Duiliu Zamfirescu

Duiliu Zamfirescu (October 30, 1858 – June 3, 1922)was a Romanian novelist, poet, short story writer, lawyer,nationalist politician, journalist, diplomat and memoirist.In 1909, he was elected a member of the RomanianAcademy, and, for a while in 1920, he was Foreign Min-ister of Romania. Zamfirescu is best remembered forhis Comăneștenilor literary cycle, comprising his novelsViața la țară, Tănase Scatiu, În război, Îndreptări andAnna.

1 Biography

Born in Plăinești, Râmnicu Sărat County (present-dayDumbrăveni, Vrancea County), he attended elementaryschool and gymnasium in Focșani, and later studied at theMatei Basarab High School in Bucharest (1873–1876),before entering the University of Bucharest's Faculty ofLaw.[1] He graduated in 1880.[1]

Zamfirescu made his debut with a series of poems inGhimpele review (1877), and, later in the same year,became an enthusiastic supporter of the Romanian wareffort during the Independence War, an experiencewhich placed its mark on his later works and choiceof subjects.[1] Three years later, he became associatedwith Alexandru Macedonski's Literatorul, a circle ofSymbolist writers,[2] publishing a Romantic poem titledLevante și Kalavryta (“Levante and Kalavryta”).[3] At thetime, his work was under the influence of Macedonski’sParnassianism.[4]

In 1880, he was appointed public prosecutor in theNorthern Dobrujan town of Hârșova, while being em-ployed, until 1884, as literary columnist for RomâniaLiberă. At the time, the editorial staff also includedthe writers Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea, AlexandruVlahuță, and D. D. Racoviță-Sphinx.[5] Zamfirescu con-tributed articles in which he declared his dislike fornaturalism,[6] as well as distancing himself from theRealism of his contemporaries Ion Luca Caragiale andIoan Slavici (despite common perception, he claimed hehad “nothing in common” with the latter two).[7] At thetime, he also contributed political articles under the penname Don Padil.[3]

In 1882, after briefly serving as a prosecutor in Târgovișteand resigning, Duiliu Zamfirescu moved back to Focșani,where he practiced law and was a French language sub-stitute teacher.[8] Later in the same year, he settled inBucharest and joined România Liberă's editorial staff,

publishing his first volume of prose and poems, Fără ti-tlu (“Untitled”), in 1883.[3] Zamfirescu authored his de-but novel, În fața vieții (“Facing Life”) in 1884—thework was noted for the chapter “Pesimistul de la Soleni”(“The Pessimist of Soleni”), a satire of the Russian-bornsocialist thinker Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea.[3]

In 1885, he came out first in an examination for the of-fice of legation Attaché, and was consequently employedby the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while at the sametime teaching the Romanian language at the Sf. Ghe-orghe High School.[9] He also began associating withthe Junimea circle and began writing for its magazine,Convorbiri Literare, bringing his writings to the atten-tion of Titu Maiorescu,[10] while becoming a regularin the literary circle formed around the restaurant CasaCapșa.[11] He was part of a small group of literary fig-ures who oscillated between Literatorul and Maiorescu’scircle—others to do so were Vasile Alecsandri, VeronicaMicle and Matilda Cugler-Poni.[12] The first of his po-ems to be published with Maiorescu’s approval was titledIarna (“Winter”)—printed in June 1884.[4] Zamfirescuis considered one of the most important writers to havebeen associated with Junimea during the final stage of itsexistence.[13] He nonetheless maintained some distanceto the society, and reportedly irritated Titu Maiorescuby collaborating with the newly established anti-Junimistmagazines Literatură și Artă Română (edited by N. Pe-traşcu, on whom Zamfirescu was to be an influence, andDimitrie C. Ollănescu-Ascanio).[14]

Ultimately, in May 1885, Zamfirescu was dispatched toItaly, as legation secretary in Rome, a position which hefilled until 1906, with a hiatus (1892–1894) during whichhe was assigned to Greece and later Belgium.[15] He wasa colleague of Dimitrie Ghyka,[16] and remembered forwelcoming the ethnic Romanian Transylvanian activistBadea Cârţan during the latter’s celebrated trip to theItalian capital (1896).[17] Zamfirescu married an Italianwoman, Henrietta Allievi, who died in 1920.[16]

