Amândoi by Liviu Rebreanu: multicultural settings and sources of suspense

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35824/sjrs.v4i1.22272

Keywords:

archaisms;, detective genre;, multiculturalism;, provincial Romania;, suspense, regional words

Abstract

The article looks into the multicultural settings of Liviu Rebreanu’s novel “Amândoi” (Both) by briefly examining the representation of its main, minor or incidental characters, either intelligentsia or common people. Ethnicity, social and professional statuses are considered as elements of multiculturalism. The continuous increase of suspense, the open ending, the parody in the undertone, and the development of the intrigue in an original multicultural context are presented further on. The various rumours arising from the townspeople’s own hypotheses about the murders of the aged Dăniloiu provide the opportunity to present the detective genre, which Rebreanu introduced in Romanian literature, suggesting a disguised satire of the type. The archaisms and the regional words of the novel are laboriously registered and underlined in terms of usage, etymology and linguistic connectivity, with the purpose of showing the multicultural flavour by means of a multilingual approach. The essay indicates that all characters use archaisms and local words, notwithstanding their social status or aspirations, a detail that puts in perspective the cultural configuration of the provincial town life, which Rebreanu is very aware of.

Author Biography

Lucian Vasile Bagiu, "1 Decembrie 1918 University", Alba Iulia

Lucian Vasile Bâgiu is a Senior Lecturer in Romanian Studies at Lund University (2020) and has been the journal manager of the Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies, Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University, since October 2016. He received a Ph.D. in Philology (Romanian literature) magna cum laude in 2006 from Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca. He became a member of the Romanian Writers’ Union in the same year. He has also occupied the position of lecturer of Romanian language at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim (2008-2011), Charles University in Prague (2012-2013), and Lund University (2014-2017). He is the author of several books on literary criticism, fiction, and language. Relevant publications include the following:

- Romania at Lund University, edited by Lucian Vasile Bâgiu, Alba Iulia, Aeternitas, 2019.

- Receptarea textului scris și oral. Manual de limba română pentru studenții străini / Understanding Written and Oral Texts. A textbook on the Romanian language for international students, Alba Iulia, Aeternitas, 2018.

- Introduction in the Study of Romanian Language. A textbook for foreign students, Alba Iulia,  Aeternitas, 2018.

– Despre Sebastian, Sorescu, Dosoftei, Derrida și limba română / On Sebastian, Sorescu, Dosoftei, Derrida and the Romanian language (Iași, TipoMoldova, 2016, award for monograph ex aequo, Romanian Writers’ Union, Alba-Hunedoara branch).

– Lucian Blaga și teatrul. Eseu despre absolutul estetic / Lucian Blaga and the Theater. An Essay on the Absolute Aesthetic (Iași, TipoMoldova, 2014, award for essay, Romanian Writers’ Union, Alba-Hunedoara branch).

– Valeriu Anania. Scriitorul / Valeriu Anania. The Writer (Cluj-Napoca, Limes, 2006, award for criticism and literary history, Romanian Writers’ Union, Alba-Hunedoara branch).

– Sânziana în Lumea Poveștilor / Sânziana in the World of Fairy-Tales (Iași, TipoMoldova, 2015).

– Bestiar. Salată orientală cu universitari închipuiţi / Bestiary. Oriental Salad with self-conceited Academics (București, Cartea Românească, 2008).

References

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The cover photo was taken on April 20th, 2011 and represents the window to the reconstructed house of Fefeleaga in Bucium, Alba County, Romania

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Published

2021-05-13

How to Cite

Bagiu, L. V. (2021). Amândoi by Liviu Rebreanu: multicultural settings and sources of suspense. Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies, 4(1), 87–110. https://doi.org/10.35824/sjrs.v4i1.22272

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2021): Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies

Section

Literature

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Copyright (c) 2021 Lucian Vasile Bagiu

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