Calistrat HogaÈ™
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Calistrat Hogaș (born Calistrat Dumitriu; April 19, 1848 – August 28, 1917) was a Moldavian, later Romanian prose writer. The son of a
Tecuci Tecuci () is a city in Galați County, Romania, in the historical region of Western Moldavia. It is situated among wooded hills, on the right bank of the Bârlad River, and at the junction of railways from Galați, Bârlad, and Mărășești. ...
priest, he studied at the
University of Iași The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in , Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former was converted to a university, the University of , as it was named ...
before beginning an over four-decade career as a high school teacher, often at
Piatra NeamÈ› Piatra NeamÈ› (; ; ) is the capital city of NeamÈ› County, in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in northeastern Romania. Because of its very privileged location in the Divisions of the Carpathians, Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is con ...
. Meanwhile, he made several false starts as a writer before finding a suitable genre, namely stories drawn from his mountain rambles that appeared starting in 1907. He did not manage to collect his works during his lifetime, but these appeared to great success in 1921.


Biography


Origins and literary career

Born in
Tecuci Tecuci () is a city in Galați County, Romania, in the historical region of Western Moldavia. It is situated among wooded hills, on the right bank of the Bârlad River, and at the junction of railways from Galați, Bârlad, and Mărășești. ...
, his parents were Gheorghe Dumitriu, a
Romanian Orthodox The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; , ), or Romanian Patriarchate, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, and one of the nine patriarchates in the Eastern Orthodox Church. S ...
archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...
, and his wife Mărioara (''née'' Stanciu), the daughter of a ''
serdar Serdar may refer to * Serdar (given name) * Serdar (surname) Serdar is a surname of the following notable people: * Can Serdar (born 1996), German-Turkish football midfielder * Emerîkê Serdar (1935–2018), Kurdish-Yezidi writer from Armenia * I ...
'' from
Pechea Pechea is a Commune in Romania, commune in Galați County, Western Moldavia, Romania with a population of 11,199 people. It is composed of two villages, Lupele and Pechea. Natives * Lucian Bute * Christian Hammer * Steluța Luca * Costică Silion ...
,
Galați County Galați () is a county (județ) of Romania, in Moldavia region, with the capital city at Galați, between latitude, 45°25'N and latitude, 46°10'N latitude, longitude, 27°20'E and longitude, 28°10'E longitude. It borders the counties of Vaslu ...
. He was the first or second of eight children, and various birthdates between 1847 and 1852 have been suggested, but April 19, 1848 appears likeliest. His adopted surname was a nickname of his grandfather's that was assigned to him in primary school as a way to distinguish him from other pupils named Dumitriu. After completing the primary grades in his native town, he attended middle and high school at ''
Academia Mihăileană was an institution of higher learning based in Iași, Moldavia, and active in the first part of the 19th century. Like other Eastern European institutions of its kind, it was both a high school and a higher learning institute, housing several fa ...
'' and at the
National College National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...
in
Iași Iași ( , , ; also known by other #Etymology and names, alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the Cities in Romania, third largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical ...
from 1859 to 1867.
Alexandru Dimitrie Xenopol Alexandru Dimitrie Xenopol (; March 23, 1847 – February 27, 1920) was a Romanian historian, philosopher, professor, economist, sociologist, and author. Among his many major accomplishments, he is credited with authoring the first major synthes ...
,
Vasile Conta Vasile Conta (; ; November 15, 1845 – April 21, 1882) was a Romanian philosopher, poet, and politician. The son of a priest, he was born in Ghindăoani, a village in Bălțătești commune, Neamț County. He attended primary school in Tâ ...
, Alexandru Lambrior, Constantin Dimitrescu-Iași, and
George Panu George Panu (March 9, 1848 – November 6, 1910) was a Moldavian, later Romanian memoirist, literary critic, journalist and politician. A native of Iași, educated there as well as in Paris and Brussels, he worked as a schoolteacher and lawyer, b ...
were all classmates, and he befriended the last three. From 1867 to 1869, he attended the literature faculty of the
University of Iași The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in , Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former was converted to a university, the University of , as it was named ...
