MIHAI EMINESCU • Chronology / Life, Creation, Cultural Context

• Between 1878 -1881, B.P. Hasdeu publishes the three volumes of Cuvente den betrâni (Words of the old ones) – a landmark study of modern Romanian philology. • 1879. Socec Publishing House edits Fragmente din istoria românilor, translated by Eminescu. • Mite Kremnitz, Titu Maiorescu's sister-in-law, inspires Eminescu a transient passion. • January, 18. In Bucharest, opening night of I.L. Caragiale's comedy, O noapte furtunoasă (A tempestuous night); Caragiale had read it in Jassy, in Junimea's anniversary meeting. • February, 1. Convorbiri literare publishes Eminescu's poems O, ramîi (O, remain, dear one), Pajul Cupidon (Page Cupid) and Pe aceeasi ulicioară... (In the same old lane...). • April, 23. The new owner of Ipotesti allows Gh. Eminovici to remain there to help him in managing the estate, for a salary of 10.000 lei per year. • August, 4. Death of professor Stefan Micle, Veronica Micle's husband. • September, 1. Convorbiri literare publishes other poems of Eminescu: Atît de fragedă... (So fresh and frail...), De cîte ori, iubito... (How many a time, beloved...) and Rugăciunea unui dac (A Dacian's prayer). • September, 5. Veronica Micle comes to Bucharest, where she'll remain until mid October, which is an opportunity of spending more time beside Eminescu. The poet will visit her in Jassy in November; this will be one of the happy periods of their relation. • September, 30. In Bucharest, first performance of Vasile Alecsandri's play Despot-Vodă (Prince Despot). • October, 1. Convorbiri literare publishes Sonet I – Afara-i toamnă, frunza-mprăstiată (Sonnet I – It’s autumn), Sonet II – Sunt ani la mijloc (Sonnet II –It’s many years), Freamăt de codru (Forest murmur), Revedere (Meeting again), Sonet III - Când însusi glasul gândurilor tace (Sonnet III – When mute remais the very voice of thought), Despărtire (Separation) and Foaia vestedă (Whithered leaf), the last one an adaptation from Lenau. • Ion Ghica begins publishing, in Convorbiri literare, of Scrisori către V. Alecsandri (Letters to V. Alecsandri); as a separate volume, his Letters will come out in 1884, in Bucharest. • 1880, January 20. In Bucharest, issuing of Literatorul, founded and directed by Al. Macedonski, a publication promoting symbolism in the Romanian literature. • April, 1. In Convorbiri, O, mamă... (O, mother...), the only poem published by Eminescu this year. • Eminescu's material situation remains precarious, in spite of his permanent job to the newspaper patronized by the Conservatives. The exhausting work, the frequent movements from one lodging to another he is obliged to, his ceaseless financial difficulties affect seriously his health condition. • June. The relation with Veronica Micle breaks for a while, partly because of Maiorescu's opposition to a possible marriage of the two. In spite of his all-absorbing publicistic activity, Eminescu still finds time to return to his old literary projects initiated in Jassy. [next]

RO / MIHAI EMINESCU • Viaţa, context/ Cronologie