Duiliu Zamrescu

Duiliu Zamrescu (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 Romanian
Academy, and, for a while in 1920, he was Foreign Minister of Romania. Zamrescu is best remembered for
his Comnetenilor literary cycle, comprising his novels
Viaa la ar, Tnase Scatiu, n rzboi, ndreptri and
Anna.

publishing his rst volume of prose and poems, Fr titlu (Untitled), in 1883.[3] Zamrescu authored his debut novel, n faa vieii (Facing Life) in 1884the
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 rst in an examination for the ofce of legation Attach, and was consequently employed
by the Ministry of Foreign Aairs, while at the same
time teaching the Romanian language at the Sf. Gheorghe High School.[9] He also began associating with
the Junimea circle and began writing for its magazine,
Convorbiri Literare, bringing his writings to the attention of Titu Maiorescu,[10] while becoming a regular
in the literary circle formed around the restaurant Casa
Capa.[11] He was part of a small group of literary gures who oscillated between Literatorul and Maiorescus
circleothers to do so were Vasile Alecsandri, Veronica
Micle and Matilda Cugler-Poni.[12] The rst of his poems to be published with Maiorescus approval was titled
Iarna (Winter)printed in June 1884.[4] Zamrescu
is considered one of the most important writers to have
been associated with Junimea during the nal stage of its
existence.[13] He nonetheless maintained some distance
to the society, and reportedly irritated Titu Maiorescu
by collaborating with the newly established anti-Junimist
magazines Literatur i Art Romn (edited by N. Petracu, on whom Zamrescu was to be an inuence, and
Dimitrie C. Ollnescu-Ascanio).[14]

Biography

Born in Plineti, Rmnicu Srat County (present-day

Dumbrveni, Vrancea County), he attended elementary
school and gymnasium in Focani, and later studied at the
Matei Basarab High School in Bucharest (18731876),
before entering the University of Bucharest's Faculty of
Law.[1] He graduated in 1880.[1]

Zamrescu 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
eort 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 i Kalavryta (Levante and Kalavryta).[3] At the
time, his work was under the inuence of Macedonskis Ultimately, in May 1885, Zamrescu was dispatched to
Parnassianism.[4]
Italy, as legation secretary in Rome, a position which he
which
In 1880, he was appointed public prosecutor in the lled until 1906, with a hiatus (18921894) during
[15]
he
was
assigned
to
Greece
and
later
Belgium.
He
was
Northern Dobrujan town of Hrova, while being em[16]
a
colleague
of
Dimitrie
Ghyka,
and
remembered
for
ployed, until 1884, as literary columnist for Romnia
welcoming
the
ethnic
Romanian
Transylvanian
activist
Liber. At the time, the editorial sta also included
the latters celebrated trip to the
the writers Barbu tefnescu Delavrancea, Alexandru Badea Cran during [17]
[5]
Zamrescu married an Italian
Italian
capital
(1896).
Vlahu, and D. D. Racovi-Sphinx. Zamrescu conwoman,
Henrietta
Allievi,
who died in 1920.[16]
tributed articles in which he declared his dislike for
naturalism,[6] as well as distancing himself from the
Realism of his contemporaries Ion Luca Caragiale and
Ioan Slavici (despite common perception, he claimed he
had nothing in common with the latter two).[7] At the
time, he also contributed political articles under the pen
name Don Padil.[3]

An enthusiastic admirer of Leo Tolstoy's writings, he began work on a monograph entirely dedicated to the latter
(excerpts of which were rst published in 1892 issues of
Convorbiri Literare).[15] With his 1894 volume of poetry
Alte orizonturi (Other Horizons), Zamrescu entered a
prolic phase of his literary career: in 1894-1895, Convorbiri Literare serialized his novel Viaa la ar (Life in
the Country), followed in 1895-1896 by Tnase Scatiu,
and, in 1897-1898, n rzboi (At War);[15] in 1895,
he also published his collected novellas (Nuvele romane,
Roman Novellas), followed by the poetry volumes Im-

