Izabela Sadoveanu
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Izabela Sadoveanu-Evan (, last name also Sadoveanu-Andrei, first name also Isabella or Izabella; born Izabela Morțun, pen names I.Z.S.D. and Iz. Sd.;"Virginia Woolf în cultura română - bibliografie"
, in the
National Library of Romania The National Library of Romania ( ro, Biblioteca Națională a României) is the national library of Romania. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in Romania. The construction cost was €110 million. History The roots of ...
''Revista Bibliotecii Naționale'', Nr. 2/2003, p.36-37
February 24, 1870 – August 6, 1941) was a
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
n literary critic, educationist, opinion journalist, poet and
feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
militant. She spent her youth advocating
socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
, and rallied with
left-wing politics Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political%20ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically in ...
for the remainder of her life, primarily as a representative of
Poporanist Poporanism is a Romanian version of nationalism and populism. The word is derived from ''popor'', meaning "people" in Romanian. Founded by Constantin Stere in the early 1890s, Poporanism is distinguished by its opposition to socialism, promotion ...
circles and personal friend of culture critic Garabet Ibrăileanu. Under Ibrăileanu's guidance, Sadoveanu wrote for ''
Viața Românească ''Viața Românească'' (, "The Romanian Life") is a monthly literary magazine published in Romania. Formerly the platform of the left-wing traditionalist trend known as poporanism, it is now one of the Writers' Union of Romania's main venues. Th ...
'' review, where she tried to reconcile ethnic nationalism and traditionalism with aestheticism. As literary critic, she championed the recognition of
Symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: Arts * Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism ** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries ** Russian sy ...
as an independent cultural phenomenon, and reviewed modern developments in
English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
. Sadoveanu represented Romanian feminism at International Alliance of Women congresses, but took a gradualist approach to
women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
, and, during the
interwar In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the First World War to the beginning of the Second World War. The interwar period was relativel ...
, became interested in creating links between feminism and
eugenics Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...
. With her activities as schoolteacher and militant, she supported
education reform Education reform is the name given to the goal of changing public education. The meaning and education methods have changed through debates over what content or experiences result in an educated individual or an educated society. Historically, t ...
, and qualified to propagate the
Montessori method The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...
. Late in life, she added feminist
anti-fascism Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
to her list of political and social involvements. The cousin of socialist politico
Vasile Morțun Vasile G. Morțun (November 30, 1860 – July 20, 1919) was a Romanian politician, playwright and prose writer. Biography Origins, journalism and political beginnings Born in Roman, he came from a wealthy Moldavian '' boyar'' family, and was o ...
, Izabela was the sister-in-law of novelist and political figure Mihail Sadoveanu. She was also related to various families of importance in Romanian political history.


