Culture

Contents:

Literature

In 1528-1532 there appear the first Romanian translations of religious books, preserved under titles like: Psaltirea Scheian" (Schein Psalter), Codicele Voronetean (the Deeds of the Apostler), Psaltirea Voronetean" (The Voronet Psalter), Psaltirea Hurmuzachi (The Hurmuzachi Psalter), Catehismul Luteran (Catechism). A sustained activity of printing texts in the Romanian language began in 1559 when Deacon Coresi printed Catehismul at his Owen printing house in Brasov, there followers Tetraevanghelia (The Gospels) in 1561, Apostolul in 1563, Liturghierul and Psaltirea in 1570, Palia de la Orastie (Old Testament) in 1582. Worth mentioning as important for the Romanian historiography of the time on: Cronograful, lui Mihail Moxa (Chronography 1620), a history of the world since the beginnings to 1489, the first world history in Romania, Letopisetul Tarii Moldovei (The Chronicles of Moldavia) by Grigore Ureche, the first Romania chronicle about the history of the feudal state of Moldavia from its foundation in 1359 to 1554. After Noul Testament (New Testament 1648) and Psaltirea (1651), printed in Alba Iulia by Metropolitan Simion Stefan, as landmark editions, we shall also mention: Evanghelia (1682), Apostolul (1683) and Biblia (1688), and first integral edition of the Bible in Romanian.

The literary works configuring a first stage in the evolution of the Romanian modern literature belong to a generation of writers in the fifth decade of the last century, during a historical epoch marked by social and political changes determined by the 1848 revolution. What defined the works of the most outstanding writers of the time were the ideals of national emancipation and unity, the wish to bring an original share to the European cultural patrimony: Vasile Alecsandri (1818-1890), M. Kogalniceanu (1817-1891), Alecu Russo (1819-1859), Nicolae Balcescu (1819-1852, Dimitrie Bolintineanu (1819-1872), Ghe. Baritiu (1812-1893), Ion Ghica (1816-1897). The second half of the 19th century represented a top moment on a literary level. It was the epoch of the great classic authors of the Romanian literature, including greatest writers, whose creations fundamentally defined the line of the Romanian literature: M.Eminescu (1850-1889), the national poet, Ion Creang" (1839-1889) and Ioan Slavici (1848-1925), prose writers, I.L.Caragiale (1852-1912), playwright, Alexandru Macedonski (1854-1920), poet, Titu Maiorescu (1840-1917), aesthetician, literary critic and cultural mentor.

In the 20th century, until the setting up of communism, after the coup d'etat in August 1944, the Romanian literature had known an ascending evolution, the top of evolution was the brilliant generation of inter-war writers: M.Sadoveanu (1880-1961), L.Rebreanu (1885-1944), Lucian Blaga (1859-1961), Camil Petrescu (1894-1957). Some of these writers continued their works in the post-war period, avoiding, as much as they could, the compromises imposed by the new ideology. In the 60's a new generation of distinguished writers appeared, whose names stood up as a solid foundation of the contemporary Romanian literature: Marin Preda (1922-1981), E.Barbu (1924-1993), Geo Bogza (1908-1993), Constanta Buzea (1941), Augustin Buzura (1938), M.Sorescu (1936-1996). After December 1989, the main line of the Romanian literature has been represented by the effort to bring before the young generation the names and the works of writers of the Romanian emigration, who had been forbidden during the communist regime.