Geocritical Readings of Romanian Literature: Maps and Cartography in Rebreanu's Canonical Fiction

Abstract

Starting from the maps drawn by Liviu Rebreanu before he wrote his novels, which can be found in his manuscripts kept at the Romanian Academy Library, the present study, using a geocritical lens, presents the way in which fictional and real spaces enter into a dialogue and the degree to which they overlap. This intricate relationship is analysed by using geographic landmarks from the beginning of the twentieth century as well as historical data, and biographical extracts from the novelist's memoirs. Rebreanu's maps are studied by mirroring them through the lens of real spaces to reveal a form of literary cartography, disclosing elements related to the significance of chosen places and narrative modification, ultimately offering a new vision of Rebreanu's prose.