On the “Cultural Heritage” of Literary Criticism in Eugen Simion’s Work: Between “Comprehensive Criticism”, “Directional Criticism” and Militant Criticism (1965-1971)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the theme of “cultural heritage” in the light of Eugen Simion’s work (1965-1971). Although this intellectual coordinate was promoted by the ideologues of the communist regime, it was approached in an aesthetic manner by the growing literary criticism of that period. Our main contribution is to observe how the public discourse changed because of the political interferences from the “socialist democracy” program. We will try to explain the strategies through which ideology functioned as Procrustean bed to literary criticism, focusing on the case of E. Lovinescu’s work, which became one of the central points of debate, thanks to a certain relaxation of the political control. Throughout the research, we will propose a few answers about E. Lovinescu’s status in the general context of those years.

Keywords

• cultural heritage
• communist ideology
• aesthetic values
• e. lovinescu
• g. călinescu
• eugen simion