Biography


Early life

Izabela Morțun hailed from the
historical region Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a cultural, ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that ...
of
Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...
: her place of birth is given as Săucești,
Bacău County Bacău County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in Western Moldavia, with its capital city at Bacău. It has one commune, Ghimeș-Făget, in Transylvania. Geography This county has a total area of . In the western part of the county the ...
, Alexandra Andrei
"Omul și arta. Izabela Sadoveanu"
in ''Timpul de Gorj'', Nr. 8 (416)/2008
but she may also have been born in
Hertsa region The Hertsa region, also known as the Hertza region ( uk, Край Герца, Kraj Herca; ro, Ținutul Herța), is a region around the town of Hertsa within Chernivtsi Raion in the southern part of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine, ne ...
.Călinescu, p.667 Her parents were Gheorghe Grigore and Eleonora Morțun, uncle and aunt of the socialist Vasile Morțun. By virtue of birth, Izabela was related to several leading Moldavian intellectual and
boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Russian nobility, Russia, Boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia, Wallachia and ...
families: her own branch, the Morțunești, was intermarried with the Racovițești, the
Movilești The House of Movileşti, also Movilă or Moghilă ( pl, Mohyła, Cyrillic: Могила), was a family of boyars in the principality of Moldavia, which became related through marriage with the Muşatin family – the traditional House of Moldavi ...
and even the ancient House of Bogdan-Mușat. Also among her relatives was the Arbore family, whose members include socialists
Zamfir Zamfir is both a Romanian given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: Surname * Cristina Zamfir (born 1989), Romanian handballer * Gheorghe Zamfir (born 1941), Romanian pan-flute musician * Mircea Zamfir (born 1985), Romanian gy ...
and Ecaterina Arbore. Izabela was adopted, soon after birth, by the Andrei family, and is reported to have been an unhappy and unwanted child. She had a half-sister, Adela, whom she later described as one of the beauties of Moldavia. Anais Nersesïan
"Eternul feminin în amintirile din copilărie și adolescență ale lui Garabet Ibrăileanu"
in ''Supliment Cultural Ararat'', June 2006, p.III
The future author attended primary school in
Bacău Bacău ( , , ; hu, Bákó; la, Bacovia) is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. At the 2016 national estimation it had a population of 196,883, making it the 12th largest city in Romania. The city is situated in the historical region of ...
city, before being sent over to a girls' institute and
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
in
Iași Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...
. While enrolled in this
French-language French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
institution, also known as ''Dodun des Perrières'' School, Izabela Andrei met and befriended
Constanța Marino-Moscu Constanța Marino-Moscu (17 April 1875–20 September 1940) was a Romanian short story writer. Born in Agapia, Neamț County, her father was the farmer Panait Marino and his wife Ana (''née'' Popovici). After attending primary school in Paș ...
, who also grew up to become a writer. Bianca Burța-Cernat
" 'Cazul' ''Mariana Vidrașcu''"
, in '' Revista 22'', Nr. 1067, August 2010
It was during those years that Izabela was first drawn into socialist militancy, attending the
left-wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
cultural circle of
Ioan Ioan is a variation on the name John found in Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Welsh (), and Sardinian. It is usually masculine. The female equivalent in Romanian and Bulgarian is Ioana. In Russia, the name Ioann is usually reserved for the clergy ...
and
Sofia Nădejde Sofia Nădejde (born Sofia Băncilă; September 14, 1856 – June 11, 1946) was a Romanian novelist, playwright, translator, journalist, women's rights activist and socialist. Born in Botoșani, her parents were merchant Vasile Băncilă-Gheor ...
, and read widely on various subjects. She would become a close friend and collaborator of Sofia, describing her as "beautiful .. as simple as a child, as full of common sense as if a peasant woman healthy in body and spirit, passionate and excessive, as any real feminine character, in all her manifestations." Acquainted with poet-novelist
Nicolae Beldiceanu Nicolae Beldiceanu (; 26 October 1844 in Preutești - 2 February 1896 in Iași) was a Romanian poet and novelist. Beldiceanu was the first person to write about the discoveries made at the Cucuteni archaeological site near the town of Cucuteni C ...
, she also frequented Beldiceanu's own literary society, meeting with the celebrated raconteur
Ion Creangă Ion Creangă (; also known as Nică al lui Ștefan a Petrei, Ion Torcălău and Ioan Ștefănescu; March 1, 1837 – December 31, 1889) was a Moldavian, later Romanian writer, raconteur and schoolteacher. A main figure in 19th-century Romania ...
. Her own debut followed in 1890, when her
lyric poetry Modern lyric poetry is a formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person. It is not equivalent to song lyrics, though song lyrics are often in the lyric mode, and it is also ''not'' equi ...
saw print in ''Școala Nouă'' magazine."Izabella Sadoveanu"
, biographical note i
''Cronologia della letteratura rumena moderna (1780-1914)'' database
, at the University of Florence's Department of Neo-Latin Languages and Literatures; retrieved May 8, 2011
She was at the time in
Bacău Bacău ( , , ; hu, Bákó; la, Bacovia) is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. At the 2016 national estimation it had a population of 196,883, making it the 12th largest city in Romania. The city is situated in the historical region of ...
city, a substitute teacher at the day school for girls. In short time, Izabela Morțun made her way to
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, Romania's capital. Still an active socialist, she was present at the 2nd Congress of the
