her continues his work at The Time and at Junimea meetings he reads most
of his poems
1883 in August, he shows signs of mental disorder and he is put in a
sanatorium at the end of December, the volume “Poems” is published, the only
volume published when still alive he ceased writing
1884-1888 continues to work, occupying himself with small jobs his disease recourses
1889 his health is put to serious damage and on 15th of June he dies he is buried on 17th of June at Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest
Eminescu’s LifeEminescu’s Life
The last photo of the poet, made in 1887
Literary WorkLiterary WorkHis literary work was a vast work, including several domains, from lyrical poetry to political journalism.
The first evidence of Eminescu as a writer is in 1866.
that year, when teacher, Aron Pumnul, dies, his students published a pamphlet, in which appears his 1st poem signed M. Eminoviciu
Eminescu’s first poem
also the periodical The Family in Pest publishes his poem “Had IHad I” the director of the above mentioned periodical changed his name from
Eminovici into Eminescu, a name that the poet adopted for the rest of his life
“At Aron Pumnul's Grave”
The PoetThe Poet
Mihai Eminescu was only 20 when Titu Maiorescu,
the top literary critic in Romania, dubbed him:
The PoetThe Poet
Eminescu had a two-pronged approach to his writing
1. he would mould himself towards the individual and personal emotions
1. he would mould himself towards the individual and personal emotions
2. he would explore the folklore examining existential perceptions
2. he would explore the folklore examining existential perceptions
The PoetThe PoetEminescu poems span a large range of themes
NatureHistorySocial commentaryExistential perceptions such as:
Time Love
Emotion Soul
Space Idealism
Beauty Realism
Myth Spirit
The PoetThe Poet
Eminescu’s poetry focuses on myths that appear and disappear,
in order to reappear, in other poems, with modified connotations
Eminescu’s poetry focuses on myths that appear and disappear,
in order to reappear, in other poems, with modified connotations
The PoetThe Poet1.The myth of the birth and the death of the universe related with the
myth of the scholar (the wise man, the magus) who knows to read the signs from the books of the world and defends the old law, that we can
find in the works such as:
“Remember You Will Die”“The Twins”
“The Prayer of a Dacian”“The First Letter”
The device of the world is approached philosophically, starting with the moment of the genesis and ending with its disappearance
The device of the world is approached philosophically, starting with the moment of the genesis and ending with its disappearance
The PoetThe PoetFacsímile
“Remember you will die”
The PoetThe Poet2. The next one is the myth of history where he explains the evolution of
the world highlighting the incompatibility between the plenitude and the wisdom of the past times and the decay of the present times
in works as:
“The Imitators”“Emperor and Proletarian”
“The Third Letter”
The device of the world is approached, now, in a historic perspective and through ethical criteria
The device of the world is approached, now, in a historic perspective and through ethical criteria
The PoetThe Poet3. Eminescu’s next myth is the erotic myth where nature and love are
complimentary in poems like:
“O, remain”“Down Where The Lonely Poplars Grow”
“The lake”“And if”
“Thinking of you”“The evening star”
“Longing”“Blue flower”“What is love”
Suggesting the lust of falling in love, the melancholy, the incompatibility between man and woman, the nostalgia of the failure
Suggesting the lust of falling in love, the melancholy, the incompatibility between man and woman, the nostalgia of the failure
Image from “The Evening
Star”
Facsímile“The Evening Star”
‘The Evening Star’s” main character
By Sabin Balasa
‘The Evening Star’s” main character
By Sabin Balasa
“The Evening Star”
book’s cover
The PoetThe Poet4. The myth of the return to the basic elements, based on the idea of
making man live again according to the laws of the cosmos.
“The lake”“Drowsy birds”
“Why do you wail, o forest tree”“The tale of the forest”
The wood is a recurrent element in this possible security space. The landscape is not only a state of mind; it is also the place where the Romantic spirit rediscovers the rhythms of the big universe.
Image from “The
lake”
“Drowsy birds” book’s cover
The PoetThe Poet5. The following myth is the creator’s myth, therefore, his existential
philosophy too.
“Ode in Ancient Meter” “The Evening Star”
are typical poems for this category, although their lyrical forms are so different
This myth expresses the position of the creator and his mission in connection with all the other experiences of the spirit.
The PoetThe Poet6. The myth of poetry that appears under two aspects:
the first one is direct, explicit: poetry as a reflection subject in the poem the poet is the one who covers "the sad and naked corpse with images
clothes" the second one which is indirect, essential:
poetry as an expression of a profound inner musicality, a generalized orphism,
music impossible to be confounded that becomes the identity sign of Eminescu’s style
indirect
essential
direct
explicit
The ideas, the states of mind, the visions, the myths, they all appear and disappear in an essentially musical discourse. His poetry is music incorporated in the language.
“Drowsy birds” by Balasa
“Mortua Est” by P. Marvi
“The evening star” by S. Bousa
“The evening star” by A. Murnu
‘MIradoniz” by E. Opris
“IV letter” by G. Petrascu
“Emperor and proletarian” by Ciucurencu
“The evening star” by Ciucurencu
“Prince charming, the Tear-begotten” by Vulcanescu
“Poor Dionis” by M. Dima
“The ghosts”by C. Ressu
“Cezara” by V. Grigore “Calin”
anonymous
Painted images from his poems
The StorytellerThe Storyteller
While his literary work encompassed every genre of poetry (love, philosophical, cosmological, historical, socio-satiric, mythological), Eminescu soaked his nib in the dramatic genre writing prose as well.
