Ion Caraion. Identification with Arghezi – Solution for Moral Dilemmas

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov Series IV: Philology and Cultural Studies • Vol. 4 (53) No.1 - 2011 ION CARAION. IDENTIFICATION WITH ARGHEZI – SOLUTION FOR MORAL DILEMMAS Mihaela ALECU 1 Abstract: Starting from a text where Ion Caraion presents dimensions of Tudor Arghezi’s biography and literature, I’ve underlined those aspects which reveal the influence that meeting Arghezi had upon Caraion’s future evolution. By presenting Arghezi as an exemplary role model, Caraion creates the opportunity to use whatever resemblance might exist between them to transform the justification of the Arghezi’s actions into an indirect self justification for his own options. Keywords: identification, treason, self justification, life versus literature. 1. Introduction portrait. That is why I chose as a main reference the text in which Caraion presents This paper is founded on the premise that Tudor Arghezi, that text that was first a certain evolution of Ion Caraion and Tudor published as a foreword for the volume Arghezi’s relationship had a big impact on Tudor Arghezi “Verses”, edited by G. the future development of the former. Both Pienetescu, in 1980, at Cartea Româneasc ă in what concerns his social interactions as in Publishing House. The text was further what concerns his career as a writer. The developed and republished in the volume way in which he refers to Arghezi reveals in “Diary II” written and organized by Caraion Caraion’s case a certain way of feeling, in 1981 (the year when he left Romania and thinking and overall of explaining himself, requested political asylum in Switzerland) by establishing a relationship of and published only in 1998, at Albatros identification with certain features of that Publishing House, an edition by Emil Manu. who becomes his role model. It is interesting to analyze not as much the 2. Tudor Arghezi – Role Model for Ion objective reality of this interaction, between Caraion the two poets, but its subjective dimension, those meanings that Caraion invested in it, Serenela Ghi ţeanu stated in the article and the way in which he himself “The Mirror of an Informer”, published in understands and interprets it indirectly the April 2007 issue of “Magazine 22” that suggesting a certain psychological self- one could notice in what concerns Ion 1 Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Bra şov. 96 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov. Series IV • Vol. 4 (53) No.1 - 2011 Caraion a clear case of “Stockholm perception. Arghezi is featured as an syndrome”: “All of this syndrome’s indubitable authority and no reason to symptoms occur: as a consequence of a argue with it can be strong enough. This traumatic event (jail), during which the perspective that Caraion offers is very victim’s life is threatened, the victim is convenient: we owe it to his literature to isolated and has no chance to escape, and forgive the man. Therefore anything that the captor shows at some point signs of Arghezi the man might do, will always be friendship (the episode of recruitment in less relevant than (and excused by) the exchange for his freedom), the victim poet’s activity. shows positive feelings towards the captor In what concerns the relationship and ends up by adopting his vision” between the two, this is also defined by a (Ghi ţeanu, 2007). This is, no doubt about compensatory alternation if one was to it, a possible explanation but it would be consider those times when Arghezi too much to consider it the only acceptable encouraged and supported Caraion in one or even a sufficient one to justify such contrast with those when he contributed to a complex and contradictory evolution as his conviction. But, even though the the one that Ion Caraion is known for. presentation is rendered so that one could Besides the tone used for describing build a balanced representation of Arghezi Arghezi and his attitude in certain by adopting a perspective look upon the moments they have met, the evolution of relationship between him and Caraion, the the relationship between the two poets is strongest arguments that justify some of not, as Caraion presents it, less significant. Arghezi’s options are to be find outside The poet that wrote “Mould flowers” is their relationship, in the poet’s nature of portrayed whit the appreciation that suits a being and in his choice for a certain role model. This is a very important aspect hierarchy of the elements in his life. of the relationship that is established and I will focus further on those aspects that 3. The evolution of the relationship reveal levels of certain role model between Arghezi and Caraion identification. Arghezi’s writings are appreciated as Caraion says that he first read some of being valuable enough as to place one’s Tudor Arghezi’s