An enthusiastic admirer of Leo Tolstoy's writings, he be-gan work on a monograph entirely dedicated to the latter(excerpts of which were first published in 1892 issues ofConvorbiri Literare).[15] With his 1894 volume of poetryAlte orizonturi (“Other Horizons”), Zamfirescu entered aprolific phase of his literary career: in 1894-1895, Con-vorbiri Literare serialized his novel Viața la țară (“Life inthe 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 Im-

1

2 1 BIOGRAPHY

First page of Fără titlu, poeme și nuvele, 1883

First page of Imnuri păgâne, poezii nouă, 1897

nuri păgâne (“Pagan Hymns”, 1897), and Poezii nouă(“New Poems”, 1899).[15]

First page of Poezii nouă, 1899

His relations with Dobrogeanu-Gherea was tense, but, in1890, Zamfirescu approved of the decision taken by theTheodor Rosetti cabinet to award the Romanian citizen-ship to the philosopher (at a time when his Jewish eth-nicity would have made it extremely hard to obtain).[18]The same year, Dobrogeanu-Gherea published a study ofZamfirescu’s works.[19] The two opposed each other overeconomic ideas and Dobrogeanu-Gherea’s application ofMarxism to the Romanian society—examining the worksof Achille Loria, Zamfirescu collected Marxist-inspirednotions that, he believed, contradicted Dobrogeanu-Gherea from inside his own camp.[20] When Maiorescuand the Romanian Marxists were engaged in a lengthypolemic, he added his own arguments in support of theformer.[21]

Between 1901 and 1902, his novel Îndreptări (“Better-ments”) was serialized by the magazine Literatură și ArtăRomână, which was a sign of cooling relations betweenZamfirescu and his mentorMaiorescu (nevertheless, Con-vorbiri Literare continued to publish Zamfirescu’s novelAnna in 1906).[22] He apparently sought to include inhis work both major tendencies of 19th century Ro-manian literature—"art for art’s sake" as preached byMaiorescu and the "tendentious art" notably advocatedby Dobrogeanu-Gherea.[23] Around 1905, through the ar-ticles of Simion Mehedinți, his work came to be crit-icized by the traditionalist magazine Sămănătorul, whocoupled a rejection of modernism with an appreciationof for folklore.[24]

In 1909, Zamfirescu was accepted to the Academy, anddelivered a much-discussed speech on the influence ofPoporanism and traditionalism in literature, showing hisdisapproval for both currents.[25] It stated:

3

“I do not go as far as to state that the peas-ants’ soul is not at all interesting to literature;that is because for me, all of nature is interest-ing. Despite this, the greatest critics and thegreatest creators of human characters do notdeal with simple souls, because they are as un-eventful as nothingness itself.”[26]

Zamfirescu thus attacked the use of folklore for direct in-spiration, which saw Maiorescu, among others, defend-ing folk literature and its supporters.[27] Maiorescu hadby then ceased most contacts with his former protégé.[28]There were also notable tensions between Zamfirescu andthe Transylvanian poet Octavian Goga, whose work washailed as an example by both Maiorescu and Sămănă-torul.[26]

The same year, Zamfirescu was named a MinisterPlenipotentiary and the Romanian Kingdom's envoy tothe Danube Commission.[29] His Furfanțo volume ofshort stories and his novel Lydda were both printedin 1911.[29] He was relieved of his diplomatic postin 1913, at a time when Maiorescu became Premierof a Conservative Party cabinet—this came after aRomanian Army officer reported statements made byZamfirescu, which he alleged were unpatriotic.[30] Re-portedly, Maiorescu never gave Zamfirescu a chance toexplain himself.[30]

During World War I, following the occupation of south-ern Romania by the Central Powers, Zamfirescu followedRomanian authorities in their Iaşi refuge.[29] By late 1918,he became a founding member of the People’s Party,[31]led by General Alexandru Averescu, and edited the Iași-based voice of the movement, Îndreptarea.[29] Under thesecond Averescu cabinet, Zamfirescu served as ForeignMinister in March–June 1920, and then as President ofthe Chamber of Deputies.[29]

