Mihai Eminescu

The biggest romanian poet and one of the best-known poets of the world

Mihai Eminescu (January 15, 1850 – June 15, 1889) was a Romantic poet, novelist and journalist, often regarded as the most "...famous..." and influential Romanian poet.

Eminescu was an active member of the Junimea literary society and he worked as an editor for the newspaper Timpul ("The Time"), the official newspaper of the Conservative Party (1880-1918).

His first poems volume was published when he was 16 and he went to Vienna to study when he was 19. The poet's Manuscripts, containing 46 volumes and approximately 14.000 pages, were offered by Titu Maiorescu as a gift to the Romanian Academy during the meeting that was held on January 25 1902.

Notable works include Luceafarul ("Evening Star"), Oda in metru antic (Ode in Ancient Meter), and the five Letters (Epistles/Satires). In his poems he frequently used metaphysical, mythological and historical subjects. In general his work was influenced by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

Eminescu was hospitalized on February 3, 1889 at the Marcuta Hospital of Bucharest and then he was hospitalized at the Caritas Sanatorium. On June 15, 1889, around 4 a.m., the poet died at Doctor Sutu's Sanatorium. On June 17 Eminescu was interred at the shade of a linden in Bellu Cemetery. He was elected after his death (on October 28, 1948) as member of the Romanian.


Works:

Nicolae Iorga, the Romanian historian, considers Eminescu the godfather of the modern Romanian language. He is unanimously celebrated as the greatest and most representative Romanian poet.

Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu (editor: Kurt W. Treptow, publisher: The Center for Romanian Studies, Iasi, Oxford, and Portland, 2000, ISBN 973-9432-10-7) contains a selection of English-language renditions of Eminescu's poems and prose.

Poetry:
His poems span a large range of themes, from nature and love to hate and social commentary. His childhood years were evoked in his later poetry with deep nostalgia.

Eminescu was influenced by the work of Arthur Schopenhauer, and some have suggested that his most notable poem, Luceafarul, includes elements of Vedic cosmogony. Eminescu's poems have been translated in over 60 languages. His life, work and poetry strongly influenced the Romanian culture and his poems are widely studied in Romanian public schools.

His most notable poems are:

- Doina (the name is a traditional type of Romanian song), 1884
- Lacul (The Lake), 1876
- Luceafarul (The Evening Star), 1884
- Floare albastra (Blue Flower), 1884
- Dorinta (Desire), 1884
- Sara pe deal (Evening on the Hill), 1885
- O, ramii (Oh, Linger On), 1884
- Epigonii (Epigones), 1884
- Scrisori (Letters or "Epistles-Satires")
- Si daca (And if...), 1883
- Oda (in metru antic) (Ode (in Ancient Meter), 1883
- Mai am un singur dor (I Have Yet One Desire), 1883

Prose:
- Fat-Frumos din lacrima (Prince Charming, The Tear-Begotten)
- Geniu pustiu (Empty Genius)
- Sarmanul Dionis (Wretched Dionis)
- Cezara (Caesara)