The Image of the Danube in Romanian Poetry

Abstract

This article surveys the evolving renditions of the Danube in Romanian poetry from the nineteenth century to the present, situating them within broader cultural, historical, and ecological frameworks. Inspired by a personal rediscovery of the river and informed by Bruno Latour’s concept of the “parliament of things,” the study approaches the Danube as a voice-bearing agent, whose meanings emerge from the interaction between natural processes and human histories. Drawing on an interdisciplinary perspective from Danube studies, it examines how Romanian poets have envisioned the river as a complex subject, the multiple roles it has played in their works, and the contexts in which it becomes a meaningful theme. At the same time, it traces the evolution of poetic visions across a succession of literary waves spanning nearly 170 years, paying close attention to shifts in thematic focus and stylistic expression. In doing so, it foregrounds the Danube as a dynamic site of memory, refracted through diverse interpretive lenses: from its early construction as a stage for heroic struggles to its more recent reconfiguration as a space marked by ecological awareness and contemporary environmental concerns. Through close readings of major poets and diverse poetic forms, the article demonstrates how the Danube functions as both cultural archive and active participant in social life. By integrating literary analysis with environmental and political theory, it argues that Romanian poetry contributes to reimagining human– nonhuman relations and offers a critical resource for understanding identity, memory, and responsibility in Central and Eastern Europe.