Nina Cassian
Encyclopedia
Nina Cassian is a Romania
n poet, composer, journalist and film critic.(7 March 1999). Poetry in Brief, The Independent She is noted for her translating abilities, and has rendered into Romanian
the works of William Shakespeare
, Bertolt Brecht
, Christian Morgenstern
, Yiannis Ritsos
, and Paul Celan
. She has published more than fifty books of her own poetry.
Born in Galaţi
, she was married with fellow writer Vladimir Colin
in 1943 (divorced in 1948), and later with Al. I. Ştefănescu. At the beginning of her career, Cassian was, with Colin, one of the noted contributors to the magazine Orizont.
She had a very close relation with Ion Barbu
, one of the most important Romanian poets and mathematicians.
Cassian travelled to the United States as a visiting professor in 1985. During her stay in America, a friend of hers, Gheorghe Ursu
, was arrested by the Securitate
for possessing a diary. The diary contained several of Cassian's poems which satirized
the Communist regime
and the authorities thought to be inflammatory. Hence, she decided to remain in the US.
She was granted asylum
in the United States, and she currently resides in New York City.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n poet, composer, journalist and film critic.(7 March 1999). Poetry in Brief, The Independent She is noted for her translating abilities, and has rendered into Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
the works of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
, Christian Morgenstern
Christian Morgenstern
Christian Otto Josef Wolfgang Morgenstern was a German author and poet from Munich. Morgenstern married Margareta Gosebruch von Liechtenstern on March 7, 1910...
, Yiannis Ritsos
Yiannis Ritsos
Yiannis Ritsos was a Greek poet and left-wing activist and an active member of the Greek Resistance during World War II.-Early life:...
, and Paul Celan
Paul Celan
Paul Celan was a poet and translator...
. She has published more than fifty books of her own poetry.
Born in Galaţi
Galati
Galați is a city and municipality in Romania, the capital of Galați County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, in the close vicinity of Brăila, Galați is the largest port and sea port on the Danube River and the second largest Romanian port....
, she was married with fellow writer Vladimir Colin
Vladimir Colin
Vladimir Colin was a Romanian short story writer and novelist. One of the most important fantasy and science fiction authors in Romanian literature, whose main works are known on several continents, he was also a noted poet, essayist, translator, journalist and comic book author...
in 1943 (divorced in 1948), and later with Al. I. Ştefănescu. At the beginning of her career, Cassian was, with Colin, one of the noted contributors to the magazine Orizont.
She had a very close relation with Ion Barbu
Ion Barbu
Ion Barbu was a distinguished Romanian mathematician and poet.He was born in Câmpulung-Muscel, Argeş County, the son of Constantin Barbilian and Smaranda, born Şoiculescu. He attended Ion Brătianu High School in Piteşti and Gheorghe Lazăr High School in Bucharest...
, one of the most important Romanian poets and mathematicians.
Cassian travelled to the United States as a visiting professor in 1985. During her stay in America, a friend of hers, Gheorghe Ursu
Gheorghe Ursu
Gheorghe Emil Ursu was a Romanian construction engineer, poet, diarist and dissident. A left-wing activist and avant-garde intellectual who joined the Romanian Communist Party as a youth, he was soon after disillusioned with the Communist regime, and became one of its most outspoken critics...
, was arrested by the Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
for possessing a diary. The diary contained several of Cassian's poems which satirized
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
the Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
and the authorities thought to be inflammatory. Hence, she decided to remain in the US.
She was granted asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
in the United States, and she currently resides in New York City.