The Modern Novel

Biography

Mateiu Caragiale was born in 1885 in Bucharest out of wedlock. Initially he lived with his father but when his father married another woman, he lived with that family, though he did become gradually estranged from his father. He became interested in history and heraldry after going to school, and then would later travel with his family through Western Europe. When his father moved to Berlin, he spent his time reading instead of studying law, as his father hoped, so his father sent him back to Romania to study law at the University of Bucharest, though he only lasted a year.

He became involved with literary circles and even returned both to Berlin (where he scandalised his father over a love affair) and then the University of Bucharest, before publishing his first poems. After his father died, he worked as a journalist and then in the Civil Service, after becoming involved with the Conservative political party. During World War I, he started work on Craii de Curtea-Veche (Gallants of the Old Court; later: Rakes of the Old Court). He remained in Romania even when it was occupied by the Central Powers and was clearly sympathetic to the Germans.

After the war he continued in politics but resigned when he was not given what he thought was high enough office. He focussed on his writing though tried successfully to resume his political career. He also spent time in Italy. After again failing to resume his political career, he continued writing but died of a stroke in 1936.

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Mateiu Caragiale
Mateiu Caragiale
Mateiu Caragiale