Nicolae T. Orășanu (1833?–August 7, 1890) was a Wallachian-born Romanian poet, prose writer and newspaper editor. Born in

Craiova Craiova (, also , ), is Romania's 6th Cities in Romania, largest city and capital of Dolj County, and situated near the east bank of the river Jiu River, Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximatel ...

, he attended high school at Saint Sava College in the national capital Bucharest. As a young man, Orășanu entered politics and the newspaper business; his was a rebellious spirit that rejected autocracy and embraced being in opposition. Together with

C. A. Rosetti Constantin Alexandru Rosetti (; 2 June 1816 – 8 April 1885) was a Romanian literary and political leader, born in Bucharest into the princely Rosetti family. Biography Before 1848 Constantin Alexandru Rosetti was born in Bucharest, the son ...

, he edited ''Țânțarul'' in 1859. Then, on his own, he edited a series of satirical gazettes. These mainly had ingenious demonic titles: ''Spiriduș'', ''Nichipercea'', ''Cicala'', ''Sarsailă'', ''Urzicătorul'', ''Asmodeu'', but also ''Opiniunea națională'', ''Daracul'', ''Ghimpele'', ''Farfara'' and ''Cucu''. At the same time, he published brochures in the same style: ''Coarnele lui Nichipercea'', ''Coada lui Nichipercea'', ''Ochiul dracului'', ''Codița dracului'', ''Ghearele dracului''. Orășanu signed either using his initials or pen names such as G. Palicaropol, Cetățenescu, Iago, Ioana lui Vișan, Văduva, Netto, Nicor, Odobașa and Orășenescu. Orășanu made his published debut early, with the 1854 volume ''Floricele de primăvară''. This featured sentimental poems that formed a marked contrast to his biting temperament, yielding to the prevailing Romantic mood. His main literary preoccupation became the "rhymed chronicle", cultivated with a certain trivial verve and appearing in a series of brochures with parodic titles such as ''Misterele mahalalelor sau Cronica scandaloasă a orașului'' (vol. I-IX, 1857-1858), ''Târgul cu idei sau Buletinul Cișmegiului'' (vol. I-IX, 1857) and ''Trei feți logofeți sau Povestea lui Fâl-fâl-son'' (1857). Through such "verse novels", at least insofar as typology, attitude and vernacular style are concerned, Orășanu was a precursor to the literature of the slum. He was more successful as a memoirist, in the 1861 ''Întemnițările mele politice''. He drew upon the example of Silvio Pellico to evoke his prison experiences, leavening his narrative with humor. In the brochure ''O pagină a vieții mele sau 22, 23 și 24 ianaurie 1859'', another memoir, he claimed to have played a much-exaggerated role in the election as '' domnitor'' of Alexandru Ion Cuza. The writer later became an adversary of the ruler, directing the verse pamphlet ''Trefleac voivod'' against him. He translated works by

Charles Paul de Kock Charles Paul de Kock (May 21, 1793 in Passy, Paris – April 27, 1871 in Paris) was a French novelist. Although one of the most popular writers of his day in terms of book sales, he acquired a literary reputation for low-brow output in poor ta ...

(''Sora Ana'', 1856), Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian (''Gonzalv de Cordova'', 1858) and Jean-Louis Carra (''Istoria Moldaviii și a Româniii''). Orășanu worked as an inspector at the tobacco monopoly and then at the liquor taxation office, and was twice a manager at '' Monitorul Oficial'' and at the official press, Imprimeria Statului. Nevertheless, his financial situation was insecure. More than his writings, his biography makes Orășanu a very colorful figure during a period of transition. He died in Negreni, Olt County.Aurel Sasu (ed.), ''Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române'', vol. II, pp. 263-4. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Orasanu, N. T. 1830s births 1890 deaths Writers from the Principality of Wallachia People from Craiova Saint Sava National College alumni Romanian newspaper editors Romanian poets Romanian memoirists Romanian translators Romanian civil servants 19th-century memoirists 19th-century translators