Alexandru Hrisoverghi

Infobox Writer
name = Alexandru Hrisoverghi
birthdate = birth date|1811|2|27|mf=y
birthplace = Iaşi
deathdate = death date and age|1837|3|9|1811|2|27|mf=y
deathplace = Iaşi
occupation = poet, translator, soldier
nationality = Moldavian
period = 1834–1837
genre = lyric poetry
movement = Romanticism
influences = Lord Byron, Vasile Cârlova, André Chénier, Alexandre Dumas, père

Alexandru Hrisoverghi (February 27, 1811—March 9, 1837) was a Moldavian Romanian-language poet and translator, whose work was influenced by Romanticism. The author of few lyrical works, he was foremost noted for his association with political and intellectual figures such as Mihail Kogălniceanu, Costache Negruzzi, Vasile Cârlova, and Grigore Crupenschi.

Biography

Born in Iaşi, Hrisoverghi was a member of the boyar category: the second of "Vornic" Neculai Hrisoverghi's four sons, he traced his origin to Greek Phanariotes who were present in Moldavia during the rule of Prince Dimitrie Cantemir. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] His mother was Elena Ruset, a member of the Rosetti family. [Faifer] According to his friend and biographer Mihail Kogălniceanu, "Hrisoverghi took absolutely no pride in this vain noble origin; he had sufficient personal merit, without needing any more from his parents". [Kogălniceanu] Neculai Hrisoverghi died in 1818. [Kogălniceanu]

Alexandru Hrisoverghi's childhood and youth coincided with the Greek War of Independence, during which the Filiki Eteria troops of Alexander Ypsilantis occupied Moldavia and Wallachia; the Hrisoverghis took refuge in Imperial Russian-ruled Bessarabia. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] It was in Chişinău that he began his studies, being tutored in Ancient Greek by a teacher named Constantin, before returning to his native city in 1824. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] After attending the Orthodox school in Iaşi, he enrolled in a French-language boarding school headed by a professor Mouton, while being tutored in Ancient Greek literature by a Greek teacher named Franguli. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] According to Kogălniceanu: "His education was superficial; but this was no fault of his, rather that of a lack in educational institutions that was being experienced in Moldavia at the time". [Kogălniceanu]

As a consequence of the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829, Moldavia and Wallachia were occupied by Russia, and, soon after, became subject to the "Regulamentul Organic" regime. This notably provided for the creation of a Moldavian Militia force, which young people of the principality joined in large numbers after 1830. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] Hrisoverghi was one of them, but withdrew in 1832, after just two years of service—dissatisfied with military life, he was also the sole provider for his family after two of his brothers had died. [Kogălniceanu] At the time, he became an avid reader of André Chénier and other French Romantics, while leading a Bohemian lifestyle and becoming noted for his affairs with women. [Kogălniceanu] Reportedly, he was a handsome person, and the object of compliments from women in high society. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu]

By that time, Hrisoverghi was showing the symptoms of an unknown disease, [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] which first manifested itself as renal colics. [Kogălniceanu] As doctors recommended exercise and fresh air, he left for the Ottoman Empire, visiting Rumelia on his way to Edirne. [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] In Kogălniceanu's view: "The patriarchal life of the Bulgarians, their customs so unlike those of any other, more civilized and thus more commonplace, nations, the magnificent view of the Balkans still full of souvenirs from the Russian victories [in the war of 1828-1829] , all that primitive nature left vivid imprints in his memory and awoke within him the poetic genius". [Kogălniceanu]

Returning to Moldavia in 1834, Alexandru Hrisoverghi published his debut work, "Ruinelor Cetăţii Neamţu" or "Oda ruinelor Cetăţii Neamţu", an ode which had been prompted by news that the inhabitants of Târgu Neamţ were planning to raze the nearby medieval complex and use it as a source of building material ("see Neamţ Fortress"). [Faifer; Kogălniceanu] Its final stanza began with the words:

Besides his translation of Dumas' novel, Alexandru Hrisoverghi is noted for those of poems by Chénier (to which he notably added his own verses), Friedrich Schiller (probably, through a French-language translation), Alphonse de Lamartine, and Victor Hugo. [Faifer] He is the main character in a 1943 novel by Theodor Răşcanu ("Fermecătorul Hrisoverghi"). [Faifer]

Notes

References

* Vasile Alecsandri, [http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Constantin_Negruzzi_%28Alecsandri%29 "Constantin Negruzzi"] (wikisource)
* George Călinescu, "Istoria literaturii române. Compendiu", Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1983
* Florin Faifer, [http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FAIFERoct.html "Trubadurul"] , in "Convorbiri Literare" (retrieved June 11, 2007)
* Mihail Kogălniceanu, [http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Via%C5%A3a_lui_A._Hrisoverghi "Viaţa lui A. Hrisoverghi"] (wikisource)
* Paul Zarifopol, [http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Poezia_rom%C3%A2neasc%C4%83_%C3%AEn_epoca_lui_Asachi_%C5%9Fi_Eliade "Poezia românească în epoca lui Asachi şi Eliade"] (wikisource)