. Panu and Lambrior remained university classmates, and he was noticed as a good student during high school by
Titu Maiorescu Titu Liviu Maiorescu (; 15 February 1840 – 18 June 1917) was a Romanian literary critic and politician, founder of the ''Junimea'' Society. As a literary critic, he was instrumental in the development of Culture of Romania, Romanian culture in ...
, with whom he also came in touch during his university years. Nevertheless, he did not join the ''
Junimea ''Junimea'' was a Romanian literary society founded in Iași in 1863, through the initiative of several foreign-educated personalities led by Titu Maiorescu, Petre P. Carp, Vasile Pogor, Theodor Rosetti and Iacob Negruzzi. The foremost personali ...
'' society of which the latter was president, and which at the time was a sure path to advancement of one's literary reputation. From 1869, he worked as a teacher of Romanian language and literature at the new gymnasium in
Piatra NeamÈ› Piatra NeamÈ› (; ; ) is the capital city of NeamÈ› County, in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in northeastern Romania. Because of its very privileged location in the Divisions of the Carpathians, Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is con ...
, where he was also director and handled all the humanities courses.Ornea, p. 109 In January 1870, he married Elena Gheorghiu, the daughter of a Piatra Neamț priest; the couple had eight children. A lover of Greek and Roman culture, he gave them names such as Cleopatra, Cornelia, Sidonia and Aețiu. In 1878, he left Piatra Neamț for a period of three years, teaching first at the gymnasium in Tecuci and then at a normal school in Iași, and then lived in the former town from 1881 to 1885. He subsequently taught in Tecuci,
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
, and
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 Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
(at the Roman-Vodă High School); during this period, from the mid-1880s to the late 1890s, he published only sporadically. His reluctance to write was deepened by the accidental death of his 18-year-old daughter in 1894. From 1898, he was a teacher at the Boarding High School in Iași. His literary debut consisted of verses that appeared in the Piatra Neamț newspaper ''Corespondența provincială'' in 1874. In the same town, he founded a newspaper, ''Situațiunea'', that briefly appeared in 1878. While living there, he began climbing the local mountains. Between 1881 and 1882, he was a school inspector in
NeamÈ› County NeamÈ› County () is a county ( judeÈ›) of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra NeamÈ›. The county takes its name from the NeamÈ› River. Demographics Population In 2011, it had a population of 470,766 ...
, coming to know
Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale (; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179–184 – 9 June 1912), commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale, was a Romanians, ...
in this capacity. From his return to Piatra Neamț in 1881 until 1885, Hogaș contributed to ''Asachi'' magazine; his first contributions to the ''Amintiri din o călătorie'' series appeared there from 1882 to 1884, but they had no resonance with critics. Invited to submit poetry to a
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
magazine, he refused, probably aware of their antiquated style. He continued the ''Amintiri'' series in Xenopol's magazine ''Arhiva'' from 1893 to 1902; these contributions also went unnoticed, as the magazine was not taken seriously. The 1906 establishment of ''
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. ...
'', the formation of a group surrounding the magazine and his resulting friendship with
Garabet Ibrăileanu Garabet Ibrăileanu (; May 23, 1871 – March 11, 1936) was a Romanian-Armenian literary critic and theorist, writer, translator, sociologist, University of Iași professor (1908–1934), and, together with Paul Bujor and Constantin Stere, fo ...
were crucial to his career; his ''În munții Neamțului'' and other travel notes appeared there from 1907 to 1912. He cut an odd and colorful picture at Iași: a large man, dressed unusually, wearing a woolen jacket in all seasons, with a huge overcoat and an equally sizable hat, wearing thick boots in winter and custom made sandals in summer, he hustled between the three high schools where he taught, after a breakfast consisting of a chunk of meat roasted over coals, seasoned with a handful of onions and washed down with a pot of coffee. His ''Viața Românească'' colleagues respected Hogaș and treated him as a friend, even though he was older than all of them; they asked his advice and unanimously admired his contributions. Caragiale considered him a great writer and spoke glowingly of his writings.


