Panait Cerna

Infobox Writer
name = Panayot Stanchov
Panait Stanciov

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imagesize = 200px
caption = Photograph of Cerna
pseudonym = Panait Cerna
birthdate = August or September 1881
birthplace = Cerna
deathdate = death date and age|1913|3|26|1881|8|26
deathplace = Leipzig
occupation = poet, philosopher, literary critic, translator, journalist
nationality = Romanian
period = 1897–1913
genre = lyric poetry, epic poetry, essay
subject =
movement = Classicism, Neoclassicism, Symbolism, "Junimea", "Sămănătorul"
debut_works =
influences = Louise-Victorine Ackermann, Lord Byron, Dante Aligheri, Mihail Dragomirescu, Mihai Eminescu, Jean-Marie Guyau, Nikolaus Lenau, Giacomo Leopardi, Titu Maiorescu, Simion Mehedinţi, Sully Prudhomme, Friedrich Schiller, Hans Volkelt
influenced = Demostene Botez, Ion Sân-Giorgiu, Alexandru Toma


website =
footnotes =

Panait Cerna (Bulgarian: Панайот Черна, "Panayot Cherna", born Panayot Stanchov or Panait Staciov; August 26 or September 25, 1881 [Călinescu, p.651. The second date is reported to have been once communicated by Cerna himself] –March 26, 1913) was a Romanian poet, philosopher, literary critic and translator. A native speaker of Bulgarian, Cerna nonetheless wrote in Romanian, and developed a traditionalist style which was connected with Classicism and Neoclassicism. Praised by the conservative literary society "Junimea", he was promoted by its leader Titu Maiorescu, as well as by Maiorescu's disciples Mihail Dragomirescu and Simion Mehedinţi. Cerna became the group's main representative during its decline, affiliating with both competing "Junimist" magazines, "Convorbiri Literare" and "Convorbiri Critice". He also contributed pieces to the traditionalist magazine "Sămănătorul", and was briefly affiliated with other literary journals.

A graduate of the University of Bucharest, Cerna completed his studies in the German Empire. There, he attended the University of Berlin and the University of Leipzig, befriending the self-exiled Romanian dramatist Ion Luca Caragiale and the literary critic Paul Zarifopol. Cerna died in Leipzig at the age of thirty-one, after a long combat with tuberculosis.

Alongside various love poems, Panait Cerna's work comprises works which evidence his intellectual pursuits. This characteristic earned him a dedicated following, but was criticized by many of his peers, who found it artificial and outdated.

Name

Cerna's early name, rendered in Bulgarian as Панайот Станчов, was commonly transliterated into Romanian as "Panait Stanciov", "Stancov", "Stanciof" or "Stancioff". The poet's preferred name alluded to Cerna, his birthplace in Tulcea County, Northern Dobruja. [Călinescu, p.651]

Biography

Early life

Panait Cerna's father was an ethnic Bulgarian schoolteacher, also named Panayot Stachov (Panait Stanciov). [Călinescu, p.651] He had settled in Cerna, marrying Maria Taşcu; the daughter of local peasants [Călinescu, p.651] she was of Aromanianro icon Mirela Stîngă, [http://www.ziuact.ro/display.php?data=2008-04-08&id=230202 "Panait Cerna, poetul meleagurilor dobrogene"] , in "Ziua de Constanţa", April 8, 2008] or of Bulgarina origin [Карчев, Петър. „През прозореца на едно полустолетие (1900-1950)“, София, 2004, стр. 449-450.] . Shortly before Maria gave birth to their son, Romanian administration began taking over in previously Ottoman-ruled Northern Dobruja. Stanchov, who was a Bulgarian nationalist, refused to accept this change and left for the Principality of Bulgaria, leaving his family behind. [Călinescu, p.651] In Cerna's own account, his childhood and youth were marked by acute poverty and social isolation: " [I was] told to tutor and learn in cold, unfriendly rooms. For a long time, we lived in a house on the outskirts, which was avoided by other men, since a rumor had spread that ghosts hunted its rooms. Can you imagine living in the middle of winter, without a fire on, with doors that barely close, with windows that are glued with paper? A person made of iron would still feel cold down to the bone."

