It is finished! Well, kind of.

I handed in my final paper for Modern Romanian Novel today. This paper has been, by far, the most difficult one I have written in my undergraduate studies. I can't quite explain why. All I know is that I researched, wrote notes, validated my thesis, analyzed the text, outlined, and drafted, just as I normally do. But somewhere in the process, I got lost. My argument did not seem cohesive--I had an idea and sufficient supporting evidence, but it just didn't seem to work.

I finally took it to the writing center and asked my lovely tutor to highlight fallacies, slash repetitions, underline dubious statements, and basically rip apart my paper. And so she did. I don't know whose copy of the paper was bleeding more by the end of the session, hers or mine. It was brutal. And I emerged with an understanding of my shortcomings, but a loss for how to recompense those.

So back to the computer screen I went. Dedicating three full days to revisions and edits, I finally saw my argument coming together. Truth be told, it was God's grace from beginning to end--yes, I worked hard, but divine inspiration helped me through the whole process. One piece after another was falling into place, and the different parts of the paper were harmonizing with the others perfectly. And so, Saturday night, at 1:03 am, I quietly turned off the monitor and crawled into bed. My overextended independent study of the modern Romanian novel was finished. (However, I wanted to turn in a physical copy of the paper, hence the delay between completion and submission.)

I love what I do, and I get a unique thrill when I discover a question no other scholar has thought to tackle. For this paper, I analyzed Vitoria Lipan, the main character in Mihail Sadoveanu's The Hatchet (1930). The paragraph below explains the basic premise of my argument:

Vitoria Lipan, The Hatchet's protagonist, undergoes an important transformation toward the end of the novel in the way she relates to members of her sex, and such a change is worth exploring in further detail. Though Vitoria is initially satisfied with her traditional female role within the patriarchal structure, her homosocial relationships with Saint Ann and Maria empower her to transcend traditional gender roles, avenge her husband's death, and affirm her autonomous individuality (Oana 5).

Though challenging, this paper has been one of the most rewarding ones I've written, mainly because I feel I'm entering a field of scholarship that is hardly explored by contemporary critics. Being able to contribute to that field, albeit minutely, is indeed a thrill.

So this marks the end of my Modern Romanian Novel posts. But fear not! The blog will continue. Today I begin researching for my senior seminar paper, and as that promises to be the longest and most complex paper during my time at Cedarville (topping even this one, I'm sure), I want to keep track of the resources I discover, the development of my "question" (which will lead to the thesis-answer), and any new developments along the way. So stay posted! :)

The Hatchet, part 2

This novel was a page-turner. Sadoveanu's skill shone through, especially in developing the main character and creating suspense. I took thorough notes on Vitoria Lipan, for she is an anomaly in Romanian literature, so far as I can find. In a culture where women are considered second-class citizens, Vitoria Lipan rises above those of her sex and shows the men just how revenge is done. She is intelligent, beautiful, witty, and sly.

The Hatchet is the story of a woman who subverts patriarchy, seeking to avenge her husband's death and--in the process--asserting her equality with any man. Her husband's death propels her into a new and strange world (32) but rather than withdrwaing timidly, Vitoria welcomes the challenge and sets to work. She discovers her own inner strength and resolves to wield her way amongst the male-dominated culture in order to set her husband's soul at peace. In doing so, she upsets many conventions and aggravates the men whom she challenges. Yet, as strong a woman as she is, Vitoria still needs someone to provide friendship and solidarity in the most trying moments of the adventure--uncovering the corpse and prosecuting the criminals.

I find it interesting that throughout two-thirds of the novel Vitoria Lipan works by herself (aided by her son) and does not indicate that she needs community. Yet toward the end, she inexplicably clings to one of the villagers, and the two plot together how to make guilty confess. I find it fascinating that this change in character occurs at such an important moment in the novel, and am quite certain I want to further explore it in my final paper.

I am looking to analyze the relational support Vitoria Lipan finds in Maria Vasiliu at the end of her quest to discover her husband's murderers, when she needed support the most. I would like to contrast this relationship with that of the other two women, Gafita and Ileana, and also examine Vitoria's stoicism at the beginning of the novel compared to her need for friendship at the end.

The "Best Romanian Detective Story"

Having finished Adam and Eve yesterday, I started The Hatchet, by Mihail Sadoveanu today. It's a fairly short novel and a quick read. I recall reading it in junior high, 7th or 8th grade, and greatly enjoying the story. (It was, in fact, one of the few pieces of Romanian literature that I enjoyed at the time.)

A note on the author's life
According to the intro note, Mihail Sadoveanu (1880-1961) was a prolific writer, having published over 100 books as well as editing a number of literary journals. Though Sadoveanu wrote throughout his life, Kurt W. Treptow claims, in the headnote, that his best works were written before the end of the Second World War, at which time he joined the communist party and turned to writing propagandist novels. I myself have not read very much about the author, but would be interested in delving into his life. What made this mastermind betray the "traditional values he had expounded in his literary creations"? From where did he draw his inspiration? Who were the writers with the greatest influence on his life? What was it like for him to lead communist assemblies? Did he regret his decision?

Religious sorcery?
Though the term "religious sorcery" may appear to be an oxymoron, Sadoveanu reveals that for Moldovan peasants, it was an everyday affair. Vitoria appeals to Maranda, the village sorceress, to unveil the whereabouts of her husband. The wife also interprets dreams and omens on the one hand, but is heavily religious on the other. I had noted the strange connection between religion and sorcery/witchcraft in Ion by Rebreanu as well. I'll be interested to further pursue this strand in the rest of this novel and the two left.

The role of women
Sadoveanu's novel differs from Rebreanu's novels significantly in that the protagonist is a woman, and a strong-willed, independent-minded, purpose-driven woman at that. She defies gender stereotypes and sets out to avenge her husband's death. I'm only halfway through the novel, but it appears that Vitoria Lipan is the exception from the rule; that is, she subverts patriarchy through her actions and makes a bold statement about the role and equality of women. Sounds like an interesting thesis to me...