MEMORIILE UNUI ANARHIST: ZAMFIR C. ARBORE ȘI MEMORIALISTICA SECOLULUI AL XIX-LEA.

The article takes a look at the forms and functions of Romanian memoir writing in the 19th century, endeavoring to demonstrate that the literary quality is only one of the many criteria which determine its canonical status, others being its political and social value or its contribution to the coherent narration of the national culture. In order to better evaluate this hypothesis, I then propose the particular case study of Zamfir C. Arbore (1848-1933) and his memoirs as an early Narodnicist, Anarchist and political prisoner in the Russia empire, and afterwards as an exile to Switzerland, close associate to some of the great left-wing thinkers of his time and producer of clandestine literature. After going through the substance and technique of his memoir-writing, I come to the conclusion that such works, which the canon of literary tradition often avoids, are an integral part of the social memory which memoirs are a witness to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]