Panait Cerna never met his father. [Călinescu, p.651] Although his links to Bulgarian culture were weakened by the latter's departure, the future poet, who was baptized in the Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church, became fluent in Bulgarian. [Călinescu, p.651] According to literary critic George Călinescu, he always had some difficulties conversing in Romanian, but could write it with ease. [Călinescu, p.651, 652]

After completing primary school in his native village, he graduated from a high school in the Danube port of Brăila, then enrolled at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy in Bucharest. [Călinescu, p.651] He was also attending lectures at the Faculty of Chemistry and Physics. Cerna debuted as a poet in 1897, at the age of sixteen, when his "Trecutul" ("The Past"), an adaptation of a piece by Nikolaus Lenau, was published in George Coşbuc's "Foaia Interesantă" magazine.it icon [http://www.unifi.it/letrum/CMpro-v-p-1001.html "Panait Cerna"] , biographical note in [http://www.unifi.it/letrum/ "Cronologia della letteratura rumena moderna (1780-1914)" database] , at the University of Florence's Department of Neo-Latin Languages and Literatures; retrieved April 18, 2008] His first original poem, "Orientale" ("Orientals"), saw print two years later in the magazine "Carmen".

"Junimea" years

Soon after reaching the capital, he became involved in political debates and the literary environment: these early activities are recorded in a 1904 series of articles in the student paper "Tipuri şi Ticuri", where a "P. Stanciov" is the object of satire. [Călinescu, p.651] By that time, he was discovered by "Junimea", and began collaborating with "Convorbiri Literare", a magazine led by Simion Mehedinţi. [Ornea, p.78; Vianu, Vol.II, p.11]

Despite ongoing financial difficulties, Cerna graduated from university in 1906. [Călinescu, p.651] His thesis was passed with a "Magna cum laude" qualifier. He was by then seriously ill with tuberculosis, and sought a change in climate. [Călinescu, p.652] Cerna spent much of this period traveling through the Old Kingdom, and several times visited regions of the Southern Carpathians, in particular the area of Rucăr, the Bucegi Mountains, and the Jiu Valley. [Călinescu, p.652] As Călinescu notes, he had bought himself a horse from a Rucăr local, on credit and without delivering the sum promised on time. [Călinescu, p.652]

His love for the rural world, together with what Călinescu describes as a "social preoccupation", made him an outspoken opponent of the way in which the authorities handled the peasant uprising of 1907. [Călinescu, p.652] That year, as Mihail Dragomirescu parted with Mehedinţi to establish "Convorbiri Critice", which advertised a "Junimist" agenda while standing against "Convorbiri Literare", Cerna became one of his main collaborators. [Ornea, p.136-137] The group of "Convorbiri Critice" writers also included D. Nanu, Corneliu Moldovanu, Emil Gârleanu, Ion Dragoslav and Gheorghe Vâlsan. [Ornea, p.137] After 1903, Cerna also affiliated with "Sămănătorul", [Lovinescu, p.10] and his poems were sporadically published by other mainstream publications (including "Floare Albastră" and "Revista Modernă").

In 1908, he decided to continue his studies in the German Empire. [Călinescu, p.602, 651] The decision was influenced and encouraged by "Junimea" and its leader Titu Maiorescu, [Călinescu, p.602; Vianu, Vol.II, p.13] who, as Minister of Education granted him a scholarship. Călinescu describes this as a sign of late "Junimist" elitism, a view which implied that all literary men should be academics. [Călinescu, p.602] This, he argues, was one of the few areas in which "Junimea" still differed from "Sămănătorul", which was more open to less elitist environments. [Călinescu, p.602]

