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 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. “Clear thought”. The Although his analysis starts by historian would sometimes belabor, underlining the unfair comparison that has through his articles: , 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 “(…) 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 ” 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 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 , 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. There monthly pay. They start discussing about are a lot those who will write against the the Baudelaire issue in “The World”, and article “The Crysis of Romanian Culture”, Arghezi is surprised to find out that among them: , Caraion translated the foreword for , Cezar Petrescu. It must be 98 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov. Series IV • Vol. 4 (53) No.1 - 2011 underlined that despite the repercussions “Arghezi had – a conflictual nature – two that he might have had to face, Arghezi is consciences (…) with one or the other he one of the few of Caraion’s supporters. He used to look for peace in heavens or in will publish in “The Truth” (the 15 th of hells (…)” (Arghezi, LXV - LXVI). The December 1946) the article “Culture lack poet is described as forever instable, Crysis”. Caraion is thrilled to find out that continuously searching and hesitating Arghezi still supports him despite the between evanescent solutions. This lack of difficult and risky context in which texts stability of his decisions and options makes that contradicted the directions dictated by it impossible for him to completely assume the state were published back then. His joy his writing: “But does Arghezi really won’t last. A few weeks later, Arghezi believe in poetry? Not a fair asked writes an article through which he assumes question. Does Arghezi believe that poetry a totally different position than in the holds a truth for him, or even the truth of former. His act of dissociation and radical fulfillment, steadiness and fullness? We turn can be even more perceived as an act must say no. But we must, just as well, say yes. Of course he does. Of course he of treason if we were to recall how Caraion doesn’t. Just like the smoke, evanescence presented his gesture of defending a and deceit, poetry tortures him, without valuable writer, against an important leader bringing him neither salvation, nor healing of the state (Nicolae Iorga), when he was (…) So poetry is a lie, leading memories only a young highschool student on the into his archaeologies, a lost paradise. A merge of being expelled and of forever simple newspaper article, even more a lie. compromising his career. Also Arghezi’s What to reproach? To whom? After all he gesture is even more surprising for Caraion was Arghezi and I was nobody. No matter as it occurs on the background of a how much the ugly surprise had bitten out friendship that was build and encouraged of my chimaeras what sense would have by the one that had now betrayed him. had the pout I was suffering off? None.” Caraion’s attempts to confront Arghezi (Arghezi, LXVIII) about his contradictory attitude, failed. Although he will not focus on this Arghezi concedes to answer him only Caraion won’t forget to show that Arghezi indirectly through articles where he will became a consequence of his own continues to belabor him; among others acts, he had refused to defend the freedom suggesting that he tried to assume ideas of culture and his own freedom will that had first belonged to him, to Arghezi. therefore be limited: one of his volumes will be banned from publishing (“101 4. Identification with Arghezi - self poems”) and from then on, his literature justification of moral compromises will be despised and minimized. He continues by arguing that the At first shocked by Arghezi’s radical contradictory nature of Arghezi’s “variable turn of perspective, Caraion will, further humours” wasn’t only specific to poetry. No on, focus on rebalancing the poet’s image doubt about it Arghezi’s personality had with arguments that are to be found in a similar consequences both in what he was certain inherent psychological structure of writing as in his real life interactions. During his, indubitable, as it is involuntary, and another visit at M ărţişor Caraion witnesses uncontrollable, or even more indubitable, Arghezi vituperating against different public as it is a sine qua non condition of his (and literary) personalities of the time creative dimension. “Slaughtering without hesitation, he was probably making up things, at least to a M. ALECU: Ion Caraion. Identification with Tudor Arghezi - Solution for Moral Dilemmas 99 certain extent. But he wasn’t spearing third and last of Caraion’s diaries) Caraion anyone, no matter what relationship he had concentrates one of the ideas that is had yesterday, the day before or some other recurrently restated in almost all of his time with one or the other (…) But it wasn’t critical and autobiographical writings the real reality the one to count, but his “Under the pressure of my life’s years that reality, the reality of his fiction. He was had been stolen, of the manuscripts several ebullient and he moved vivacious from one times confiscated or destroyed, with the victim to another.” (Arghezi, LXXXI). Also heart-rending complex of not having enough he recalls “And he wasn’t ever completely, time to write and say what I had to say; forever and for sure on someone’s side for obsessed by the idea that my message was too long, not even on his own side without once again threatened to be repressed, for 15 his instabilities, some natural, others played, years I had no other solution, I will work provoked (…) made up in order to give him like crazy: 14 to 16 hours a day, to leave a satisfaction and balance, but by accepting work.” (Caraion, 1998, XIII) “(…) risking with resignation the idea that his laying at my own life for the life of the work of art pause, his swinging, his always running after not to be girded or