In 1882, after briey serving as a prosecutor in Trgovite

and resigning, Duiliu Zamrescu moved back to Focani,
where he practiced law and was a French language substitute teacher.[8] Later in the same year, he settled in
Bucharest and joined Romnia Liber's editorial sta,
1

1 BIOGRAPHY

First page of Poezii nou, 1899

First page of Fr titlu, poeme i nuvele, 1883

First page of Imnuri pgne, poezii nou, 1897

nuri pgne (Pagan Hymns, 1897), and Poezii nou

(New Poems, 1899).[15]

His relations with Dobrogeanu-Gherea was tense, but, in

1890, Zamrescu approved of the decision taken by the
Theodor Rosetti cabinet to award the Romanian citizenship to the philosopher (at a time when his Jewish ethnicity would have made it extremely hard to obtain).[18]
The same year, Dobrogeanu-Gherea published a study of
Zamrescus works.[19] The two opposed each other over
economic ideas and Dobrogeanu-Ghereas application of
Marxism to the Romanian societyexamining the works
of Achille Loria, Zamrescu collected Marxist-inspired
notions that, he believed, contradicted DobrogeanuGherea from inside his own camp.[20] When Maiorescu
and the Romanian Marxists were engaged in a lengthy
polemic, he added his own arguments in support of the
former.[21]
Between 1901 and 1902, his novel ndreptri (Betterments) was serialized by the magazine Literatur i Art
Romn, which was a sign of cooling relations between
Zamrescu and his mentor Maiorescu (nevertheless, Convorbiri Literare continued to publish Zamrescus novel
Anna in 1906).[22] He apparently sought to include in
his work both major tendencies of 19th century Romanian literature"art for arts sake" as preached by
Maiorescu and the "tendentious art" notably advocated
by Dobrogeanu-Gherea.[23] Around 1905, through the articles of Simion Mehedini, his work came to be criticized by the traditionalist magazine Smntorul, who
coupled a rejection of modernism with an appreciation
of for folklore.[24]
In 1909, Zamrescu was accepted to the Academy, and
delivered a much-discussed speech on the inuence of
Poporanism and traditionalism in literature, showing his
disapproval for both currents.[25] It stated:

3
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.[26]

