Text: Ralph M. Aderman, “Poe in Rumania: A Bibliography,” from Poe Newsletter­, June 1970, vol. III, no. 1, 3:19-20


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[page 19, column 2:]

Poe in Rumania: A Bibliography

University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee

One significant omission in the Poe bibliography presented in the Poe Newsletter for January 1969, was any mention of Rumanian translations and criticisms of his writings. With the kind assistance of Professor Stefan Stoenescu of the Faculty of Germanic Languages and Literatures of the University of Bucharest, I have been able to assemble a list of many of the important Rumanian translations and critical studies.

Many of the earlier Rumanian translations of Poe derive from nineteenth-century French versions by Emile Forgues, Isabelle Meunier, Alphonse Borghers, Charles Baudelaire, and Stephane Mallarme. Since few Rumanians prior to World War I knew very little English, Rumanian translators like Ion Luca Caragiale used the familiar French versions of Poe’s stories and poems for their adaptations.

In recent years some of Poe’s writings have been almost constantly available in Rumania in one edition or another, a fact which suggests that his imaginative writings have general popular appeal and that the authorities regard him as sufficiency non-controversial to permit widespread circulation of his writings. The four collections of translations which I have examined are, with one exception, printed on cheap paper in inexpensive cloth or paper bindings. The prices range from 4 to 39 lei. (A lei equals 5 to 6 cents.) The exception is a handsome boxed edition with several imaginative illustrations and a dust jacket which capture some of Poe’s gloominess. The translations in this edition are the same as those in the paperback selling for 19.50 lei, but the text has been completely reset for this deluxe volume.

I.  Translations

Poems

“Corbul” [”The Raven”], translated by G. Murnu, in Revista Fundauillor Regale, IV, no. 3 (1937), 483-492.

“Corbul,” translated by Ion Luca Caragiale; published posthumously in Viata Romaneasca, no. 7 (July, 1937), 39-44.

“Annabel Lee”; “Clopotele” [”The Bells”]; “Un Vis mtr-un Vis” [”A Dream within a Dream”]; “Romanta” [”Romance”]; “Tara Fericirii” [”Land of Happiness”] “Somnoroasa” [”The Sleeper”]; “Tara de Vis” [”Dreamland”]; “Cetatea din Mare” [”The City in the Sea”]; “Ulalume,” translated by Emil Gulian, Revista Fundatiilor Regale, IV, no. 12 (1937), 538-556.

“Aceleia Care Este in Paradis” [”To One in Paradise”], translated by Al. T. Stamatiad, Revista Fundafiilor Regale, XII, no. 6 (1945), 604.  

Collections of Poems

Poemele lui Bdgar Allan Poe [Poems of Edgar Allan Poe ], translated, with preface, by Emil Gulian (Bucures,ti: Editura Fundatiilor Regale pentru Literatura si Arta, 1938).

Scrieri Alese [Selected Writings ], verses translated by Emil Gulian and Dan Botta (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura Universala, 1963; 2nd edition, 1968).

Poozii si Poeme [Poetry and Poems ], translated, with preface by Mihu Dragomir (Bucuresti: Editura Tineretului, 1964) Colectia “Cele Mai Frumoase Poezii.” [page 20:]

Short Stories

[The stories listed here are in order of their first separate appearance in translation, but see “Prose Collections” (from 1910-1969), which follows.]

“Morella” (1876)

“Morella,” translated by Mihai Eminescu.

“A Tale of Jerusalem” (1878)

“O Intimplare la Ierusalem,” translated by Ion Luca Caragiale, Timpul, May 31, 1878. [Included in I. L. Caragiale, Opere, ed. jerban Cioculescu, Vol. VII (Bucuresti: Editura Funda tiilor Regale pentru Literatura si Arta, 1938), 256-259.]

“The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether” (1878).

“Sistema Doctorului Catran si a Profesorului Pana,” translated by Ion Luca Caragiale, Timpul, June 1, 2, 3, 4, 1878. [Included in I. L. Caragiale, Opere, IV, 260-278.]

“Sistemul Dr. Catran si Prof. Puff,” translated by M. Straje and C. Iliescu, Lectura, no. 60 (1920s).

“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” (1892)

‘Indoitul Asasinat din Strada Morgei,” translated by Emil Pagano (1892).

“Dublul Asasinat din Strada Morgei,” translated by Albert Munteanu, Lectura, no. 125 (1920s).

“Indoit Asasinat din Strada Morgei,” translated by G. M. Amza (1930s).

“Indoitul Asasinat in Strada Morgei,” translated by G. M. Amza (1942) .

“The Cask of Amontillado” (1898)

“O Balerca de Amontillado,” adapted by Ion Luca Caragiale from Edgar Poe, Calendarul Dacia (Iasi 1898). Included in I. L. Caragiale, O pere, ed. Paul Zarifopol, Vol. II (Bucuresti: Editura Cultura Nationala, 1931), 341-347.

“The Mask of the Red Death” (1898) and “Hop-Frog” (1909)

“Masca” [”The Mask of the Red Death”], adapted by Ion Luca Caragiale from Edgar Poe, Calendarul Dacia (Iasi 1898). Included in I. L. Caragiale, Opere, ed Paul Zarifopol, Vol. II, 335-340.

“Moartea Rosie,” “Cei Opt Urangutani,” “Corbul” [”The Mask of the Red Death,” “Hop Frog or the Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs,” “The Raven”], translated by A. Luca. (Bucuresti: Biblioteca Lumea, 1909).

“Masca Mortii Rosii” [”The Mask of the Red Death”], translated by M. St. Baisoiu, Nuvela, no. 26 (1938).

