Profile of Vasile Alecsandri on Famous Like Me

Vasile Alecsandri, (21 July 1821-22 August 1890) was a Romanian poet born in the north-eastern Moldavian region of Bacău. He is widely credited for first collecting and drawing attention to Romanian popular songs and their inimitable charm, as well as being one of the principal animators of Romanian cultural identity.

Early life

Origins & childhood

He was born in a family of small landowners. His parents, Vasile and Elena Cozoni, daughter of a Greek merchant from Romania, had seven children of which only three survived: one daughter, Catinca, and two sons, Iancu—a future colonel—and Vasile.

The family prospered in the lucrative business of salt and cereal trade. In 1828, they purchased a large estate in MirceÅŸti, a village near the Siret river. The young Vasile spent time studying here with a profoundly devout monk by the name of Gherman Vida, and played with Vasile Porojan, a gipsy boy who became a beloved friend. Both would later appear in his work.

Adolescence & youth

Between 1828-34, he studies at the V. Cuenim pension. He leaves for Paris in 1834, where he dabbles in chemistry, medicine and law but abandons all in favor of what he would later call his "lifelong passion," literature. He pens his first literary essays in 1838 in French, which he has mastered during his stay in Paris to perfection. After a brief return home, he leaves for western Europe again, visiting Italy, Spain and the southern provinces of France. In 1840, he becomes one of the directors of the National Theatre from Iaşi. He produces his first play, "Farmazonul din Hârlau," and then in 1844, his second, the comedy "Iorga de la Sadagura." Both see the stage to mild acclaim.

Romantic interest

A year later, Vasile attends a party celebrating the name day of Costachi Negri, a family friend. He there falls in love with the celebrated's sister, the 21-year old Elena Negri who, not long divorced, responds enthusiastically to the love declarations of the 24 years old young. He begins writing love poems until a sudden bout of illness forces Elena head abroad to Venice. Vasile meets her there, and they share a torrid two months.

They cruise around Europe to Austria, Germany and back to Vasile's former romping grounds, France. Elena's chest illness is aggravated in Paris, and after a brief stint back in Italy, both board a French ship to return to Romania on the 25th of April, 1847. Tragedy strikes on the ship: Elana dies in the arms of her lover. Vasile channels his mourning into literary output, writing "Steluta" (Little star) to commemorate his affair and later dedicates the "Lacrimioare" (Little Tears) cycle to her.

Midlife

Political involvement

In 1848, he becomes one of the leaders of the revolutionary movement based in Iaşi. He pens a widely read poem urging the populace to join the cause, "Cǎtre Români" (To Romanians) later renamed "Desteptarea României" (Romania's Awakaning. He self-exiles to Paris after the revolution fails, where he continues to write poems of political nature.

Literary achievements

He returns after two years to a triumphant staging of his new comedy, "Chiriţa în Iaşi. He tours the Moldavian countryside collecting, reworking and arranging a vast array of Romanian folklore which he publishes in two installments in 1852 and 1853. The poems included in these two enormously popular collections become cornerstones of the emerging Romanian identity, especially the "Mioriţa" ballad but also pieces like "Toma Alimos," "Manastirea Argeş," and "Novac and Corbul." He publishes a volume of his original poetry, "Doine şi Lacramioare," further cementing his reputation.

Broadly revered in Romanian cultural circles, he oversees the establishment of the first literary Romanian magazine, "România Literara." He uses his clout to argue in favor of uniting the two Romanian provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia.

New love interest

The end of 1855 sees Vasile pursuing a new love interest in spite of promises made to Elena Negri on her death bed. Already 35 years old, the now renowned poet and public commentator falls in love with the young Paulina Lucasievici, the daughter of an innkeeper. The romance moves at a lightning pacee: they move in together to the Alecsandri estate in MirceÅŸti and on November 3rd of 1857, their daughter, Maria, is born.

Political fulfilment

Along with the happy developments in his personal life, Alecsandri also finds satisfaction in the advancement of the political causes he long championed. The two Romanian provinces unite and Vasile is comissioned External Affairs Minister. He tours the West, pleading to some of his former acquaintances in Paris to acknowledge the newly formed nation and support its emergence in the turbulent Balkan area.

Late life

Retirement

The whirlwind diplomatic tours tire him. In 1860, he settles down in MirceÅŸti for what would be the rest of his life. He marries Paulina more than a decade and a half later, on 3 October 1876.

Between 1862-75, he pens a cycle of 40 lyrical poems, including among others "Miezul Iernii," "Serile la Mirceţti, "Iarna," "La Gura Sobei," "Oaspetii Primaverii," and "Malul Siretului." He also dabbles in epic poems, collected under the "Legende" volume, and then dedicates a new series of poems to the soldiers who participate in the Romanian War of Independence.

In 1879, his "Despot-Voda" drama receives the Romanian Academy award. He continues to be a prolific writer well into his later years, finishing a magical comedy, "Sânziana si Pepelea," in 1881 and two dramas, "Fântâna Blanduziei" and "Ovidiu" in 1883 and 1885 respectively. Long suffering from cancer, he died in 1890 at the Alecsandri estate of Mirceşti.

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