2 Style, assessments, and legacy

Zamrescus creations were original in style, blending a

series of contrasting inuences. One of the most enduring of these was the prose of Nicolae Gane.[34] After parting with Parnassianism and Romanticism, Duiliu
Zamrescu adopted some of Ganes themes (including his
compassionate perspective on the decay of low-ranking
boyars as a social class) and, in part, his storytelling
techniques.[34] The writer was also known for the frequent
Zamrescu thus attacked the use of folklore for direct in- comparisons he drew between his novels and those of Leo
spiration, which saw Maiorescu, among others, defend- Tolstoy.[35] Most of his later works bear the imprint of
ing folk literature and its supporters.[27] Maiorescu had Neoclassicism.[36]
by then ceased most contacts with his former protg.[28]
There were also notable tensions between Zamrescu and The impact of Junimea guidelines in his writings
the Transylvanian poet Octavian Goga, whose work was is a disputed subject. An opponent of both strict
hailed as an example by both Maiorescu and Smn- Realism and rural traditionalism, Zamrescu ridiculed
the works of Junimist novelist Ioan Slavici as sentimental
torul.[26]
mawkishness.[37] Such contradictions have literary hisThe same year, Zamrescu was named a Minister torians such as Tudor Vianu to leave him out of their esPlenipotentiary and the Romanian Kingdom's envoy to
says on Junimism.[37] It was also proposed that Zamrescu
the Danube Commission.[29] His Furfano volume of associated with both Literatorul and Junimea due to one
short stories and his novel Lydda were both printed
of their very few common traits, which was political in
in 1911.[29] He was relieved of his diplomatic post nature: the two groups shared Zamrescus conservatism
in 1913, at a time when Maiorescu became Premier and his interest in preserving a Romanian aristocracy
of a Conservative Party cabinetthis came after a on the boyar model.[38] Although his similarities with
Romanian Army ocer reported statements made by Junimea were extended after he adopted Neoclassical
Zamrescu, which he alleged were unpatriotic.[30] Re- guidelines, Zamrescu strongly disagreed with Maiorescu
portedly, Maiorescu never gave Zamrescu a chance to and his disciples on the issue of peasant themes and folkexplain himself.[30]
lore in novels, arguing that the new literature was supDuring World War I, following the occupation of south- posed to draw inspiration from the urban environment
ern Romania by the Central Powers, Zamrescu followed and the rural upper class.[39] In one instance, he is known
Romanian authorities in their Iai refuge.[29] By late 1918, to have referred to Junimea's theory on the peasant novel
he became a founding member of the Peoples Party,[31] using the French expression c'est bourgeois et plat (it is
led by General Alexandru Averescu, and edited the Iai- bourgeois and plain).[14]
based voice of the movement, ndreptarea.[29] Under the In many ways, however, Zamrescu was a Realist, nosecond Averescu cabinet, Zamrescu served as Foreign tably using the guidelines imposed by Junimea as a
Minister in MarchJune 1920, and then as President of
means to give an accurate portrayal of his characters
the Chamber of Deputies.[29]
speech.[40] Researcher Z. Ornea argued that the main
His short term in oce was noted for the establishment
of Romanian relations with the Holy See (see Roman
Catholicism in Romania). In 1919, Vladimir Ghika had
been appointed Romanian representative to the Papacy
by the National Romanian Council, an institution which
campaigned for the recognition of Greater Romania at the
Paris Peace Conference.[32] When Ghikas term expired,
he was replaced by Zamrescu with Dimitrie Pennescu,
who was Romanias rst Ambassador to the Vatican.[32]
The Apostolic Nunciature in Romania was set up as a result of this, and rst held by Archbishop Francesco Marmaggi.[32]
Duiliu Zamrescus last published works were his poetry
volume Pe Marea Neagr (On the Black Sea", 1919) and
a collection of autobiographical pieces and short stories,
O muz (A Muse, 1920).[29] In July 1921, he was involved in projects to crown King Ferdinand I as King
of Greater Romania.[33] He died at Agapia in 1922, and
was buried in Focanis southern cemetery.[29]

disagreement between him and the literary society was

over Maiorescus view that the national values of Romania were mostly embodied by the peasants, with Zamrescu arguing that these had also been preserved by the
cultured groups of low-ranking boyars.[41] As noted by
Ornea, Zamrescus 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.[42]
Thus, Zamrescus positive characters lash out at boyars
of foreign origins, to whom they refer as "Phanariotes",
and tolerate the unscrupulous Tnase Scatiu in their company only because he is from the countryside.[43] In parallel, Scatiu is also disliked for being a Greek and a profiteering estate leaseholderindicative of Zamrescus
own social and national views.[44] Zamrescu believed
in a strong and natural connection between the landowners and their property, as well as between the landowners

3 NOTES

and their communitythis theme was found with many

conservatives of his day, including the Junimists Petre P.
Carp and Constantin Rdulescu-Motru, and announced a
similar theory constructed by historian Nicolae Iorga.[45]
In his ctional world, peasants make brief appearances
as secondary characters, noted for their deep respect for
the traditional owners, as well as for their dislike of all
change.[46] In parallel, Zamrescu introduced socialist
agitators as negative characters, and, in Lume nou i
lume veche (New World and Old World), one of his less
known novels, gave them the central stage as a means to
satirize them.[47]