Romanian Social Democratic Workers' Party The Social Democratic Workers' Party of Romania (, PSDMR), established in 1893, was the first modern socialist political party in Romania. A Marxist organization, the PSDMR was part of the Second International and sent its representatives to the ...
, and met, through her socialist connections, several major figures on the late 19th century Romanian literary scene: Ion Luca Caragiale,
Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea ; pen name of Barbu Ștefan; April 11, 1858 in Bucharest – April 29, 1918 in Iași) was a Romanian writer and poet, considered one of the greatest figures in the National awakening of Romania. Early life and ...
, Alexandru Vlahuță. Another such figure was the socialist veteran
Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea (born Solomon Katz; 1855, village of Slavyanka near Yekaterinoslav (modern Dnipro), then in Imperial Russia – 1920, Bucharest) was a Romanian Marxist theorist, politician, sociologist, literary critic, and jour ...
, about whom she later wrote: "I never again met a man who could spread as much serenity and reconciliation all around him". The young woman attended the University of Bucharest Faculty of Philosophy, where she was colleagues with several male writers, including
Ioan Alexandru Brătescu-Voinești Ioan Alexandru Brătescu-Voinești (January 1, 1868 – December 14, 1946) was a Romanian short story writer and politician. The scion of a minor aristocratic family from Târgoviște, he studied law and, as a young man, drew close to the ''Junim ...
and O. Carp (Gheorghe Proca).Bogdan-Duică, p.15 In 1892, Carp married Adela Andrei.


Poporanist debut

Sadoveanu qualified to be a schoolteacher, and later took up a teaching position in
Brăila Brăila (, also , ) is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County. The ''Sud-Est'' Regional Development Agency is located in Brăila. According to the 2011 Romanian census there were 180,302 pe ...
. In 1898, she married in
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
officer Alexandru Sadoveanu (born 1866), an older brother of the debuting writer Mihail Sadoveanu. She followed him to Focșani, where she taught at the Girls' Boarding School, and eventually to Bucharest, where she worked as an educator for '' Școala Centrală de Fete''. Over the following decade, like her brother-in-law Mihail, she affiliated with the newly founded ''Viața Românească'', the leading mouthpiece for a Romanian-born leftist-nationalist ideology, Poporanism. She became a disciple of the Poporanist theorist and editor in chief Garabet Ibrăileanu, particularly in what concerns Ibrăileanu's rationalist approach to literary phenomena. She would later describe him as "a handsome young man, famed as being very well-read and cultured, but terrifyingly shy". Sadoveanu also took Ibrăileanu's side in his polemic with
Eugen Lovinescu Eugen Lovinescu (; 31 October 1881 – 16 July 1943) was a Romanian modernist literary historian, literary critic, academic, and novelist, who in 1919 established the ''Sburătorul'' literary club. He was the father of Monica Lovinescu, and the u ...
, a maverick traditionalist and later herald of the modernist scene. Writing to Ibrăileanu in 1909, after having attended one of Lovinescu's earliest public lectures, Sadoveanu described the new arrival as "one great rotter" and "an ignorant", who spoke in a "banal and stupid", "superficial" way. In his 1930s review of Romanian literature, Lovinescu took a reserved view of Sadoveanu's Poporanist activity, suggesting that her nationalist advocacy echoed the
right-wing Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authorit ...
competitors at ''
Sămănătorul ''Sămănătorul'' or ''Semănătorul'' (, Romanian for "The Sower") was a literary and political magazine published in Romania between 1901 and 1910. Founded by poets Alexandru Vlahuță and George Coșbuc, it is primarily remembered as a tribune ...
'' magazine, the home of historian and critic Nicolae Iorga, while deeming her critical approach "
lyrical Lyrical may refer to: *Lyrics, or words in songs *Lyrical dance, a style of dancing *Emotional, expressing strong feelings *Lyric poetry, poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view *Lyric video A music video is a video of variab ...
, verbose and sectarian."
Eugen Lovinescu Eugen Lovinescu (; 31 October 1881 – 16 July 1943) was a Romanian modernist literary historian, literary critic, academic, and novelist, who in 1919 established the ''Sburătorul'' literary club. He was the father of Monica Lovinescu, and the u ...
, ''Istoria literaturii române contemporane'', Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1989, p.28.
By 1906, Sadoveanu was also contributing to ''Revista Idealistă'', the Neoclassical magazine of Mihail G. Holban, where she discussed "
Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
in literature", and the mainstream review '' Noua Revistă Română''. At this junction, she was involved in a minor scandal focused on her brother-in-law and the Poporanist milieu. That year, her old friend Marino-Moscu informed Ibrăileanu that ''Mariana Vidrașcu'', a ''Viața Românească''-serialized novel by Mihail Sadoveanu, was plagiarized from her own manuscript, which she had earlier confided to Izabela, and which Izabela had passed on to her relative; while the Sadoveanus refused to publicize their own version of events, Ibrăileanu assessed the evidence as favorable to Marino-Moscu, and buried the scandal by interrupting the series. Fragments from Sadoveanu's novel were only republished by '' Manuscriptum'' review in 1970, and the plagiarism itself was proven in 1988. During the first decade of the 20th century, Izabela Sadoveanu became one of the socialists who moved closer to the mainstream National Liberal Party (PNL). Her debut as a literary critic came shortly before 1908, when she was briefly a literary columnist for the PNL newspaper '' Voința Națională''. Cornelia Ștefănescu
"Repere pentru literatură"
, in ''
România Literară ''România Literară'' is a cultural and literary magazine from Romania. In its original edition, it was founded on 1 January 1855 by Vasile Alecsandri and published in Iași until 3 December 1855, when it was suppressed. The new series appeared on ...
'', Nr. 51-52/2002