“The Premature Burial” (1911)

“Ingropat de Viu,” Facla, no. 5 (1911).

“The Gold Bug” (1930s)

“Carabusal de Aur” (Bucuresti: Biblioteca Lumea, 1930s).

“Carabusul de Aur,” translated by Ion Vinea, preface by Geo ierban. (Bucure,sti: Editura de Stat pentru Literatura si Arta, 1957).

“ ’Thou Art the Man ’” (1935)

“Minunea de la Rattleborough” [”The Miracle from Rattleborough”], translated by Panait Voinea, Lectura, no. 561 (1935).

“Amor Fulgerator” [”Sudden Love”], translated by Ernest Palade, Lectura, no. 518 (1930).

“The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaal” (1960)

“Nemaipomenita Intimplare a unui Anume Hans Pfaal” [”The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaal”], translated by Ion Vinea, in the collection Povestiri Stiintifico-Fantastice [Scientific-Fantastic Stories ], no 125 (1960).

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym

Aventurile Extraordinare ale Lui Arthur Gordon Pym (1921). Aventurile lui Gordon Pym, translated by Mircea Alexandrescu and Marius Magureanu, with preface by Mihu Dragomir. (Bucuresti: Editura Tineretului, 1958).

Prose Collections

Nuvele Extraordinare [Extraordinary Short Stories ], translated by Barbu Constantinescu. (Bucuresti: Editura Socec, 1910). [column 2:]

Povestiri Extraordinare [Extraordinary Short Stories ], translated by Nicolae Dascovici. (Bucuresti: Biblioteca Minera, 1911).

Nuvele Alese [Selected Short Stories ], translated by Ion Achimescu (1912).

Povestiri Extraordinare, translated, with preface, by Iosif Schiopul (1910s).

Nuvele Extraordinare, translated by St. P. (Craiova: n. p., n. d.).

Fantezii Humoristice [Humorous Fantasies ], translated by Ion Dragu and Radu Dragescu (Bucuresti: Biblioteca Dimineata, 1930s), no. 9.

Scrieri Alese [Selected Writings ], prose translated by Ion Vinea; verse by Emil Gulian and Dan Botta; preface by Zoe Dumitrescu-Busulenga (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura Universala, 1963; 2nd edition, 1968, with additional prose translated by Mihu Dragomir and Constantin Vonghizas).

Proza [Prose ], translated by Ion Vinea and Mircea Alexandrescu, with preface by Matei Calinescu. 2 vols. (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura, Biblioteca pentru To~i, 1965).

Omagiu lui Edgar Allan Poe, t,Me/lonta Tauta,” “O Pogorire in Maelstrom,” “farim de Basm” [Homage to Edgar Allan Poe, “Mellonta Tauta,” “A Descent into the Maelstrom” ] (Bucure,sti: Colectia de Povestiri S,tiinsifico-Fantastice, 1968).

Mellonta Tauta “ [si Alte Povestiri ] [“Mellonta Tauta” and other Tales ], translated by Petre Solomon (Bucuresti: Editura Tineretului, 1968).

Scrieri Alese, prose translated by Ion Vinea, Mihu Dragomir, and Constantin Vonghizas; poetry by Emil Gulian and Dan Botta; introductory study by Zoe Dumitrescu-Busulenga. Illustrated edition, boxed. (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura Universala, 1969.) [Same material as 1968 edition but reset.]

II. Criticism

Buranelli, Vincent. Edgar Allan Poe, translated into Rumanian by Livia Deac (Bucures,ti: Editura Pentru Literatura Universala, 1966).

Calinescu, Matei. “Structure Fantasticului in Proza lui E. A. Poe.” Preface to E. A. Poe, Scrieri in Proza. 2 vols. (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura, Biblioteca pentru Toti, 1965) .

Cealic, M. Influente Morbide in Literatura. Edgar Poe. Viaia si Opera Sa. (Bucuresti, 1906).

Dumitrescu-Busulenga, Zoe. “Edgar Allan Poe.” Preface to E. A. Poe, Scrieri Alese. (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura Universala, 1963; 2nd ed., 1968; 3rd ed., 1969).

Frunzetti, Ion. ‘Poezia lui Edgar Allan Poe,” Revista RomdnoAmericand, I (1946), 232-236.

Gheorghiu, Mihnea. “Edgar Allan Poe Calomniatul” in Orientari in Literatura Straina (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura, 1958).

Grigorescu, Dan. “Edgar Allan Poe — Romantism si RaSinne” in 13 Scriitori Americani (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura Universala, 1968) .

Gulian, Emil. “PrefaSa.” Poemele lui Edgar Allan Poe. (Bucuresti: Editura FundaSiilor Regale, 1938).

Lemnaru, Oscar. “Nuvele Fantastice ale lui Poe,” Revista Romano-Americana, I (1946), 242-244.

Petrasincu, Dan. Edgar Poe, lluminatul. (Bucuresti: Editura Cultura Romaneasca, 1942).

Philippide, Alexandru. “Introducere in Poezia lui Edgar Allan Poe” in Scriitorul si Arta lui (Bucuresti: Editura pentru Literatura, 1968), 266-336.

Streinu, Vladimir. “Edgar Poe si Scriitorii Romani,” Revista Fundatlilor Regale, II (1935), 620-641.

——————. “Poemele lui Edgar Poe in Romaneste” in Pagini de Critica Literara (Bucuresti, 1942).

——————. “Titu Maiorescu si E. Poe” in Classicii Nostri, Casa Scoalelor (Bucuresti, 1943).


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[S:0 - PSDR, 1970]