George Bacovia (Romanian pronunciation: [ddee ordde bakovi.

a]; the pen

name of George Vasiliu; 17 September [O.S. 4 September] 1881 22 May 1957)
was a Romanian symbolist poet. While he initially belonged to the local Symbolist
movement, his poetry came to be seen as a precursor of Romanian Modernism
and eventually established him in critical esteem alongside Tudor Arghezi, Lucian
Blaga and Ion Barbu as one of the most important interwar Romanian poets.
Contents
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1Biography
o

1.1Childhood

1.2Studies

1.3Between the wars

1.4After the war

2Critical reception

3Selected critical bibliography

4Further reading

5External links

Biography[edit]
Childhood[edit]
Bacovia was born George Andone Vasiliu in Bacu, the son of a merchant,
Dimitrie Vasiliu, and his wife Zoe "Zoia" Vasiliu (born Langa). At only six years of
age he began his study of German. Between 1889 and 1890 he started his
schooling at an academy in Bacu, before registering in 1891 at the
"Domneasc" Primary School in the same city. In June 1893, he finished his
primary schooling and afterward began studies at the Ferdinand Gymnasium, also
in Bacu. One autumn night, an oversight by the sexton led to his being locked
overnight in the tower of the Precista church, an experience which would later
inspire his first major poem, 1899's Amurg violet (Purple Twilight). He exhibited a
talent for drawing and developed into an excellent violinist in the school
orchestra, which he directed. He also distinguished himself in gymnastics.
In 1899, he received the national first prize in the contest "Tinerimii romne" for
"artistic drawings of nature." His poem i toate written a year earlier under the
name of "V. George" was published in the magazine Literatorul on 30 March,
launching his literary career.
Studies[edit]
In 1900, Bacovia matriculated at the Military Academy in Iai, but dropped out
during his second semester, unable to bear military discipline. In 1901 he began
studies at the Liceul Ferdinand in Bacu, from which he graduated in 1903. He
wrote the poem Liceu (High School) in response to a Ministry of Education
questionnaire sent to graduates in the course of Spiru Haret's educational

reforms. He matriculated at the Faculty of Law in Bucharest and soon became a

fixture in the city's literary life; an early reading of his poem Plumb (Lead)
at Alexandru Macedonski's salon produced a powerful impression.
He continued reading his poems at Macedonski's salon, and in 1904 his Nervi de
toamn (Autumn nerves) obtained the same success. Helped by his growing
reputation, he gained a position at the review Arta de la Iai and was able to stop
his law studies. After two years in Bucharest with his brother Eugen, he returned
to Bacu before matriculating at the University of Iai's Faculty of Law; despite
his previous studies in Bucharest, he started as a first-year student. Until 1909 he
remained in Iai, assisting I.M. Rascu with his review Versuri, later Versuri i
proz. Between 1909 and 1910 he came to Iai for examinations but lived in
Bacu; on obtaining his law degree in 1911, he qualified for the bar in Bacu, but
despite paying dues for ten years, never practiced law. Instead, he spent his time
working with Constantin Al. Ionescu-Caion on the Romnul Literar, with other
figures on Flacra, working as a copyist at the Prefecture, and helping at the
Prefectural accounting office. In 19131914, his health deteriorated and he was
eventually forced to relinquish his post.