“Mira” - drama“Prince charming, The Tear-Begotten”
“Caesara”“Poor Dionis”
“Wasted genius” – novel excerpt where we can find his self-portrait“Icons, old and new” - chronicles
“Prince Charming, The Tear-Begotten” – book cover
“Wasted Genius” – book cover
Eminescu’s linden tree in park Copou, under which he could easily find his muse to write great poems.
Eminescu within Romanian Culture
Eminescu within Romanian Culture
The Genius
A poet , a prose-writer and a playwright , Mihai Eminescu marked in Romanian literature the exceptional moment of the meeting between the genius individual and genius thinking and sensibility.
Time, space, life, death, love, hatred, landscapes , the real and the fantastic, myths, existential adventures, the search for one's own self, the joy of living, the possible and the impossible , the tragic and the comic, setting deeds on a cosmic orbit - are all integrated in his work within a system of obsessions and relations which confers a timbre with polyphonic nuances upon his literary approach, attitude and manner.
The Father of Modern Romanian Language
Eminescu gave Romanian poetry the dimensions it had not had before him. The world where Eminescu takes us is tremendously vast related to space and time. There, the thinker’s eye reaches the most hidden recesses of the human soul and rises to the highest concepts of reason. Of course, these features are brought to light by his most typical epithets.
Eminescu - established the future direction of Romanian poetry of the 20th century. His work provided a framework, a real model for future essential Romanian poets such as: Lucian Blaga, George Bacovia, Tudor Arghezi, Ion Pillat, Alexandru Philippide, Emil Botta, Nichita Stanescu so forth.
Eminescu within Romanian Culture
Eminescu within Romanian Culture
The National Poet
Mihai Eminescu’s poetry has been passed down through generations to epitomize the essence of Romanian consciousness. Consequently, he is quintessential for the self-definition of Romanian national identity.
Who is Mihai Eminescu?At this question all Romanians will answer: Our national poet!He represents the Romanian nation in mankind's concert.
One of the greatest lyrical poets of world literature, comparable with Byron, Shelley or Lermontov, a revolutionary poet in terms of attitude, and to posterity an inestimable treasure of verse.
Eminescu within Universal Literature
Eminescu within Universal Literature
Eminescu is considered the greatest of the Romantics and the Last one.
Even though he joined the romantics, he belonged to the next generation as well. Not only by poeticizing the noble past, fairy tales, legends and folklore, but because he also had a soft spot for ancient traces surrounding him.
His poems aimed to touch the very core of human soul. And although, he concentrated on the essence of being Romanian, his system of existential perceptions transferred him into a universal context.
His poems were translated in many different languages,
incorporating his genius into universal literature.
Mihai Eminescu - Poetry
These pictures illustrate Eminescu’s evolution
from youth to old ages
Mihai Eminescu
Seen by othersSeen by others
I. L. Caragiale<<He was handsome, indeed. He had a classical-featured face, framed by long black locks, a broad serene forehead and big eyes (watching these windows of him, you could certainly see that someone was in there). His smile was mild and deeply melancholic. He had the air of a young saint just descended from an icon; he resembled to a child predestined to suffering, whose face bore the mark of some future pains. “-Allow me to introduce myself: Mihai Eminescu.”This is how I met him. >>
I L Caragiale
GARABET IBRAILEANU:
"Eminescu is not only the greatest Romanian writer. He is an almost inexplicable occurrence in our literature. In 1870 he simply fell in the middle of our poor national literature like a meteor from some other world. One of the greatest lyrical poets of the 19th century - so rich in poets, maybe the richest - is born by chance right here, in our country...”
GEORGE CALINESCU:
“… the greatest poet ever born or likely to be born on Romanian land… Below a lonely star fading in the far-off skies, rivers might run dry and a forest or a fortress might sprout over his tomb, before this land could gather up every drop of sap to make it rise again in the slender stalk of another lily, whose perfume strength could match the poet's own."
Marin Sorescu, dedicated this hymn to the man who equaled the anonymity:
"There was only a fine country On the shore of a sea, Where the waves tie white knots In the uncombed beard of a king- Like waters, like flowing trees In which the moon had its round nest. And more particularly there were some simple people ......................................................... There were moreover deep forests And a youth who would talk with them, Asking them why they swayed without a breath of wind? ........................................................... Also there were some linden-trees, And the young couple who knew How to make their blossoms snow Into a kiss. And some birds or some clouds Which kept floating over them, Like long, soft-moving plains. And since all of these Had to have a name, One name alone, They were named Eminescu.”
his signature
His face was depicted on 1000 lei-bill issued in 1998.
Today - A Romanian IconToday - A Romanian Icon
Eminescu is omnipresent in Romania.
And on the new 500-lei bill issued in 2005 as the highest Romanian bill.
Also, many schools and institutions are named after him, and his anniversaries became national celebrations.
His statues are everywhere.
Eminescu is a writer who created for eternity, in perfect synchrony with the great literature of his time, a writer for all ages, times and places.
Eminescu is a writer who created for eternity, in perfect synchrony with the great literature of his time, a writer for all ages, times and places.
“Ode in ancient meter”
“Hardly had I thought I should learn to perish;Ever young, enwrapped in my robe I wandered,
Raising dreamy eyes to the star styled oftenSolitude's symbol.
………………………………May all tempting eyes vanish from my pathwayCome back to my breast, you indifferent sorrow!
So that I may quietly die, restore meTo my own being!”