dispossessed of its the illusion of something else were defined attributes, for it not to have the right to within his own limits (…)” (Arghezi, CXII) accept neither gag nor handcuffs” (Caraion, Arguing that Arghezi’s attitude was a 1998, X). Although this time explained consequence of the specific way he was mostly by the context in which he writes this built gives Caraion the chance to indirectly urge to devote himself to literature is one use this explanation for self justification. No that preceded his detentions. Often Caraion doubt about it his two personas (Ion Caraion presents the time before his detentions as - publicly assumed identity of the poet and one devoted to literature. He was concerned literary critic and Nicolae Anatol or Artur, with writing literature or about literature, Caraion’s other identity, this time a and the time that wasn’t invested in his contributor for the Romanian Security publishing activity was used for reading or Service during the communist regime) were translating. One cannot oversee the able to simultaneously exist also as a resemblance between the way he presents consequence of his referring to a role model himself as mainly concerned with literature having the authority that Arghezi had for and the way he presents Arghezi “Arghezi’s Caraion, reference that set the ground for the life was an exercise for art, an unproblematic division of his ego into two overwhelming effort to exist only for the different instances and the refusal to try to delight of words. His work wasn’t only nor explain the problematic relationship the exploiting of some minor handiness but instituted between this two instances. the combined result of putting together a Another level of the identification with great talent and an infinite and difficult his role model concerns his interaction labour.” (Caraion, 1998, 125) with literature, the importance that literary The resemblance doesn’t stop here. creation had in the hierarchy of his Recalling the experience of the years he concerns. As for Arghezi, for Caraion too was detained, Caraion describes how he poetry is central. All other concerns and was forced to write without hands, without aspects of life are secondary. paper or pencil “in my head, although there In the essay “A Drop of wasn’t enough silence in there either” Blood” published in his “Diary II” and (Caraion, 1998, 117) That is why, he republished in fragments and then in a claims, many of his poems were worked up special form (that will be discussed in a in his mind not in the proper conditions of future article) in “The Last Bolgia” (the a space specially designed for writing. 100 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov. Series IV • Vol. 4 (53) No.1 - 2011

That is why, Caraion says, he can better present real scenes of the poet’s biography, understand Arghezi who “speaks or spoke underlining the way in which their as he writes” (Caraion, 1998, 115), consequences acted in the evolution of the meaning that he was continuously working options he made and of the self justifications out, he continued to search for poetic he might have worked up for himself. formulas even then when he had to be part in a conversation “while discussing the Acknowledgement poet continued to create and sometimes he succeeded admirable” (Caraion, 1998, 115) This paper is supported by the Sectoral “he continued to work while answering to Operational Programme Human Resources you or speaking to you, he was a creator of Development (SOP HRD), ID76945 distributed attention.” (Caraion, 1998, 118) financed from the European Social Fund and by the Romanian Government. 5. Conclusions References Although still just one of the circumstances that contributed to the 1. Arghezi, Tudor: Versuri (Verses ), forming of a certain psychological profile Bucure şti: Cartea Româneasc ă, 1980. of Caraion’s, his meeting with Arghezi is a 2. Caraion, Ion: Jurnal I. Literatur ă şi very relevant one. The situations he is contraliteratur ă (Diary I ), Bucure şti: forced to reflect on give him the Cartea Româneasc ă, 1980. opportunity of an exercise to try to Jurnal II. Literatur ă şi integrate contradictory attitudes into an 3. Caraion, Ion : entity that rests coherent only through the contraliteratur ă (Diary II ), Bucure şti: refusal to simultaneously consider this Albatros, 1998. different instances and through the refusal 4. Caraion, Ion: Ultima bolgie. Jurnal III to indict this division. Through his speech (The Last Bolgia. Diary III ), Bucure şti: Caraion builds it up to be deeply related to Nemira, 1998. a search specific to the act of creation. The 5. Cornea, Delia, Roxana and Dumitru justification is also build on the argument Dobre: Cazul Artur şi exilul românesc. of literature’s rank in the hierarchy of the Ion Caraion în documentele din arhiva poet’s concerns. The idea will be CNSAS (The “Artur” Case and the continued with another one that is Romanian Exile. Ion Caraion in continuously emphasized in Caraion’s Documents of the CNSAS Archive ), critical and autobiographical writings that, Bucure şti: ProHistoria, 2006. in what concerns a writer, literature must 6. Ghi ţeanu, Serenela: Oglinda unui come first and literature will always place delator (The Mirror of an Informer), In the interest for his life’s events on a Revista 22 , Aprilie, 2007. secondary level, both for himself as for 7. Manolescu, Nicolae: Istoria critic ă a those interested in analyzing it. literaturii române (The Critical The comparison that ends with History of ), underlining the resemblance between the Pite şti: Paralela 45, 2007. two is not one build up out of reasons for 8. Manu, Emil : Ion Caraion , Bucure şti: demonstration but one that encompasses Universal Dalsi, 1999. some of Caraion’s observations that clearly 9. http://medical- present aspects in which the poet compares dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/ and identifies himself with Tudor Arghezi. Stockholm+syndrome (consulted 25 th Therefore the purpose of this paper was not of March 2011). that to build up possible theories but to