Otilia Cazimir facts for kids
Otilia Cazimir (born Alexandra Gavrilescu; February 12, 1894 – June 8, 1967) was a famous Romanian writer. She was a poet, prose writer, translator, and journalist. People often called her the "poetess of gentle souls." She is especially known for her wonderful poems for children.
Contents
Who Was Otilia Cazimir?
Early Life and First Steps in Writing
Otilia Cazimir was born in Cotu Vameș, Neamț County. She was the fifth child of two schoolteachers, Gheorghe and Ecaterina Gavrilescu. She went to middle and high school in Iași. Later, she studied literature and philosophy at the University of Iași. However, she did not finish her degree.
A Name She Didn't Love
Her pen name, Otilia Cazimir, was chosen by her mentors, Mihail Sadoveanu and Garabet Ibrăileanu. She never really liked this name! She once said she had nothing in common with German legends. She also remembered a girl named Otilia in first grade who was "stupid, fat and pimply." Otilia Cazimir also used other pen names. These included Alexandra Casian, Ofelia, Magda, or Dona Sol. She used these names for her writings in newspapers, especially those with a "feminist" message.
Her First Books and Style
In 1912, Otilia Cazimir started publishing poems in a magazine called Viața Românească. She continued to write for this magazine for many years. Her work also appeared in other magazines. Her first book of poems, Lumini și umbre (Lights and Shadows), came out in 1923. She then published Fluturi de noapte (Night Butterflies) in 1926 and Cântec de comoară (Treasure Song) in 1931.
Otilia Cazimir's poems often talked about everyday life. They showed how small, familiar things could connect to the larger world. She also wrote prose books. These included Din întuneric (From the Darkness) in 1928 and Grădina cu amintiri (The Garden of Memories) in 1929. She even wrote a novel called A murit Luchi... (Luchi Died...) in 1942. From 1937 to 1947, she worked as an inspector for theaters in the Moldavia region.
Awards and Later Works
Otilia Cazimir received many awards for her writing. She won the Romanian Academy's prize in 1927. She also won the Femina Prize in 1928 and the national prize for poetry in 1937. In 1942, she received the Romanian Writers' Society prize.
Writing for Children
She was very successful as a children's writer. Some of her popular children's books include Jucării (Toys) from 1938 and Baba Iarna intră-n sat (Old Lady Winter Enters the Village) from 1954. She also published her memories in a book called Prietenii mei scriitori... (My Writer Friends...) in 1960. During the time when the communist government was in power, she received the Order of Labor award in 1954.
Her Legacy Today
Otilia Cazimir also translated books from other languages. She translated French literature by Guy de Maupassant. She also translated Russian and Soviet writers like Maxim Gorky and Anton Chekhov. A famous literary critic, Eugen Lovinescu, described her poems as "gracious and minor."
Otilia Cazimir passed away in Iași in 1967. She was buried at the city's Eternitatea Cemetery. Her house in Iași became a museum in 1972. You can visit it to see her office, portraits, and her personal items. These include her eyeglasses, inkwell, manuscripts, and many signed books.
Her Books
Here is a list of some of the books Otilia Cazimir published:
- Lumini și umbre, Viața Românească Publishing, Iași, 1923
- Fluturi de noapte, Cartea Românească Publishing, București, 1926
- Cântec de comoară, "Naționala" S. Ciornei Publishing, București, 1931
- Jucării, București, 1938
- Poezii, "Regele Carol II" Literature and Art Foundation, București, 1939
- Catinca și Catiușa, două fete din vecini (with Th. Kiriacoff-Suruceanu), Cartea Rusă Publishing, București, 1947
- Stăpânul lumii, Cartea Rusă Publishing, București, 1947
- Alb și negru (with Th. Kiriacoff-Suruceanu), Cartea Rusă Publishing, București, 1949
- Baba Iarna intră-n sat, Tineretului Publishing, București, 1954
- Poezii, „Regele Carol II” Literature and Art Foundation, București, 1956
- Versuri, preface by Const. Ciopraga, Editura de Stat pentru Literatură si Artă, București, 1957
- Poezii, București, 1959
- Partidului de ziua lui, București, 1961
- Poezii (1928-1963), preface by Const. Ciopraga, București, Tineretului Publishing, 1964
- Cele mai frumoase poezii, preface Const. Ciopraga, București, Tineretului Publishing, 1965
- Poezii, Ion Creangă Publishing, București, 1975
- Ariciul împărat, Ion Creangă Publishing, 1985
Images for kids
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Cazimir and George Topîrceanu
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Cazimir's house in Iași