[12] Ornea, p.303

Duiliu Zamrescu 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.[48] Ornea described him
as immeasurably arrogant, petulant and a snob", noting that these traits had led to unjust treatment of
his work.[49] During the interwar period, Zamrescus
views were defended by the modernist critic Eugen Lovinescu, whose arguments were later rejected by his colleague George Clinescuthe latter argued that Lovinescu had failed to prove Zamrescus aesthetic value.[37]
Criticism of Zamrescu was especially acute after his
1909 speech, when both competing traditionalist currents, Poporanism and Smntorul, attacked his work
in its entirety.[50] However, according to Ornea, Zamrescus novels serve as a bridge between Junimea and
20th century traditionalism.[51]

[18] Ornea, p.316

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

[14] Ornea, p.266
[15] Sndulescu, p.XLV
[16] (Romanian) Dimitrie Ghyka, Memorii (Memoirs),
excerpts published by Magazin Istoric, February 2000
[17] (Romanian) Ana Maria Luca, Dacul din Column" (The
Dacian from the Column), in Jurnalul Naional, April 10,
2005

[19] Ornea, p.326

[20] Ornea, p.334-335
[21] Ornea, p.335
[22] Sndulescu, p.XLV-XVI
[23] Cristea, p.XLI
[24] Ornea, p.77-78
[25] Ornea, p.71; Sndulescu, p.XVI
[26] Ornea, p.267
[27] Ornea, p.71-72
[28] Ornea, p.266-267, 268
[29] Sndulescu, p.XVI

Critics have traditionally held a more favorable view of

Zamrescus correspondence, which was only published [30] Ornea, p.268
after 1937.[5] Oering a glimpse into his lengthy investi[31] (Romanian) Ioan Scurtu, Mit i realitate. Alexandru
gation of artistic styles and tenets, they have won acclaim
Averescu (Myth and Reality. Alexandru Averescu), in
[5]
for their renement.
Magazin Istoric, May 1997

Notes

[1] Sndulescu, p.XLIII

[32] (Romanian) Dumitru Preda, Marius Bucur, Romnia Vatican. 80 ani de relaii diplomatice (Romania - Vatican. 80 Years of Diplomatic Relations), in Magazin Istoric, May 2000, p.57

[3] Sndulescu, p.XLIV

[33] (Romanian) G. T. Kirileanu, Memorii. Culise regale

(V)" (Memoirs. Royal Side Scenes (V)"), in Ziarul Financiar, March 9, 2007

[4] Ornea, p.263

[34] Ornea, p.259

[5] Ornea, p.262

[35] Ornea, p.261, 262

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

[36] Ornea, p.262, 263

[7] Zamrescu, in Cristea, p.XXXVII

[37] Ornea, p.260

[8] Sndulescu, p.XLIIV

[38] Ornea, p.262-263

[9] Sndulescu, p.XLIV-XLV

[39] Ornea, p.263-265

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

[10] Ornea, p.67, 71, 260, 261-263; Sndulescu, p.XLIVXLV

[40] Ornea, p.264-265

[11] (Romanian) Daniela ontic, La un var cu capitii

(Having a Coee Substitute with the Crowd at Casa
Capa), in Jurnalul Naional, August 8, 2006

[42] Ornea, p.268-277

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

[43] Ornea, p.269

[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

References
Duiliu Zamrescu, n rzboi (At War), Editura
Minerva, Bucharest, 1977
Preface by Valeriu Cristea, p. V-XLI
Chronological Table by Al. Sndulescu, p.
XLIII-XLVI
Z. Ornea, Junimea i junimismul ("Junimea and Junimism"), Vol. II, Editura Minerva, Bucharest,
1998. ISBN 973-21-0562-3

5 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.1

Text

Duiliu Zamrescu Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duiliu_Zamfirescu?oldid=667197814 Contributors: Bogdangiusca, Rich Farmbrough, Rjwilmsi, Visor, Grafen, SmackBot, Chris the speller, Dahn, Blueboar, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Neddyseagoon, Cydebot,
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LilHelpa, Anna Roy, RjwilmsiBot, Rillke, Khazar2, VIAFbot, Killuminator, Gervasevernon, Glovacki, KasparBot and Anonymous: 2

5.2

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