Cerna visited the University of Heidelberg, but, following the advice of Maiorescu, decided in favor of the University of Berlin, where he studied Philosophy, English and German language literature (1908-1910). [Călinescu, p.651] Around 1909, he first came into contact with the Caragiales, and, according to the dramatist's own testimony, tutored his son, the future poet Luca Caragiale, providing his "scientific education". [Călinescu, p.651] Ion Luca Caragiale described Cerna as "a distinguished scientist and a great lover of music". [Călinescu, p.651] The two writers met a second time in Leipzig, in 1910, when Cerna declared himself captivated by Caragiale, whom he described as "one of the richest intelligent minds to have ever been produced by our nation." [Călinescu, p.651] Two years later, Cerna enthusiastically welcomed the literary debut of Caragiale's other son, Mateiu. [Călinescu, p.898] He was also acquainted with Zarifopol, with whom he discussed literary issues.

tudies abroad and death

From late 1910 to early 1912, Cerna was at the University of Leipzig, where he attended courses held by the philosophers and psychologists Wilhelm Wundt, Eduard Spranger and Hans Volkelt. [Călinescu, p.651, 652] Wundt left an enduring impression on his Romanian student. In a letter home, Cerna described his modest appearance, which he claimed recalled that of "decrepit" Orthodox members of the Romanian Jewish community, adding: "But I do love this decrepit exterior beyond measure..." [Călinescu, p.652] Volkelt guided his research in the scientific field, and coordinated his PhD thesis of 1913, "Die Gedankenlyrik" (German for "Contemplative Poetry"). [Călinescu, p.651] According to Călinescu, Cerna's work stated the primacy of "natural ideas" over reasoning, and concluded that "ideas have the purpose of signaling the problematic tensions of the soul." [Călinescu, p.651] Zarifopol wrote that Cerna was upset over having himself parted with writing poetry, and came to be preoccupied by Maiorescu's German-language dictum: "In der Poesie ist der Gedanke ein verfluchtes Ding" ("An idea is a damned thing when it comes to poetry").ro icon Paul Zarifopol, [http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Arti%C5%9Fti_%C5%9Fi_idei_literare_rom%C3%A2ne:Poezie_filozofic%C4%83 "Artişti şi idei literare române: Poezie filozofică"] (wikisource)] Panait Cerna's first volume of collected poetry was published at home in 1910, and, two years later, resulted in the author being made a co-recipient of the Romanian Academy's Vasile Adamachi Award.

Panait Cerna died in Leipzig, shortly after receiving his diploma. [Călinescu, p.652] Zarifopol was present when Cerna succumbed, and recorded that Maiorescu's views on poetry where preoccupied his friend even on his his deathbed. The poet was buried in the German city, and later exhumed for burial in Bucharest's Bellu Cemetery.

Literary contribution

Cerna was a traditionalist poet, listed by Călinescu among the contributors to Romanian literature whose work "steers toward Classicism", as do those of Dragomirescu, Mehedinţi, Henri Sanielevici, D. Nanu, Ion Trivale, Cincinat Pavelescu, Corneliu Moldovanu, Mihail Codreanu, Alexandru Davila and George Murnu. [Călinescu, p.641-660] In this account, Cerna is one in a group of "conceptual" poets, all of whom were connected with Dragomirescu. [Călinescu, p.652, 657] For part of his life, Cerna was also formally affiliated with the Symbolist movement, whose aesthetic ideals he merged with his lyrical style, and sought to recover part of the Romantic legacy. He was thus known as the translator of works by Romantic poets, as well as for adopting a Messianic and Humanist perspective on life (notably present in his poems "Floare şi genune", "Flower and Chasm"; "Zile de durere", "Days of Sorrow"; and "Plânsetul lui Adam", "Adam's Sobbing"). [Lovinescu, p.84]

