Ion Luca Caragiale

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Ion Luca Caragiale

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Ion Luca Caragiale was born on January 30, 1852 in Haimanale - Ploiesti, Romania. He is one of the most important comic playwriters from Romania.

Biography and Career :

He was born in a modest family.

It is possible his family to have Greek or Albanian origins. That is why this detail is used by those who reproached the writer to be "unfit to Romanian spirit".

He attends Primary School in Ploiesti, then he take courses of dramatic art at the Conservatory, in Bucharest.

In 1870 he is employed at the National Theatre in Bucharest. He writes for many magazines and publishes some of them, the most well-known being "Moftul Roman", in 1893 and between 1902-1903.

Being impulsive, he gets many enemies.

He concludes: "I feel enormous and I see monstrous". This conclusion is like a shadow upon his whole literary work.

Ion Luca Caragiale is defined by his critics as a very intelligent and freakish man. During his period of literary creation he changes directions.

He is a publicist, translator, then comedian. He writes comedies between 1879-1885: "O Noapte Furtunoasa" (1879), "Conul Leonida Fata cu Reactiunea" (1880), "O Scrisoare Pierduta" (1884), "D-ale Carnavalului" (1888).

Comedy was considered then to be a "low" genre of a popular literature.
After a Four year breck he writes a drama: "Napasta" and the short novel "O faclie de Paste".

In 1901 he publishes the volume entitled "Momente", and by the end of his life he writes fantastic short stories as: "La Hanul lui Manjoala"

He is still very famous as his plays have been staged for years. The audience consider his comic very proper for nowadays.

Famous Sketches :

- Moftangii
- Natiunea româna
- Caldura mare
- Justitie
- Mitica
- Art. 214
- Politica
- O zi solemna
- Politica înalta
- Un pedagog de scoala noua
- D-l Goe
- Lantul slabiciunilor
- Bubico
- Jertfe patriotice
- Situatiunea
- Românii verzi
- Telegrame
- Triumful talentului
- Tot Mitica
- Proces-verbal
- Ultima ora
- Infamie
- C.F.R.
- Boris Sarafoff
- Repausul duminical
- Urgent
- Cum stam
- Meteahna
- Justitia româna
- La posta
- Duminica Tomii
- Gazometru
- Istoria se repeta
- Petitiune
- O lacuna
- Cadou...
- Diplomatie
- O cronica de Craciun...
- Vizita...

Trivia :

- His son Mateiu Caragiale was also a famous novel writer in Romania and one of his most important writing was : "Craii de Curte Veche".
- Academia Catavencu is a Romanian magazine that took it's name from one of Caragiale's characters.

Ion Luca Caragiale Videos

"UNA CARTA PERDIDA", DE ION LUCA CARAGIALE