Publication challenges and legacy

He decided to collect his writings in book form in 1912, the year he retired from teaching. Hogaș insisted on making the manuscript corrections himself, but the copies were destroyed because they contained a devastating number of typographical errors; the new edition, from 1914, was almost entirely destroyed in a fire that burned down the warehouse of ''Viața Românească''. He was rejected for a prize from the
Romanian Academy The Romanian Academy ( ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life. According to its bylaws, the academy's ma ...
, most likely due to a report drawn up by Ioan D. Caragiani. Nostalgic for his teaching days, HogaÈ™ found his strength diminished and compared his retirement to
Ovid Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...
's exile in Tomis. He withdrew to Piatra Neamț in his last years and did not live to see his book appear, due to the ongoing World War I; he died at Roman. Initially interred there, he was later exhumed, the coffin transported on an ox-drawn cart covered in pine branches, and reburied at Piatra Neamț, in accordance with his wishes.Hogaș, p. xxvi It was only in 1921 that his collected works appeared: covering two volumes, ''Amintiri dintr-o călătorie'' and ''În munții Neamțului'', the second was prefaced by
Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; 5 November 1880 â€“ 19 October 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting President of Romania, head of st ...
, a devoted admirer. The book was a critical success,Ornea, p. 110 and he was posthumously granted the
Romanian Writers' Society The Romanian Writers' Society () 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 early Communist Romania, communist re ...
Prize in 1921. A storyteller full of charm, he referred to himself as an "explorer" of Moldavia's "colossal" mountains. Riding his horse Pisicuța, he would take random journeys into the mountains. Never keeping a diary, he would set down his observations in the genre that won him posthumous renown: the travel account. His prose is strongly marked by reminiscences from his reading, which he integrated into a parodic and humorous vision.Aurel Sasu (ed.), ''Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române'', vol. I, p. 725. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004. While
George Călinescu George Călinescu (; 19 June 1899 – 12 March 1965) 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 most important Romani ...
considered him merely "a talented, one-dimensional dilettante", other critics, including Ibrăileanu,
Tudor Vianu Tudor Vianu (; January 8, 1898 – May 21, 1964) was a Romanian literary criticism, literary critic, art critic, poet, philosopher, academic, and translation, translator. He had a major role on the reception and development of Modernism in Liter ...
,
Vladimir Streinu Nicolae Iordache (May 23, 1902 in Teiu, Argeș – November 26, 1970 in Bucharest), known by his pseudonym Vladimir Streinu, was a Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern a ...
(who edited his works between 1944 and 1947),
Șerban Cioculescu Șerban Cioculescu (; 7 September 1902 – 25 June 1988) was a Romanian literary critic, literary historian and columnist who was born in Drobeta-Turnu Severin and died in Bucharest. He held teaching positions in Literature of Romania, Romanian ...
, (who put out another edition in 1956), , and treated his writings with understanding and objectivity. They commented on his literary discourse, his romanticism, evocation of landscapes and classical allusions. In 1944, Cioculescu classified him as a practitioner of the
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
, while Alexandru Călinescu observed that his corpus is an amalgam, a mosaic of styles and mannerisms.Ornea, p. 111 A critical edition, with preface and commentary by Săndulescu, appeared in 1984.
Zigu Ornea Zigu Ornea (; born Zigu Orenstein Andrei Vasilescu"La ceas aniversar – Cornel Popa la 75 de ani: 'Am refuzat numeroase demnități pentru a rămâne credincios logicii și filosofiei analitice.' ", in Revista de Filosofie Analitică', Vol. II, N ...
noted the "observer's and moralist's talent" with which he imagined "tales of an ineffable quality. He was not just a poet of the forest universe but also had an excellent, memorable ability to sketch characters, an extraordinary gift for recreating dialogue." He went on to deny that Hogaș was another Ion Creangă, as had been claimed, "but a city dweller who knew the habits of the mountain environment and the practices of the mountain people", endowed with "a rare capacity for depicting nature, with all its meanings and its beauties", "a seductive refinement and charm and surprise and delight". Excerpts from Hogaș appeared in textbooks for many years, but interest in him waned after the
Romanian Revolution The Romanian revolution () was a period of violent Civil disorder, civil unrest in Socialist Republic of Romania, Romania during December 1989 as a part of the revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries around the world, primarily ...
, to the point that
Nicolae Manolescu Nicolae Manolescu (; 27 November 1939 – 23 March 2024) was a Romanian literary critic. Elected a corresponding member of the Romanian Academy in 1997, he was upgraded to titular member in 2013. Life and career Manolescu was born in Râmnicu ...
called him "a nearly forgotten writer". In 2007, in an effort to make him relevant for a modern audience, Mircea A. Diaconu published a book-length monographic study of HogaÈ™. After his death, his widow and two of his daughters continued to reside in his house in Piatra NeamÈ›; in 1939, his daughter Sidonia opened a private museum in one of the rooms. In 1969, the entire house was opened to the public as a state-owned museum, and since 1994 it has attempted to reconstitute the appearance it had during the writer's last five years. Several sites connected with HogaÈ™ are listed as historic monuments by Romania's Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs. In Tecuci, there are two: his mid-19th century house and a more modern bust. Piatra NeamÈ› has three: the 19th century house that is now a museum, a 1924 bas-relief that features him in the center, and his grave. His 19th century villa in Roman is also listed. Calistrat HogaÈ™ National College in Piatra NeamÈ›, where he taught, has borne his name since 1970, while Tecuci's Calistrat HogaÈ™ National College has done so since 1990.Scurt istoric
at the Calistrat HogaÈ™ National College site
Casa Calistrat Hogas.JPG, Hogaș' Tecuci house Bustul lui Calistrat Hogaș.JPG, Bust in Tecuci Casa muzeu Calistrat Hogas.jpg, House and museum in Piatra Neamț Basorelief Calistrat Hogas,Ion Negre,Matei Stamatian.jpg, Bas-relief in Piatra Neamț Mormantul scriitorului Calistrat Hogas.jpg, Grave in Piatra Neamț RO NT Roman Hogas villa 1.jpg, Villa in Roman Bustul lui Calistrat Hogaş din Iaşi.jpg, Bust in Iași


Notes


References

*Calistrat Hogaș, Daciana Vlădoiu, Al. Săndulescu (eds.), ''Opere'', vol. I. Bucharest: Editura Minerva, 1984 * Z. Ornea, ''Actualitatea clasicilor''. Bucharest: Editura Eminescu, 1985


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hogas, Calistrat 1848 births 1917 deaths People from Tecuci Alexandru Ioan Cuza University alumni Romanian schoolteachers Heads of schools in Romania Romanian male short story writers Romanian short story writers Romanian humorists Romanian travel writers