Dumitru Theodor Neculuță

Dumitru Theodor Neculuță (October 3 [O.S. September 20] 1859–October 17, 1904) was a Romanian poet.

Born in Târgu Frumos, his parents were Toader Neculuță and Zamfira a Ciubotăriții, poor peasants. He had to earn a living from age ten, working as a shoemaker's apprentice. His formal education was limited to two grades of primary school, but his passion for reading and love of music made him an autodidact. A socialist activist, he remained loyal to the Marxist faction led by I. C. Frimu following an 1899 split in the movement. He made his literary debut in 1894 in Icoana vremii, under the name D. Niculescu. His work also appeared in Lumea nouă, România muncitoare, Viitorul social and Lumea nouă literară și științifică. His only book appeared posthumously in 1907 as Spre țărmul dreptății. In Icoana vremii, he also published two prose pieces without particular artistic value, as well as several articles that put forth his credo of a politically engaged poet. His poems were partly inspired by George Coșbuc and Mihai Eminescu. They reach at least the average quality of contemporary verses, and along with discussing then-current themes (suffering brought about by love, melancholy, vibrations before nature), they bring new elements such as comradeship with those who suffer and an urging toward revolution and belief in the future. Neculuță died in Bucharest.^[1] In 1948, when it revamped the Romanian Academy, the new communist regime selected him as a post-mortem member.^[2]

Notes

1. Aurel Sasu (ed.), Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române, vol. II, p. 193. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004. ISBN 973-697-758-7
2. (Romanian) Membrii Academiei Române din 1866 până în prezent at the Romanian Academy site