''Impresii literare'' and studies on Symbolism

In 1908, Editura Minerva published a volume of Izabela Sadoveanu's critical essays, ''Impresii literare'' ("Literary Impressions"). The book earned the attention of critics, and was reviewed in the national press. In '' Luceafărul'', a tribune of the Romanians in
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, fellow writer Ion Duma contrasted ''Impresii literare'' with another work of " impressionistic" criticism, that of traditionalist journalist
Ilarie Chendi Ilarie Chendi (November 14, 1871 – June 23, 1913) was a Romanian literary critic. Born in Darlac, Kis-Küküllő County, now Dârlos, Sibiu County, in Transylvania, his father Vasile was a Romanian Orthodox priest, while his mother Eliza ( ...
: while Sadoveanu's text demanded didacticism and morality in literature, Chendi, a ''Sămănătorul'' dissident, was writing in favor of art for art's sake. As noted by Duma, Sadoveanu's pronouncements defended writers for their moral mission, even to the detriment of art, equally praising Sofia Nădejde and novelist
Constantin Sandu-Aldea Constantin Sandu-Aldea (November 22, 1874 – March 21, 1927) was a Romanian agronomist and prose writer. Born in Tichilești, Brăila County, his parents were the cart driver Sandu Petrea Pârjol and his wife Tudora. After completing studies at ...
for their sense of "pity ..for those less fortunate".Duma, p.162 The same reviewer also claimed that Sadoveanu, "a womanly character", lacked an understanding of extrovert and "combative" traditionalists like Sandu-Aldea and ''Luceafărul'' poet Octavian Goga. Another ''Luceafărul'' chronicler, academic Gheorghe Bogdan-Duică, contrarily asserted that Sadoveanu was "rather the warrior", but described ''Impresii...'' as inconsistent: "Yes and no; neither here nor there; this, that and the other. And yet it carries a note that ought to be signaled." From his traditionalist standpoint, Bogdan-Duică argued that Sadoveanu erred in reaching beyond "impressions" to consider herself a professional critic, and to advocate the " primacy of the senses" in art: "Ms. Sadoveanu-Evan has a philosophy, even though she is a woman." Reviewing the echoes of Sadoveanu's contributions in 2002, publisher and literary historian Cornelia Ștefănescu argued: " hesparked bitter polemics and denials more than appreciations, even though N. Iorga and G. Ibrăileanu, objectively or not, had a privileged view of her". Sadoveanu alternated the aesthetic ideal with meditations on the national specificity in art. According to literary historian
George Călinescu George Călinescu (; 19 June 1899, Bucharest – 12 March 1965, Otopeni) was a Romanian literary critic, historian, novelist, academician and journalist, and a writer of classicist and humanist tendencies. He is currently considered one of the mos ...
, the volume cemented her transition from socialism to Poporanism, illustrated by quotes such as: "We are
Romanians The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Culture of Romania, Romanian culture and Cultural heritage, ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they l ...
, and our works of art and products of the mind must carry the seal of our nation's originality." A traditionalist, Duma noted with satisfaction that Sadoveanu had parted with socialism to recover "the creed of artistic nationalism": "Everywhere she wishes to point out the Romanian spirit, the Romanian nature: Romanian skies, earth, rivers, woods, birds and insects, a Romanian light." Bogdan-Duică concluded that sensualism did not interfere with the book's didactic agenda, since Sadoveanu still helped popularize writers inspired by "national life", from Mihail Sadoveanu, Carp and Brătescu-Voinești to Ștefan Octavian Iosif and
Elena Farago Elena Farago (born Elena Paximade; 29 March 1878–3 January 1954) was a Romanian poet and children's author. She also translated works by Ibsen, Nietzsche, Maeterlinck and numerous others into Romanian. Early life and education Born in Bârl ...
. Also in 1908, with her ''Viața Românească'' articles, Sadoveanu turned her attention to the impact of
Symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: Arts * Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism ** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries ** Russian sy ...
and the anti-traditionalist Romanian Symbolist branch. As she herself argued decades later: "I was the only one to express the opinion that ..we are dealing with an innovative movement, just like I was the first one in history to sketch out Symbolism in articles for ''Viața Românească''". According to various commentators of her work, cited by literary historian
Paul Cernat Paul Cernat (born August 5, 1972 in Bucharest) is a Romanian essayist and literary critic. He has a Ph.D. summa cum laude in philology. Cernat has been a member of the Writers' Union of Romania since 2009. As of 2013, he is lecturer of Romanian li ...
, she was indeed the first Romanian to take an interest in the movement, and who therefore opened a channel of communication between the Poporanists and the Romanian Symbolists. This assessment is partly contradicted by researcher
Angelo Mitchievici Angelo is an Italian language, Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name *Angelo Accattino (born 1966), Italian prelate of the Catholic Church *Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298– ...
, who reviews earlier such essays written by Alexandru Bibescu and
Elena Bacaloglu Elena A. Bacaloglu, also known as Bakaloglu, Bacaloglu-Densusianu, Bacaloglu-Densușeanu etc. ( Francized ''Hélène Bacaloglu''; December 19, 1878 – 1947 or 1949), was a Romanian journalist, literary critic, novelist and fascist militant. Her ...
. Sadoveanu stood out for rejecting the " degeneration" concept introduced, against modern literature, by pathologist Max Nordau. She called Nordau "banal" and "an illusionist", arguing that Symbolism had proven capable of nurturing "poetic geniuses", but, like Nordau, she still looked down on the decadent movement. In her opinion, Symbolism was a worthy counterpart to the "pessimism" of literary naturalism, but a failed one when, as with
Stuart Merrill Stuart Fitzrandolph Merrill (August 1, 1863 in Hempstead, New York – December 1, 1915 in Versailles, France) was an American poet, who wrote mostly in the French language. He belonged to the Symbolist school. His principal books of poetr ...
, it veered into the "artificial". Her primary interest was in showing how the
anti-positivist In social science, antipositivism (also interpretivism, negativism or antinaturalism) is a theoretical stance that proposes that the social realm cannot be studied with the methods of investigation utilized within the natural sciences, and that ...
poetry of Frenchman Arthur Rimbaud had created a fashion in Romania, but she also discussed the roles that
Jean Moréas Jean Moréas (; born Ioannis A. Papadiamantopoulos, Ιωάννης Α. Παπαδιαμαντόπουλος; 15 April 1856 – 31 March 1910), was a Greek poet, essayist, and art critic, who wrote mostly in the French language but also in Greek ...
and Anatole France had in making Symbolism known to a French and international public. Her work also touched on the connection between Romanian Symbolists ( Adrian Maniu) and the literary side of
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (german: Wiener Secession; also known as ''the Union of Austrian Artists'', or ''Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs'') is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austri ...
(
Rainer Maria Rilke René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), shortened to Rainer Maria Rilke (), was an Austrian poet and novelist. He has been acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, and is widely recogni ...
). Believed by Călinescu to have been "a highly educated woman", Sadoveanu repeatedly argued that professional critics needed to be exceptionally cultured. She reacted against cultural isolationism, describing in detail the merits of reciprocal translation in expanding the written culture. Cornelia Ștefănescu finds her essays characterized by subtlety and the sense of detail, for instance in describing the Romantic critic
Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve (; 23 December 1804 – 13 October 1869) was a French literary critic. Early life He was born in Boulogne, educated there, and studied medicine at the Collège Charlemagne in Paris (1824–27). In 1828, he se ...
, whose proverbial ugliness, Sadoveanu argued, indirectly shaped
19th-century French literature 19th-century French literature concerns the developments in French literature during a dynamic period in French history that saw the rise of Democracy and the fitful end of Monarchy and Empire. The period covered spans the following political re ...
.


