A Romanian philosopher talks to eternity

“Art is a wound transformed into light…”

Georges Braque

Krum Gergitsov

I would say that the translator Ognyan Stamboliev shows a special inclination towards Romanian authors, whom he deeply appreciates and likes. And he always strives to present as many of their works as possible and familiarize us with them in a comprehensive way. And there are undoubtedly valuable, significant works by authors such as Eugen Ionesco, Mircea Eliade, Emil Cioran, Matei Vișniec, Ana Blandiana, Nichita Stănescu, Marin Sorescu and a number of others.

For some time now, Stamboliev has also been turning his attention to the remarkable work of the fiction writer and philosopher-dissident Octavian Paler (1926-2007). A few years ago he translated his existential novel Life in a Railway Station, then his philosophical reflections in Defending Galileo, and now he offers us a volume of almost 400 pages of Paler’s essays under the title 21 imaginary letters to 21 great men, which undoubtedly enrich the portrait of this author. In this way, I would say, the figure of an interesting philosopher and essayist emerges before the reader, capable of radically and surprisingly reflecting on the classical problems of the artist and his social, moral, aesthetic and cultural existence.

Octavian Paler demolishes the postulates on these problems, frozen in time, shedding light on them in an original, provocative way. The exposition mixes philosophical analysis with the essayist’s agitated discourse. And here he offers something interesting – each letter ends with a poem composed by him. The letters thus ring with a special magnetism and hold the reader’s interest, and the whole exposition is full of philosophical maxims, philosophical deductions that literally blow up our Christological judgments about these classic authors.

In his book Octavian Paler sends his letters to the great philosophers and writers who deeply moved him with their judgments about art and life. Therefore, the main themes here are about beauty in art, about freedom, about harmony or disharmony in the artist or philosopher, between what is said in his works and his personal life, the theme of the stoic principle in our conduct of life in fateful situations. An important theme is that of human loneliness in modern society. Interesting are his reflections on the eternally undisciplined spirit of Don Juan, the tragism of Sisyphus in his existence – the eternal ascent to the top, the immortality of works of art and architecture in ancient Greece, etc. In other words, in all his “challenges” to the personalities analyzed and their philosophy, the idea of harmony between the moral existence preached by an author in his works and the stoicism and moral portrait of his life in reality is imposed. Very often they are in diametrical opposition.

The thesis that the artist constructs himself as art with his life persists in all the portraits. And this thesis makes them dynamic, interesting, with unexpected perspectives. Thus, a major thread in all of Paler’s letters is the relationship that brings out insights into the artist-morality-beauty-truth conflict. In spirit, his philosophical dialogues are influenced by the moral philosophy of the French moralists La Rochefoucauld and Montaigne. The author’s way of writing is decidedly aphoristic, “overflowing” with conclusions and philosophical-moral intuitions.

“The purpose of philosophy is not to tell us of ‘hope in another’ world, but to open our eyes to what has been at hand and has not been seen. For the world needs not holiness, but beauty. If we can save ourselves only by ceasing to seek heaven here on earth, I at least prefer to die guilty.” 

This is an excerpt from his letter to the philosopher Blaise Pascal. Paler’s reflections on major, fundamental figures in philosophy and literature are aided by his profound knowledge of ancient philosophy and the history of ideas. To these he devotes the book’s second chapter, “Subjective Mythologies”.

This antiquity appears to Paller as a corrective in our reflections on the history of thought and aesthetics at different times, and especially today. Octavian Paler is provocative, even enigmatic at times, I would say, in his exposition. His thought fizzes frantically, taking unexpected turns. He keeps the reader in constant suspense and strives to “arrange” it in a certain logical sequence.

Here is another small example from his narrative: 

“…The Parthenon is not just a temple, but above all a point of view on the world. Among its columns we will rediscover all the arguments that tip the scales in favor of the sun, love and life”.

Or this extract: 

“… I have sometimes thought that it is our memories that haunt us and want to tear us apart. And maybe everyone has his own wolf.” 

Thus, his letters are a kind of play with philosophy and the life of artists, in which the play changes everything, energizes. It is not for nothing that his favorite philosopher is Socrates, who always doubted and for whom there is no absolute truth.

But who are these personalities to whom Paler writes his imaginary letters? These are towering figures of philosophy and literature – whose works have shaped the philosophical and moral mold of man over time. Writers and philosophers who praised, suffered, resented, wept or laughed at this Man. These great men are Miguel de Unamuno, Albert Camus, Stefan Zweig, Marcel Proust, Rainer Maria Rilke, Oscar Wilde, André Gide, René Descartes, Franz Kafka, Gustave Flaubert, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Cesare Pavese, Friedrich Hölderlin, Pierre Lotti, Jacob Burckhardt, Nicolas Chamfort, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Herbert Wells, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Blaise Pascal. I have deliberately quoted all authors, as it is impossible to add these authors in the “and others” column. Each letter ends with a poem by Octavian Paler himself.

But this is not an extravagant ending to philosophical musings. It is the conclusion in poetic terms of a modern, analytically profound meditation of a philosopher conversing with Eternity, of a philosopher anxiously bringing the judgments of famous authors into our time and giving them a new anxiety, significance and acute contemporary reflexivity. Mythology and modern time are blended in a new spatiality that makes our time more profoundly, tragically-elevated or poetically sublime. So I will conclude this text with one of his final poems:

To Mr. Oscar Wilde

THE DEATH OF SOCRATES

I am left alone.

Why do you tremble?

The verdict

has already been pronounced.

Why tremble, for God’s sake.

From the words,

which I failed to speak,

I saw the silence

was shattered.

I have grown old.

I no longer wish to speak,

not about life,

nor about death.

And I don’t understand

why are you trembling now?

The poison is strong and ready.

And you are so pale!

Are not you,

murderers, worthy…

Octavian Paler. “21 imaginary letters to 21 great men”,

Translation by Ognyan Stamboliev, Gea Libris Publishing House, Sofia

Photo: The cover of Octavian Paler’s book Imaginary Letters (source: YouTube)

Subscribe to the channel of the blog “The Bridge of Friendship” in YouTube, where a number of video and audio interviews are published! The blog can also be followed in Facebook and Twitter. Its Telegram channel is here. And here is its Substack account.

About Author