Literary historian Tudor Vianu notes the influence exercised on Cerna and other traditionalists by Mihai Eminescu, Romania's major mid-19th century Classicist and "Junimist" poet. [Vianu, Vol.II, p.213; Vol.III, p.322] modernist theorist Eugen Lovinescu also believes that the "matter in which [Cerna] worked" was largely "dominated by Eminescu." [Lovinescu, p.84] He also cautions that there is a major difference between the two: Cerna is an optimist, while Eminescu most often projected a pessimistic attitude. [Lovinescu, p.85] According to Zarifopol, the poet considered himself an "improved follower" of Eminescu.ro icon Paul Zarifopol, [http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Arti%C5%9Fti_%C5%9Fi_idei_literare_rom%C3%A2ne:Geniul_neprih%C4%83nit "Artişti şi idei literare române: Geniul neprihănit"] (wikisource)] Cerna was also a late admirer of Lord Byron, a main figure of English Romanticism, and translated from his "Childe Harold".Émile Turdeanu, "Études de littérature roumaine et d'écrits slaves et grecs des principautés roumaines", Brill Publishers, Leiden, New York & Köln, 1985, p.397. ISBN 9004070982] One of Cerna's poems was an epic piece inspired by the Book of Genesis, where Adam confronts God. Titled "Plânsetul lui Adam", it builds on themes which recalled Byron's 1821 play "Cain", and constituted an interrogation of divine laws.

In "Plânsetul lui Adam" and various other pieces, Panait Cerna sought to reconcile poetry and philosophy, thus creating a hybrid form of conceptual poetry. Eugen Lovinescu proposed that, although praised by Cerna's contemporaries, this goal was "mediocre", and that the literature it produced "does not express and does not suggest profound spiritual states, but, on the contrary, it expresses by means of rhetorical dialectic not only that which can be expressed, but also that which can be proven." [Lovinescu, p.84] Paul Zarifopol, who notes that Cerna particularly treasured the Classicist poets Friedrich Schiller, Louise-Victorine Ackermann and Jean-Marie Guyau, as well as the Parnassian Sully Prudhomme, recounted their disagreement when it came to Caragiale, whom Cerna enjoyed only for his power of "observation", but whom he argued lacked "concepts". For Zarifopol, this statement, made with "a fanatical and dogmatic pathos", evidenced a moment of "academic foolishness" in Cerna's career.

Călinescu, who criticizes the poet for his difficulties with the language, describes him as "not accomplished". [Călinescu, p.652] Elaborating on this, he states: " [Cerna is] declamatory, banal and dry in his use of metaphors, although he displays a touch of the sublime here and there." [Călinescu, p.652] Lovinescu thought many of the expressions Cerna used in his poetry to be "unacceptable", and argued that they were characterized by banality. [Călinescu, p.805-806; Lovinescu, p.84-85] This assessment was itself contested by Călinescu, who argued that the lyrics in questions are "actually the acceptable ones", and that the awkward wordings "are entirely lost in lyrical fluency." [Călinescu, p.805-806] Among the writings forming the subject of this disagreement was Cerna's "Din depărtare" ("From Far Away"), which Lovinescu believed was marked by the use of repetitive and banal poetic

Cerna's protest over the violent repression of the 1907 revolt was lyricized in several contexts. In one such indignant piece, Cerna called on Peace not to arrive until the social issue would be solved. [Călinescu, p.652] In "Zile de durere", he appeals to the Sun to wash out the blood of peasant victims:

Legacy

Panait Cerna's lifetime success and literary fame made him the target of adulation among his fellow traditionalists, a camp which united various "Junimea" affiliates and "Sămănătorul" contributors. According to Călinescu, this group saw him as Romania's answer to Schiller and Percy Bysshe Shelley. [Călinescu, p.652] "Junimea" saw in him one of its most important members of the early 20th century, while several historians note that he was so only because, at that stage, the literary society was declining. [Ornea, p.78; Vianu, Vol.II, p.11] Mehedinţi's 1914 account of the "Junimist" promotion of the "original manifestations of Romanian culture" listed Cerna alongside Alexandru G. Florescu and other minor writers. [Ornea, p.78] Literary historian Z. Ornea argues that this evidenced not just a decline in standards, but also Mehedinţi's "tastelessness". [Ornea, p.78] Also according to Ornea, the association with Dragomirescu was also characteristic for the "Junimist" twilight, given that this circle had failed to impose "a new literary direction", and was tributary to the legacy of various traditionalist groups. [Ornea, p.137] At the same time, both Dragomirescu and his disciple Ion Trivale upheld him as a model to follow, equating him with the mid-19th century Classicist Grigore Alexandrescu. [Lovinescu, p.31-32, 84] Zarifopol deplores Cerna's submission to traditionalist and Classicist goals, arguing that it eventually ruined Cerna as a poet and made him unhappy.