Geneva studies and feminist beginnings

Sadoveanu-Evan was one of four female writers invited to attend the 1909 congress of writers held at the Gheorghe Lazăr High School, which effectively established the
Romanian Writers' Society The Romanian Writers' Society ( ro, Societatea Scriitorilor Români) was a professional association based in Bucharest, Romania, that aided the country's writers and promoted their interests. Founded in 1909, it operated for forty years before the e ...
(SSR), a
professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that professio ...
presided upon by Mihail Sadoveanu. She also became noted as a translator foreign-language works, primarily Italian, into her native
Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
; in 1909, under contract with Minerva, she published a volume of
novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...
s by Grazia Deledda and
Giovanni Verga Giovanni Carmelo Verga di Fontanabianca (; 2 September 1840 – 27 January 1922) was an Italian realist ('' verista'') writer, best known for his depictions of life in his native Sicily, especially the short story and later play ''Cavalleria ...
's ''Royal Tiger''. Beginning 1912, Sadoveanu-Evan furthered her education in
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
,
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, where she attended the
Rousseau Institute Rousseau Institute (also known as Jean-Jacques Rousseau Institute or Academy of Geneva; ''french: Académie De Genève'' or ''Institut Jean-Jacques Rousseau'') is a private school in Geneva, Switzerland. It is considered the first institute of ed ...
and graduated among its first-ever alumni. She returned to take up a headmistress' office at Iași's Pedagogic Institute for Girls, and later at the Elena Cuza School of Bucharest. A supporter of the reading program as the basis for all education, and interested in the applications of the
Montessori method The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...
, she later created her own ''Școala de Puericutură și Educatoare'' (School for Puericulture and Women Educators), and was Inspector of Romanian
Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
s. Sadoveanu also collaborated with Iorga on the summer school in
Vălenii de Munte Vălenii de Munte () is a town in Prahova County, southern Romania (the historical region of Muntenia), with a population of 11,707 as of 2011. It lies In the Teleajen river valley, north of the county seat of Ploiești. The town's sister cities ...
town. Although, after ''Impresii literare'', her critical essays were never again collected in book form, Sadoveanu-Evan published several new tracts as an educationist: the 1911 ''Educația estetică și artistică din ultimele două decenii'' ("The Aesthetic and Artistic Education during the Last Two Decades") was followed later by ''Material didactic Montessori'' ("Montessori Teaching Aid"), ''Educația nouă. Îndrumări pentru părinți și educatori'' ("The New Education. Advice for Parents and Educators") etc. As she recalled in 1939, Sadoveanu began her feminist activism by joining the ''Sprijinul'' ("Support") Association of Bucharest. The group, Sadoveanu noted, was more dedicated to "encouraging and aiding women who earn a living through their own labor, rather than to organizing them in view of political life and
women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
demands." In fact, ''Sprijinul'' grouped together political women (including its president, Smaranda "Ema" Beldiman) and male pro-feminists (the socialist lawyer Toma Dragu). With Mărgărita Miller Verghy,
Bucura Dumbravă Bucura Dumbravă, pen name of Ștefania "Fanny" Szekulics,Șerban Cioculescu, ''Caragialiana'', Editura Eminescu, Bucharest, 1974, p.351. Szekulicz Constantina Raveca Buleu"Bucura Dumbravă și teozofia" in ''Contemporanul'', Nr. 7/2012 or Secu ...
and other women writers, Sadoveanu was also a founding member of the ''Româncele Cercetașe'' Association, an early branch of Romanian Scouting, preceding the ''
Asociația Ghidelor și Ghizilor din România The Asociația Ghidelor și Ghizilor din România (AGGR) is the national Guiding organization of Romania. Guiding in Romania began in 1928, was restarted in 1990 and became a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) ...
''.


AECPFR, UFR and IAWSEC

In 1918, shortly after
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
had ended, Izabela Sadoveanu was a founding member of ''Asociația pentru emanciparea civilă și politică a femeilor române'' (the Association for the Civil and Political Emancipation of Romanian Women, AECPFR), which unified several of the feminist associations in
Greater Romania The term Greater Romania ( ro, România Mare) usually refers to the borders of the Kingdom of Romania in the interwar period, achieved after the Great Union. It also refers to a pan-nationalist idea. As a concept, its main goal is the creation ...
around the ideal of women's suffrage. Through this affiliation, she became a delegate of Romanian women to several international congresses held by the International Alliance of Women for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship (IAWSEC).Sadoveanu, p.67 After the region of
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, formerly in
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, was united with Romania, Sadoveanu established contacts with its feminist scene. By 1920, she was elected to the Steering Committee of the Transylvanian-based Romanian Women's Union (UFR), assisting its President
Maria Baiulescu Maria Baiulescu (21 August 1860 – 24 June 1941) was a Romanian author, suffragist, women’s rights activist, Romanian nationalist, and feminist leader. Life She was born in Brașov in 1860. Her father, Bartolomeu Baiulescu, was a Romanian Ort ...
as one of the UFR's three Vice Presidents for
Muntenia Muntenia (, also known in English as Greater Wallachia) is a historical region of Romania, part of Wallachia (also, sometimes considered Wallachia proper, as ''Muntenia'', ''Țara Românească'', and the seldom used ''Valahia'' are synonyms in R ...
(alongside Micaela Catargi and
Eugenia de Reuss Ianculescu Eugenia de Reuss Ianculescu (11 March 1866 – 29 December 1938) was a Romanian teacher, writer, and women's rights activist. She was one of the founders of the Women's League, the first feminist organization in Romania, and later was the founder o ...
).
Maria Baiulescu Maria Baiulescu (21 August 1860 – 24 June 1941) was a Romanian author, suffragist, women’s rights activist, Romanian nationalist, and feminist leader. Life She was born in Brașov in 1860. Her father, Bartolomeu Baiulescu, was a Romanian Ort ...

