MIHAI EMINESCU • Chronology / Life, Creation, Cultural Context

• This year, Eminescu publishes no poem. Until October, he continues his work at Curierul de Iasi. Willing to accept Slavici's proposal of joining him at the editorial staff of Timpul, the poet does not have the money necessary for moving to Bucharest. • In 1877, Ion Creanga publishes in Convorbiri literare: Mos Nechifor Cotcariul (Goodman Nechifor Slyboots) – in January – Povestea lui Stan Pătitul (The tale of Stan, the Sorely-tried) – in April – Povestea lui Harap-Alb (The tale of Harap-Alb) – in August – and Fata babei si fata mosneagului (Old woman's daughter and old man's daughter) – in September. • As a result of quite frequent solicitations of Ioan Slavici – now the only editor of Timpul – Titu Maiorescu decides to engage Eminescu and helps him to move to Bucharest. • November, 24. Eminescu publishes in Timpul his first article, entitled Bălcescu si urmasii săi (Bălcescu and his followers). • December, 11. In Timpul, the first study of Eminescu in the series Icoane vechi si icoane nouă (Old icons and new icons). • Vasile Alecsandri's volume of poems Soldatii nostri (Our soldiers) • 1878. Eminescu sends to Iacob Negruzzi several poems: Povestea codrului (The tale of the forest), Povestea teiului (The tale of the linden-tree), Singuratate (Solitude) si Departe sunt de tine (Away from you), which will be published in Convorbiri literare in March. • An year of intense journalism at Timpul. In his social-political articles, Eminescu defends, in a highly personal manner, the doctrine of Romanian society's organic development. In permanent polemic with Liberals' newspapers, Eminescu sharply criticizes the „fondless forms” so actively manifesting in the social and political life, in the culture, literature and science; his main target: demagogy. • February, 10. Gh. Eminovici sells the Ipotesti estate to Cristea Marinovici, for the sum of 8200 Austrian ducats. • 1878, February. On demand of Iacob Negruzzi, who had not yet received the poet's photograph for Junimea's anniversary picture, Titu Maiorescu personally takes Eminescu to the studio of Franz Duschek, in Bucharest. This will be the second photograph of Eminescu. • February. Ion Luca Caragiale is brought by the poet at Timpul, being also introduced to the Junimea circle of Bucharest. • March 3-14. After several heterogeneous articles, Eminescu publishes the rightly documented and convincingly elaborated cycle entitled Basarabia. • July - August. Convinced by his friends, Eminescu takes a holiday to restore his health; during this stay at N. Mandrea's estate of Floresti-Dolj, he translates – as charged by the Ministry of Cults and Education – the first volume of Eudoxiu Hurmuzaki's Fragmente din istoria românilor (Fragments from the history of Romanians), which had been published in German two years before. • November 11-13. Maiorescu, Eminescu, Slavici and Caragiale are in Jassy, on the celebration of Junimea's 15th anniversary. For the poet, this is one of the rare occasions of meeting Ion Creangă. [next]

RO / MIHAI EMINESCU • Viaţa, context/ Cronologie