The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Eminescu, Mihail
(mhäl´ ymn´sk) (KEY) , 185089, Romanian poet. Eminescu is considered the foremost Romanian poet of his century. His poems, lyrical, passionate, and revolutionary, were published in periodicals and had a profound influence on Romanian letters. He worked in a traveling company of actors, as well as acquiring a broad university education. His poetry reflected the influence of the French romantics. Calin, a typical work, describes the glory of nature and simple peasant existence. Eminescu suffered from periodic attacks of insanity, dying shortly after his final attack.