Ionel Teodoreanu
| Ionel Teodoreanu | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 6, 1897 Iași |
| Died | February 3, 1954 Bucharest |
| Occupation | Novelist , Lawyer |
| Nationality | Romanian |
| Genres | Novel |
Ionel Teodoreanu (January 6, 1897 - February 3, 1954) was a Romanian novelist and lawyer. He is mostly remembered for his books on the themes of childhood and adolescence.
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[edit] Biography
Born on January 6, 1897 in Iaşi into a family of intellectuals, Teodoreanu followed his father Osvald and older brother Păstorel in becoming a lawyer. From 1904 to 1906 he attended the German primary school of Pitar-Moş in Bucharest, until his parents moved back to Iaşi. Between 1908 and 1912 he attends high school at the Boarding House High School in Iaşi (now The National College Costache Negruzzi). He later transferred to the National High school until he graduated in 1916. Teodoreanu obtained his Law degree in 1919, and began to work as a lawyer, although he was more attracted to literature.
In late 1918, Teodoreanu he was introduced to his future wife, Maria Ştefana Lupaşc, by Delavrancea's daughters. The two young people became close due to their mutual passion for literature and their disposition towards writing, and they married in 1920. One year later, on February 3, 1921 he became the father of twin boys, Ştefan and Osvald. Ionel Teodoreanu died on February 3, 1954, at 57 in Bucharest.
[edit] Literary works
Teodoreanu made his literary debut in 1919, with the Bunicii ("The Grandparents") sketch, published in the review Însemnări literare (Literary notes). His editorial debut was represented by the short story volume Uliţa copilăriei ("Childhood Lane", 1923). Like his brother Păstorel - a renowned epigrammatist - he was linked to the Romanian Life group led by Garabet Ibrăileanu, who considered him to one of the most promising writers of the generation following World War I.[citation needed] In this environment, Teodoreanu published his classic novel trilogy. La Medeleni between 1925 and 1927.
[edit] La Medeleni
Teodoreanu wrote around twenty books, but his greatest success, especially with children and young people, was La Medeleni. The trilogy includes several autobiographical episodes, and, on a universal level, constitute a subtle analysis of the human soul[citation needed]. The trilogy is not without its critics; George Călinescu argued that Teodoreanu's style was too laden with metaphors and rather baroque.
The universe of La Medeleni reflects the upper middle class environment in Romania during the early decades of the 20th century. It depicts the innocence of childhood which the ravages of the World War and its aftermath would soon shatter. Although Teodoreanu did not write it as an autobiography, his experience of having grown up in such a family in Moldavia during this time was influential.
[edit] Lorelei
Teodoreanu abandoned the childhood theme in most of his later literary works and never again reached the same level of success, but his books are still loved[by whom?].
In Lorelei, the main character is Luli, an eighteen year old student who falls in love with her teacher, Catul Bogdan, becoming engaged to him just three days after their first meeting. Bogdan is a workaholic writer, and soon Luli starts to feel abandoned and unloved. With the help of her friend, Gabriela, Luli writes some poems, signing them with the psedudonym "Lorelei". Catul is amazed by the quality of the poems, and Luli becomes sadder until she eventually sickens and dies. Catul later marries Gabriela, but suffers from nightmares and loses his ability to write. Finally, he realises that Gabriela is only after his money, learns the true identity of "Lorelei", and commits suicide.
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] Selected published novels
- La Medeleni ("In Medeleni")
- Bal mascat ("Masquerade Ball")
- Fata din Zlataust ("The Girl of Zlataust")
- Lorelei
- Golia
- Turnul Milenei ("Milena's Tower")
- Iarbă ("Grass")
[edit] Autobiographies
- În casa bunicilor ("My Grandparents' House")
- Masa umbrelor ("Table of Shadows")
[edit] References
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2011) |
- Kurt W. Treptow. Introduction to One Moldavian Summer by Ionel Teodoreanu
[edit] External links
- (Romanian) Ionel Teodoreanu
- (French) Ionel Teodoreanu