lyrics in the magazine interest for his rather uneasy nature on a coordinated and aggressively advertised by lower rank of a potential hierarchy. Nicolae Iorga “Clear thought”. The Although his analysis starts by historian would sometimes belabor, underlining the unfair comparison that has through his articles: Eugen Lovinescu, often been made between them, Caraion Lucian Blaga, Ion Barbu and had started a tries to prove that Arghezi is probably the real campaign to argue the literary value of only Romanian poet gifted enough as to sit Tudor Arghezi. Surprised by the unfair next to Mihai Eminescu “(…) Eminescu judgment of Iorga’s appreciations, Ion created our language. Arghezi transformed Caraion, back then only a high school it into a never ending spectacle.” (Caraion, student, will publish, under a fake name, 1998, 108) “in a small obscure province magazine” Although Caraion’s analysis isn’t (Arghezi, XXII), in the spring of 1940 an concerned only with Arghezi’s writings, article where he expressed his regrets his appreciation for this poet’s literature “towards Nicolae Iorga’s lack of seems to always be the element to tip the receptivity for the Arghezi’s poetry” balance towards a specific positive (Arghezi, XXII). Although a year filled M. ALECU: Ion Caraion. Identification with Tudor Arghezi - Solution for Moral Dilemmas 97 with more important events for the Baudelaire’s “Les fleurs du mal”. He asks attention of that who was “a great the young editor to hand him the text, and historian, university teacher, the leader of a with a gesture that shocks everyone around political party” (Arghezi, XVII) Iorga will starts reading it right away, delaying this take the time to find out who was hiding way the moment when he was about to under the fake name that had dared to collect his money. Thrilled by the quality publicly argue with his critical views, and of the translation he had just finished he will see that high school student, Stelian reading he promises to send a text. The Diaconescu (the real name of Ion Caraion) surprises coming from the poet that was will be expelled. This decision will be known for his rather difficult nature didn’t postponed and never executed as in that stop here. Caraion was delighted to find year’s autumn, after the institution of the out that the text Arghezi sent wasn’t Antonescian regime, Nicolae Iorga will be another translation but a critical review of murdered. Baudelaire’s work and, as if that wouldn’t Later on, after graduating from high have been enough, he refuses to accept any school, young Caraion goes to Bucharest payment for his contribution saying that he to look for a job. He is hired as a had only agreed to publish a text in proofreader for the newspaper “Timpul” G. C ălinescu’s magazine as a symbol of and because he persuades the editors that his friendship for Ion Caraion. he is also a very good writer, they will give Caraion’s way of telling the story builds him the chance to write an article. He will up towards a climax of the surprises that then publish “Lina or about the modern his relationship with Tudor Arghezi had fairy-tale” a review of Tudor Arghezi’s offered along the way. This specific way of recently published novel “Lina”. The poet recounting it emphasizes a certain very that was very well appreciated in the social important moment that is, as I will further circles of the time is thrilled by the article argue a turning point for his future written about his novel and will have a development. At a time when magazines, great influence upon Caraion’s further newspapers and publishing houses were career. He will even invite the young man banned to publish any of his writings, that had recently become an editor, to pay Tudor Teodorescu-Brani şte, the chief him a visit at his house at M ărţişor. editor of “The Morning Newspaper” will As an editor for the magazine “The publish, in the 17 th of October (1946) the World”, Caraion is the subordinate of article “The Crysis of Romanian culture” G. Călinescu. As the critic didn’t have and, two months later, “The Man’s enough time to get involved in the editorial Crysis”. Both articles, as Caraion himself work, Caraion is the one responsible with describes them: “forewarned about the handling the magazine. That is why when emergence of proletkultism and its “The World” decides to dedicate an issue ineluctable damages” (Arghezi, LV). It is to Charles Baudelaire, Caraion is the one not one of the objectives of this paper to that has to ask Arghezi if he would be discuss the content of the two articles, but I willing to contribute. They accidentally am interested and I will focus further on met in a rather unusual context: at the pay the angle from which Caraion presents desk where they both went to collect their them in the text mentioned above.

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