"Activitatea federației Uniunea Femeilor Române"
, in '' Societatea de Mâine'', Nr. 50/1925, p.870 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
)
She later traced the origin of Romania's organized feminist movement with the UFR's earliest nucleus, created in the 1840s by Maria Nicolau. Coriolan Suciu
"Blajul, Brașovul și Mureșenii"
, in ''Cultura Creștină'', Nr. 10/1925, p.374 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
)
Her interest in Transylvania also surfaced in her work as a teacher: in the summer months of 1919, she was in
Cluj ; hu, kincses város) , official_name=Cluj-Napoca , native_name= , image_skyline= , subdivision_type1 = Counties of Romania, County , subdivision_name1 = Cluj County , subdivision_type2 = Subdivisions of Romania, Status , subdivision_name2 ...
, instructing locals on the practical use of the Montessori method. Her work as a journalist diversified, and she was, before 1924, one of the regular writers in '' Lamura'', a literary review published by Vlahuță. In September 1925, Sadoveanu was guest speaker at the UFR's 6th Congress in Timișoara, and reported on its proceedings in Iorga's newspaper '' Neamul Românesc''. According to Baiulescu's summary, the Congress explicitly sought to reform the
1923 Constitution of Romania The 1923 Constitution of Romania, also called the Constitution of Union, was intended to align the organisation of the state on the basis of universal male suffrage and the new realities that arose after the Great Union of 1918. History Four d ...
, which had only recognized universal male suffrage, and bring about gender equality as an "act of justice". The report also critically noted a decrease in standing for Romanian women in Transylvania,
Bukovina Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter BergerT ...
and other regions, ever since Romania had replaced Austria-Hungary as the administrative power. Around that time, Sadoveanu also affiliated with
Adela Xenopol Adela Xenopol (1861–1939) was a Romanian feminist and writer. She published both literary works and feminist tracts, founding several magazines. In 1914, just prior to the advent of World War I she and other feminists presented a petition for wo ...
's ''Societatea Scriitoarelor Române'' (Romanian Women Writers' Society), which stood against the dominant and supposedly
sexist Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...
SSR; she also began contributing to its tribune, ''Revista Scriitoarei'' ("The Woman Writer's Review"), joining a writing staff which also included Sofia Nădejde, Miller Verghy, Constanța Hodoș,
Ana Conta-Kernbach Ana Conta-Kernbach (5 November 1865 – 13 December 1921) was a Romanian teacher, writer, and women's rights activist. Educated at the in Iași, she graduated in 1883 and began teaching there that same year. Continuing her studies at the same ti ...
,
Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu (; 8 December 1876 – 5 March 1955 in Bucharest) was a novelist of the Romanian interwar period. Life Hortensia Bengescu was born in Ivești, Galați, Ivești, Galați County, on 8 December 1876. She was the daughter of ...
and Aida Vrioni. Sadoveanu was a Vice President of the Society, and took up a similar position in ''Asociația Universitară'', the female Academic Society. By the mid-1920s, Sadoveanu fell out with Alexandrina Cantacuzino, leader of the National Council of Romanian Women (which was endorsed by the AECPFR). This occurred after Cantacuzino's official visit to
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, where she had attended an IAWSEC Congress, and where the initiative was taken to create a regional
East-Central Europe East Central Europe is the region between Germanic languages, Germanic, West Slavic languages, West Slavic, and Hungarian language, Hungarian-speaking Europe and the East Slavs, East Slavic countries of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. Those lands a ...
an feminist association, the "
Little Entente The Little Entente was an alliance formed in 1920 and 1921 by Czechoslovakia, Romania and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (since 1929 Yugoslavia) with the purpose of common defense against Hungarian revanchism and the prospect of a Hab ...
" of Women. Sadoveanu was a vocal critic of the project, which, she argued, only served the interest of
Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) **Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...
women, and accused Cantacuzino of not being patriotic.Roxana Cheșchebec, "Toward a Romanian Women's Movement. An Organizational History (1880s-1940)", in
Edith Saurer Edith Saurer (20 August 1942 – 5 April 2011) was an Austrian historian, university professor at the University of Vienna, scientific author, and publisher. She is regarded as a central cofounder and advocate of feminist historiography in Austria ...
, Margareth Lanzinger, Elisabeth Frysak (eds.), ''Women's Movements: Networks and Debates in Post-communist Countries in the 19th and 20th Centuries'', Bohläu Verlag, Cologne, 2006, p.450.
Historian Roxana Cheșchebec reviews this incident as proof that "the fate of women's activism was related in that period to the promotion of national interests." Sadoveanu was making herself known as a conservative feminist, earning accolades from male authors who saw political feminism as an "adventure". According to Sadoveanu, feminists, who demanded the suffrage, were to be distinguished from "feminines", who wanted political leverage against the other sex.


Other interwar causes

By 1927, Sadoveanu was also becoming involved in a major debate about
eugenics Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...
and feminism, carried out in the pages of (the mouthpiece of eugenicists active within ASTRA Society). These articles purported that the main cause of feminism was to empower women as homemakers and nurturers, instead of or before granting them political rights and representation. Her collaboration with the Vălenii de Munte institution continued and, together with Iorga and Constanța Evolceanu, she helped organize a preparatory School of National and Moral Female Missionaries (1927). She also lectured there about the implementation of
education reform Education reform is the name given to the goal of changing public education. The meaning and education methods have changed through debates over what content or experiences result in an educated individual or an educated society. Historically, t ...
. Izabela Sadoveanu's preoccupation with early childhood education led her to explore the opportunities offered by radio, a new media at the time: she produced and voiced one of
Radio România The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company ( ro, Societatea Română de Radiodifuziune), informally referred to as Radio Romania ( ro, Radio România), is the public radio broadcaster in Romania. It operates FM and AM broadcasting, AM, and webcast, ...
's first-ever thematic broadcasts, the 1929 ''Ora Copiilor'' ("Children's Hour"). Also in 1929, she contributed the preface to an essay by writers R. Catarg and I. C. Chiriacescu, ''Femeia în epoca nouă a omenirii'' ("Woman in the New Era of Mankind"). Her tract on Romanian education policies, titled ''Educația nouă'' ("The New Education"), saw print the next year.Livezeanu & Farris, p.284 Sadoveanu and Alexandrina Cantacuzino were reconciled by May 1933, when they were AECPFR delegates to
Constanța Constanța (, ; ; rup, Custantsa; bg, Кюстенджа, Kyustendzha, or bg, Констанца, Konstantsa, label=none; el, Κωνστάντζα, Kōnstántza, or el, Κωνστάντια, Kōnstántia, label=none; tr, Köstence), histo ...
city, paying homage to the
Dobruja Dobruja or Dobrudja (; bg, Добруджа, Dobrudzha or ''Dobrudža''; ro, Dobrogea, or ; tr, Dobruca) is a historical region in the Balkans that has been divided since the 19th century between the territories of Bulgaria and Romania. I ...
n wing of the women's emancipation movement. In later years, Sadoveanu wrote more positively of Cantacuzino, noting her role in propagating the feminist ideal and her participation with the
International Council of Women The International Council of Women (ICW) is a women's rights organization working across national boundaries for the common cause of advocating human rights for women. In March and April 1888, women leaders came together in Washington, D.C., with ...
. Throughout the 1920s and '30s, Sadoveanu-Evan began contributed to the left-wing dailies ''
Adevărul ''Adevărul'' (; meaning "The Truth", formerly spelled ''Adevĕrul'') is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in Iași, in 1871, and reestablished in 1888, in Bucharest, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published dur ...
'' and '' Dimineața'' (briefly managed by Mihail Sadoveanu), as well as to ''Adevărul''s cultural supplement ''
Adevărul Literar și Artistic ''Adevărul'' (; meaning "The Truth", formerly spelled ''Adevĕrul'') is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in Iași, in 1871, and reestablished in 1888, in Bucharest, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published du ...
''. She was originally a columnist for ''Dimineața'', with ''Pagina femeii'' ("The Woman's Page"); at the same time, ''Viața Românească'' serialized her biographic series ''Profiluri feminine'' ("Feminine Profiles"), later taken up by ''Adevărul Literar și Artistic''. Bianca Burța-Cernat
" 'Femeile între ele' în 1937"
, in ''
Observator Cultural ''Observator Cultural'' (meaning "The Cultural Observer" in English) is a weekly literary magazine based in Bucharest, Romania. The magazine was started in 2000. The weekly publishes articles on Romania's cultural and arts scene as well as politica ...
'', Nr. 290, October 2005
The latter also published her April 1928 interview with writer Sylvia Stevenson, on the state of
English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
, discussing authors from
Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Woolf was born i ...
to
John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include ''The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize i ...
(a preoccupation which resurfaced in Sadoveanu's articles as late as 1937). Sadoveanu's work for ''Adevărul'' itself originally included a series of her essays on English writers. Among her other works of literary criticism which saw print with ''Adevărul Literar și Artistic'' was a 1930 study of Ibrăileanu's literature, in which she defended her mentor's writing style (proposing that it only seemed "rough" because it sought to be anti-
rhetoric Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...
al). She also alleged that, as a very young man, Ibrăileanu had been in love with her sister Adela (the argument, according to which Adela is the mysterious "Estella" in Ibrăileanu's autobiographical notes, was judged unconvincing by historian Anais Nersesïan). The same paper also published her biographical sketches and recollections about two personal acquaintances from the socialist and Poporanist scene of the '' fin de siècle'': Anton "Tony" Bacalbașa, "Gheorghe din Moldova" Kernbach. She was also contributing to the provincial press: in 1934, her piece "How to Create a Reading Public" ran in the
Ploiești Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest. The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Blejoi commu ...
paper ''Gazeta Cărților''.