His short term in office was noted for the establishmentof Romanian relations with the Holy See (see RomanCatholicism in Romania). In 1919, Vladimir Ghika hadbeen appointed Romanian representative to the Papacyby the National Romanian Council, an institution whichcampaigned for the recognition ofGreater Romania at theParis Peace Conference.[32] When Ghika’s term expired,he was replaced by Zamfirescu with Dimitrie Pennescu,who was Romania’s first Ambassador to the Vatican.[32]The Apostolic Nunciature in Romania was set up as a re-sult of this, and first held by Archbishop Francesco Mar-maggi.[32]

Duiliu Zamfirescu’s last published works were his poetryvolume PeMarea Neagră (“On the Black Sea", 1919) anda collection of autobiographical pieces and short stories,O muză (“A Muse”, 1920).[29] In July 1921, he was in-volved in projects to crown King Ferdinand I as “Kingof Greater Romania”.[33] He died at Agapia in 1922, andwas buried in Focșani’s southern cemetery.[29]

2 Style, assessments, and legacy

Zamfirescu’s creations were original in style, blending aseries of contrasting influences. One of the most en-during of these was the prose of Nicolae Gane.[34] Af-ter parting with Parnassianism and Romanticism, DuiliuZamfirescu adopted some ofGane’s themes (including hiscompassionate perspective on the decay of low-rankingboyars as a social class) and, in part, his storytellingtechniques.[34] Thewriter was also known for the frequentcomparisons he drew between his novels and those of LeoTolstoy.[35] Most of his later works bear the imprint ofNeoclassicism.[36]

The impact of Junimea guidelines in his writingsis a disputed subject. An opponent of both strictRealism and rural traditionalism, Zamfirescu ridiculedthe works of Junimist novelist Ioan Slavici as “sentimentalmawkishness”.[37] Such contradictions have literary his-torians such as Tudor Vianu to leave him out of their es-says on Junimism.[37] It was also proposed that Zamfirescuassociated with both Literatorul and Junimea due to oneof their very few common traits, which was political innature: the two groups shared Zamfirescu’s conservatismand his interest in preserving a Romanian aristocracyon the boyar model.[38] Although his similarities withJunimea were extended after he adopted Neoclassicalguidelines, Zamfirescu strongly disagreed withMaiorescuand his disciples on the issue of peasant themes and folk-lore in novels, arguing that the new literature was sup-posed to draw inspiration from the urban environmentand the rural upper class.[39] In one instance, he is knownto have referred to Junimea's theory on the peasant novelusing the French expression c'est bourgeois et plat (“it isbourgeois and plain”).[14]

In many ways, however, Zamfirescu was a Realist, no-tably using the guidelines imposed by Junimea as ameans to give an accurate portrayal of his characters’speech.[40] Researcher Z. Ornea argued that the maindisagreement between him and the literary society wasover Maiorescu’s view that the national values of Roma-nia were mostly embodied by the peasants, with Zam-firescu arguing that these had also been preserved by thecultured groups of low-ranking boyars.[41] As noted byOrnea, Zamfirescu’s focus on the latter group and hisnationalism came to contrast with his aesthetic guidelines,and, paradoxically, led to virtually all of his novels havinga rural background and displaying a strong sympathy forthe peasantry.[42]

Thus, Zamfirescu’s positive characters lash out at boyarsof foreign origins, to whom they refer as "Phanariotes",and tolerate the unscrupulous Tănase Scatiu in their com-pany only because he is from the countryside.[43] In par-allel, Scatiu is also disliked for being a Greek and a prof-iteering estate leaseholder—indicative of Zamfirescu’sown social and national views.[44] Zamfirescu believedin a strong and natural connection between the landown-ers and their property, as well as between the landowners

4 3 NOTES

and their community—this theme was found with manyconservatives of his day, including the Junimists Petre P.Carp and Constantin Rădulescu-Motru, and announced asimilar theory constructed by historian Nicolae Iorga.[45]In his fictional world, peasants make brief appearancesas secondary characters, noted for their deep respect forthe traditional owners, as well as for their dislike of allchange.[46] In parallel, Zamfirescu introduced socialistagitators as negative characters, and, in Lume nouă şilume veche (“NewWorld and OldWorld”), one of his lessknown novels, gave them the central stage as a means tosatirize them.[47]

