Romanian Literature Practice Flashcards

Flashcards covering the chronological list of major Romanian literary works, their authors, themes, and specific details based on the provided lecture notes and transcripts.

What is the title and author of the first romantic and historical novella in Romanian literature?

,,Alexandru Lăpuşneanul" published in 1840 by Costache Negruzzi.

From which historical sources did Costache Negruzzi draw inspiration for ,,Alexandru Lăpuşneanul"?

The two chronicles (letopisețe) of the Land of Moldavia written by Grigore Ureche and Miron Costin.

What specific scene did Negruzzi take from the chronicles for his historical novella?

The slaughter of the 47 boyars and the bloody character of the ruler.

Contrasting characters are a trait of Romanticism; how are Lăpuşneanul and Ruxanda described in this context?

They represent a 'demon-angel' antithesis: Lăpuşneanul is the cruel, revengeful tyrant, while Ruxanda is the submissive, angelic wife.

What is the primary theme of the cult fairy tale ,,Povestea lui Harap-Alb" by Ion Creangă (1877)?

The initiation journey of the hero, giving the work the character of a 'bildungsroman.'

In ,,Povestea lui Harap-Alb", what do the names 'Harap' and 'Alb' symbolize?

'Harap' signifies slave/servant and 'Alb' reflects purity or noble origin, building the name on the Yin and Yang principle of contrast.

Which character represents the 'necessary evil' in the evolution of Harap-Alb?

Spânul (the Bald Man).

What are the specific temporal markers for the action in loan Slavici's psychological novella ,,Moara cu noroc"?

The action takes place over one calendar year, between two Christian holidays: Sfântul Gheorghe (St. George) and Paștele (Easter).

What geographical real-world coordinates are used for the setting of ,,Moara cu noroc"?

At the crossroads between Ineu and Fundureni.

What is the central moral theme of ,,Moara cu noroc"?

The tragic consequences of the desire for enrichment (greed) and the resulting dehumanization of the character Ghiță.

Which two primary sources of inspiration are cited for Mihai Eminescu's ,,Luceafărul" (1883)?

The Romanian fairy tale ,,Fata din grădina de aur" and the myth of ,,Zburătorul."

What does the metaphor 'cerc strâmt' (narrow circle) refer to in the final tableau of ,,Luceafărul"?

It refers to human society, whose destiny is bound by time and death.

What is the title and date of Ion Luca Caragiale's masterpiece comedy of manners?

,,O scrisoare pierdută", published in 1885.

In Caragiale's ,,O scrisoare pierdută", what do the names 'Trahanache' and 'Catavencu' suggest?

Trahanache suggests 'soft dough' (easily maleable), and Catavencu suggests a 'two-faced coat' (hypocrisy).

What color does George Bacovia associate with the lead (plumb) in his 1916 symbolist poem?

Yellow, the color of desolation and the soul.

What are the two types of knowledge described by Lucian Blaga in his 1919 poem ,,Eu nu strivesc corola de minuni a lumii"?

Luciferic knowledge (shrouded in mystery) and Paradisiacal knowledge (scientific, cold).

How does Lucian Blaga refer to God in his philosophical vision?

,,Marele Anonim" (The Great Anonymous).

Based on the transcript, what were the three real-life experiences that led Liviu Rebreanu to write ,,lon" (1920)?

1) A peasant kissing the earth, 2) a rich man beating his daughter for getting pregnant by a poor youth, and 3) a conversation with Ion Pop al Glanetașului about a 'sickly' love for land.

What are the two parts that structure the novel ,,Ion"?

,,Glasul pământului" (The Voice of the Earth) and ,,Glasul iubirii" (The Voice of Love).

In Ion Pillat's traditionalist poem ,,Aci sosi pe vremuri" (1923), what does the spider's web symbolize?

The irreversible flow of time and the abandoned place.

What modernist concept did Tudor Arghezi introduce to Romanian literature in his 1927 poetics ,,Testament"?

The 'estetica urâtului' (aesthetic of the ugly), inspired by Charles Baudelaire's ,,Florile răului".

What are the two opposing figures in Ion Barbu's modernist ballad published in 1930?

Riga Crypto (king of the mushrooms/cryptogams) and the laplander Enigel.

What mythic and real-life sources influenced Mihail Sadoveanu's 1930 novel ,,Baltagul"?

The ballad ,,Miorița", a real-life murder case from judicial archives, and the Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris.

What does the object 'Baltagul' represent in Sadoveanu's novel?

A double-edged axe: it is both the weapon of the crime (used by Calistrat Bogza) and an instrument of justice (used by Gheorghiță).

What is the 'law' followed in the resolution of ,,Baltagul"?

The Law of Talion: 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.'

How does Ştefan Gheorghidiu describe himself in Camil Petrescu's 1930 psychological novel?

A new type of character: 'the lucid intellectual devoured by his own lucidity.'

What does the noun 'noapte' (night) symbolize in the title of Camil Petrescu's novel?

The internal turmoil of the hero, the unknown, and the mysteries of human nature.

What type of novel is George Călinescu's ,,Enigma Otiliei" (1938)?

A realistic novel with modernist elements, specifically of the Balzacian type.

What was the original title of ,,Enigma Otiliei", and what was its purpose?

,,Părinții Otiliei" (Otilia's Parents), intended to highlight the importance of the theme of paternity.

In Marin Preda's ,,Moromeţii" (1955), what does Ilie Moromete represent?

The type of the middle-class peasant and the authoritative father for whom family is always first.

Which scene in ,,Moromeţii" marks the material and symbolic dissolution of the family?

The cutting of the acacia tree (tăierea salcâmului) behind the house.

What is the central metaphor in Nichita Stănescu's 1964 neo-modernist poetics?

'Leoaică tânără' (young lioness), representing the intense and ferocious force of love.

What is the subtitle of Marin Sorescu's 1968 drama ,,Iona"?

'Tragedy in four tableaux.'

In Marin Sorescu's parable, how is the name 'Iona' broken down in the title?

'Io' meaning 'Me' (any human) and 'na' suggesting the negation of the self.