The poet's adoption of a mainstream approach to poetry also pleased his public, and, Călinescu notes, schoolbooks of the day celebrated him as a Romanian classic while completely ignoring more controversial Symbolists such as Macedonski and Dimitrie Anghel. [Călinescu, p.652] His contributions have helped shaped the style of 20th century poets with traditionalist tendencies from different schools. Among them are the socialist Alexandru Toma, [Lovinescu, p.87] later known as an official poet of Communist Romania, and "Sămănătorul" 's Ion Sân-Giorgiu, [Lovinescu, p.67] whose career later took him through an Expressionist stage and eventually to fascist politics. Demostene Botez, another author to have been influenced by Cerna's style, dedicated his mentor a poem which read:

In his essay "Din registrul ideilor gingaşe" ("From the Register of Gentle Ideas"), where he satirizes the Romanian public's reception of literature, Zarifopol looks into the problems faced by Cerna in satisfying his readers. Using one of Cerna's own accounts as the basis for this analysis, he notes that a group of his young "female admirers" where unpleasantly surprised to find out out that their idol was "short, pudgy, wide-necked and ruddy-faced."ro icon Paul Zarifopol, [http://ro.wikisource.org/wiki/Din_registrul_ideilor_ginga%C5%9Fe:Ne%C3%AEn%C5%A3elegeri_inocente_%C3%AEntre_public_%C5%9Fi_arti%C5%9Fti "Din registrul ideilor gingaşe: Neînţelegeri inocente între public şi artişti"] (wikisource)] He writes: "the girls [...] were thus in full agreement with the philosophical tradition which, since the old days, has set as a supreme ideal a mosaic of perfections that is naive and unlikely."

Like Lovinescu, other advocates of modernist literature rejected most of Cerna's contributions. One of the first to have done so is Ovid Densusianu, who stated his belief that an artist's work should be separated from his life. Lovinescu, who commented on Densusianu and his thoughts on Cerna, opined that Densusianu had a tendency to reject all poets who registered popular success, and that he treated Dimitrie Anghel's work in much the same way. [Lovinescu, p.36]

The poet's house in Cerna is presently a museum, dedicated in part to his memory, and also housing a permanent exhibit dedicated to the traditional arts and crafts of Tulcea County.ro icon [http://icem.romclub.ro/cerna.php "Casa memorială Panait Cerna"] , at the [http://icem.romclub.ro/ Tulcea Institute for Environmental Studies and Museology] ; retrieved April 17, 2008] It also features a bust of the poet. The county library in Tulcea city is named after him, [ [http://www.cjtulcea.ro/en/inst_subord/biblioteca.html "Panait Cerna" County Library"] , official site; retrieved April 17, 2008] as are a high school in Brăila [ [http://harta.bdne.edu.ro/harta/unitate.html?idUnitateInvatamant=10013821&limba=en The Panait Cerna High School] , [http://rural.edu.ro/harta/?limba=en "School Map"] entry; hosted by the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research and Youth; retrieved April 17, 2008] and streets in Bucharest, Brăila, Bistriţa, Hunedoara, Lugoj and Petroşani. The local authorities in Tulcea County organize an annual Panait Cerna National Poetry and Essay Contest.

Notes

References

*George Călinescu, "Istoria literaturii române de la origini până în prezent", Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1986
*Eugen Lovinescu, "Istoria literaturii române contemporane", Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1989. ISBN 973-21-0159-8
*Z. Ornea, "Junimea şi junimismul", Vol. II, Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1998. ISBN 973-21-0562-3
*Tudor Vianu, "Scriitori români", Vols. II-III, Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1970. OCLC|7431692

External links