Duiliu Zamfirescu remained a maverick throughout hislife, and his publicized outbursts against various trendshas probably contributed to the decline in interestsamong his public and critics.[48] Ornea described himas “immeasurably arrogant, petulant and a snob", not-ing that these traits had led to “unjust” treatment ofhis work.[49] During the interwar period, Zamfirescu’sviews were defended by the modernist critic Eugen Lovi-nescu, whose arguments were later rejected by his col-league George Călinescu—the latter argued that Lovi-nescu had failed to prove Zamfirescu’s aesthetic value.[37]Criticism of Zamfirescu was especially acute after his1909 speech, when both competing traditionalist cur-rents, Poporanism and Sămănătorul, attacked his workin its entirety.[50] However, according to Ornea, Zam-firescu’s novels serve as a bridge between Junimea and20th century traditionalism.[51]

Critics have traditionally held a more favorable view ofZamfirescu’s correspondence, which was only publishedafter 1937.[5] Offering a glimpse into his lengthy investi-gation of artistic styles and tenets, they have won acclaimfor their refinement.[5]

3 Notes[1] Săndulescu, p.XLIII

[2] Ornea, p.262, 303; Săndulescu, p.XLIV

[3] Săndulescu, p.XLIV

[4] Ornea, p.263

[5] Ornea, p.262

[6] Cristea, p.XXXVII; Săndulescu, p.XLIV

[7] Zamfirescu, in Cristea, p.XXXVII

[8] Săndulescu, p.XLIIV

[9] Săndulescu, p.XLIV-XLV

[10] Ornea, p.67, 71, 260, 261-263; Săndulescu, p.XLIV-XLV

[11] (Romanian) Daniela Șontică, “La un șvarț cu capșiștii”(“Having a Coffee Substitute with the Crowd at CasaCapșa”), in Jurnalul Național, August 8, 2006

[12] Ornea, p.303

[13] Ornea, p.67, 157, 259-260

[14] Ornea, p.266

[15] Săndulescu, p.XLV

[16] (Romanian) Dimitrie Ghyka, “Memorii” (“Memoirs”),excerpts published by Magazin Istoric, February 2000

[17] (Romanian) AnaMaria Luca, “Dacul din Columnă" (“TheDacian from the Column”), in Jurnalul Național, April 10,2005

[18] Ornea, p.316

[19] Ornea, p.326

[20] Ornea, p.334-335

[21] Ornea, p.335

[22] Săndulescu, p.XLV-XVI

[23] Cristea, p.XLI

[24] Ornea, p.77-78

[25] Ornea, p.71; Săndulescu, p.XVI

[26] Ornea, p.267

[27] Ornea, p.71-72

[28] Ornea, p.266-267, 268

[29] Săndulescu, p.XVI

[30] Ornea, p.268

[31] (Romanian) Ioan Scurtu, “Mit și realitate. AlexandruAverescu” (“Myth and Reality. Alexandru Averescu”), inMagazin Istoric, May 1997

[32] (Romanian) Dumitru Preda, Marius Bucur, “România -Vatican. 80 ani de relații diplomatice” (“Romania - Vat-ican. 80 Years of Diplomatic Relations”), in Magazin Is-toric, May 2000, p.57

[33] (Romanian) G. T. Kirileanu, “Memorii. Culise regale(V)" (“Memoirs. Royal Side Scenes (V)"), in Ziarul Fi-nanciar, March 9, 2007

[34] Ornea, p.259

[35] Ornea, p.261, 262

[36] Ornea, p.262, 263

[37] Ornea, p.260

[38] Ornea, p.262-263

[39] Ornea, p.263-265

[40] Ornea, p.264-265

[41] Ornea, p.265, 268-269, 271-274

[42] Ornea, p.268-277

[43] Ornea, p.269

5

[44] Ornea, p.270, 273

[45] Ornea, p.272, 275

[46] Ornea, p.272-276

[47] Ornea, p.275

[48] Ornea, p.260-261

[49] Ornea, p.261

[50] Ornea, p.261-262

[51] Ornea, p.276-277

4 References• Duiliu Zamfirescu, În război (“At War”), EdituraMinerva, Bucharest, 1977

• Preface by Valeriu Cristea, p. V-XLI• Chronological Table by Al. Săndulescu, p.XLIII-XLVI

• Z. Ornea, Junimea și junimismul ("Junimea and Ju-nimism"), Vol. II, Editura Minerva, Bucharest,1998. ISBN 973-21-0562-3

6 5 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

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