Final years

After witnessing the impact of
fascist Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...
movements on Europe's societies, Sadoveanu-Evan combined her feminist stance with the cause of
anti-fascism Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
. Together with actress Lucia Sturdza Bulandra, she was active within ''Frontul Feminin'' (Feminine Front), an organism designed to defend women's rights against the
far right Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of being ...
threat, and presided upon by Nădejde. According to researcher Ștefania Mihalache, the Front, which was created in 1936 and soon after published a manifesto, had a
Marxist Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...
bias, centered on "the woman's right to work". Sadoveanu's made trips abroad, and attended, in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, the exhibit marking the 50 years since the ''
Symbolist Manifesto The Symbolist Manifesto (French: ''Le Symbolisme'') was published on 18 September 1886 Lucie-Smith, Edward. (1972) ''Symbolist Art''. London: Thames & Hudson, p. 54. in the French newspaper ''Le Figaro'' by the Greek-born poet and essayist Jean M ...
''. During 1937, probably on Sadoveanu-Evan's request, ''Adevărul'' began publishing a special second-page column titled ''Femeile între ele'' ("Women amongst Themselves"), which included contributions from herself and her colleagues in the feminist movement, Papadat-Bengescu (who may have inspired the column's title) and Nădejde. They were joined by several consecrated or aspiring women writers, among them: Ticu Archip,
Lucia Demetrius Lucia Aurora Demetrius (February 16, 1910–July 29, 1992) was a Romanian novelist, poet, playwright and translator. Life Born in Bucharest, her parents were the writer Vasile Demetrius and his wife Antigona (''née'' Rabinovici). Her father ...
,
Claudia Millian Claudia Millian (also Millian-Minulescu; February 21, 1887 – September 21, 1961) was a Romanian poet. Born in Bucharest, her father was Ion Millian, an engineer of Greek origin; her mother was Maria (''née'' Negoescu). She attended primary ...
,
Sanda Movilă Sanda Movilă (pen name of Maria Ionescu-Aderca; January 7, 1900–September 13, 1970) was a Romanian poet and novelist. Born in Cerbu, Argeș County, her parents were Ion Ionescu, a small-scale tradesman, and his wife Maria (''née'' Nicule ...
, Profira Sadoveanu (Izabela's niece), Valeria Mitru (future wife of Mihail Sadoveanu), Coca Farago (daughter of poet
Elena Farago Elena Farago (born Elena Paximade; 29 March 1878–3 January 1954) was a Romanian poet and children's author. She also translated works by Ibsen, Nietzsche, Maeterlinck and numerous others into Romanian. Early life and education Born in Bârl ...
) and Sorana Țopa (the actress wife of philosopher
Mircea Eliade Mircea Eliade (; – April 22, 1986) was a Romanians, Romanian History of religion, historian of religion, fiction writer, philosopher, and professor at the University of Chicago. He was a leading interpreter of religious experience, who establ ...
). Izabela Sadoveanu's own pieces for ''Femeile între ele'' included an overview of the
suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
movement and a positive report about the
Soroptimist International Soroptimist International (SI) is a global volunteer service organization for women with nearly 72,000 members in 121 countries worldwide. According to Soroptimist.org, their mission statement says that, "Soroptimist is a global volunteer organiza ...
, whose
self-help Self-help or self-improvement is a self-guided improvement''APA Dictionary of Physicology'', 1st ed., Gary R. VandenBos, ed., Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007.—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a subst ...
ideas she tried to popularize in Romania, and a sarcastic reply to Archip's strong-voiced antifeminist stance. Also in 1937, ''Adevărul'' published her homage to French socialist and
pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
Jean Jaurès, who had fallen victim to nationalists shortly after the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. A year later, she withdrew from teaching with a state pension, and dedicated her energy to editorial work for ''Adevărul Literar și Artistic'', before the entire ''Adevărul'' family of papers were banned by
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
Carol II's
authoritarian Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic votin ...
regime. In 1939, the Transylvanian left-wing magazine '' Societatea de Mâine'' published her short history of Romanian feminist organizations.


Legacy

According to George Călinescu, Izabela Sadoveanu was a prototype of the "cerebral woman" in local letters. She is mentioned, as ''Sidonia Alexe'', in ''În preajma revoluției'' ("On the Eve of the Revolution") a 1930s novel and hidden memoir by
Constantin Stere Constantin G. Stere or Constantin Sterea (Romanian; russian: Константин Егорович Стере, ''Konstantin Yegorovich Stere'' or Константин Георгиевич Стере, ''Konstantin Georgiyevich Stere''; also known u ...
, former member of the ''Viața Românească'' circle (Mihail Sadoveanu is also a character of the book, hidden under the name ''Nicolae Pădureanu''). An eponymous
monograph A monograph is a specialist work of writing (in contrast to reference works) or exhibition on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author or artist, and usually on a scholarly subject. In library cataloging, ''monograph ...
on Izabela Sadoveanu-Evanu was published by Editura Didactică și Pedagogică, in 1970; her own work of memoirs, ''Sufletul altor generații'', was included in a 1980 Editura Eminescu anthology, covering mainly the autobiographic texts of folklorist Aristița Avramescu. Twenty years later, critic Margareta Feraru revisited her entire work, republishing two volumes of her magazine essays, as ''Cărți și idei'' ("Books and Ideas"). Commenting on this critical edition, Cornelia Ștefănescu made note of Sadoveanu's "daring critical spirit, her unwavering virtues and merits as a researcher, the mobility of her thought over the spheres of ideology, literature, arts and education". In 2007,
Paul Cernat Paul Cernat (born August 5, 1972 in Bucharest) is a Romanian essayist and literary critic. He has a Ph.D. summa cum laude in philology. Cernat has been a member of the Writers' Union of Romania since 2009. As of 2013, he is lecturer of Romanian li ...
wrote that Sadoveanu was "unfairly ignored nowadays".Cernat, p.21


Notes


References

* Izabela Sadoveanu
"Scurt istoric despre asociațiile femeilor române. I. Feminismul"
in '' Societatea de Mâine'', Nr. 2/1939, p. 65-67 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
* Gheorghe Bogdan-Duică
"Corespondență din București"
in '' Luceafărul'', Nr. 1/1909, p. 12-15 *
George Călinescu George Călinescu (; 19 June 1899, Bucharest – 12 March 1965, Otopeni) was a Romanian literary critic, historian, novelist, academician and journalist, and a writer of classicist and humanist tendencies. He is currently considered one of the mos ...
, ''Istoria literaturii române de la origini pînă în prezent'', Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1986 *
Paul Cernat Paul Cernat (born August 5, 1972 in Bucharest) is a Romanian essayist and literary critic. He has a Ph.D. summa cum laude in philology. Cernat has been a member of the Writers' Union of Romania since 2009. As of 2013, he is lecturer of Romanian li ...
, ''Avangarda românească și complexul periferiei: primul val'',
Cartea Românească Cartea Românească ("The Romanian Book") is a publishing house in Bucharest, Romania, founded in 1919. Disestablished by the Communist Romania, communist regime in 1948, it was restored under later communism, in 1970, when it functioned as the off ...
, Bucharest, 2007. *Francisca de Haan, Krasimira Daskalova, Anna Loutfi (eds.), ''Biographical Dictionary of Women's Movements and Feminisms in Central and South Eastern Europe, 19th and 20th Centuries'',
Central European University Press Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center (disambiguation), center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa ...
, Budapest & New York City, 2006. * Ion Duma
"Două volume de critică impresionistă"
in ''Luceafărul'', Nr. 7/1909, p. 161-163 * Irina Livezeanu, June Pachuta Farris (eds.), ''Women & Gender in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Eurasia: a Comprehensive Bibliography, Volume I: Southeastern and East Central Europe'',
M. E. Sharpe M. E. Sharpe, Inc., an academic publisher, was founded by Myron Sharpe in 1958 with the original purpose of publishing translations from Russian in the social sciences and humanities. These translations were published in a series of journals, the ...
, Armonk, 2007. *
Angelo Mitchievici Angelo is an Italian language, Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name *Angelo Accattino (born 1966), Italian prelate of the Catholic Church *Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298– ...
, ''Decadență și decadentism în contextul modernității românești și europene'',
Editura Curtea Veche Editura Curtea Veche (Curtea Veche Publishing House) is a Romanian publishing house with a tradition in editing works of Romanian literature. After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Curtea Veche started editing more foreign books, such as BBC #REDIR ...
, Bucharest, 2011. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sadoveanu-Evan, Izabela 20th-century Romanian poets 20th-century translators 20th-century Romanian women writers Romanian biographers Romanian columnists Romanian women columnists Romanian essayists Romanian literary critics Romanian women literary critics Romanian literary historians Romanian magazine editors Romanian memoirists Romanian self-help writers Romanian textbook writers Romanian translators Romanian women writers Romanian writers Romanian women journalists Romanian women poets Romanian women's rights activists Romanian socialist feminists Women memoirists Romanian women essayists Women biographers Impressionism Poporanists Adevărul columnists Romanian activist journalists Radio pioneers Romanian radio presenters Romanian women radio presenters Romanian educational theorists Romanian eugenicists Romanian feminists Montessori teachers People from Western Moldavia Romanian adoptees University of Bucharest alumni Romanian schoolteachers Scouting and Guiding in Romania Scouting pioneers 1870 births 1941 deaths 20th-century essayists Romanian women editors Women magazine editors Women literary historians Women textbook writers