30 years since the death of Eugen Ionescu: “If evil exists, then God also exists”. 13 famous quotes VIDEO

Thursday, March 20, marks three decades since the death of one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, Eugen Ionescu, the French-language writer of Romanian origin famous for his contribution to the theater of the absurd, whose work inspired numerous authors and artists, whose famous phrases are quoted by generations upon generations.

Eugen Ionescu (Eugène Ionesco) was born on November 26, 1909, in Slatina, Olt county, and grew up in a family with mixed origins – his father (a lawyer) was Romanian, and his mother, Marie-Thérèse (née Ipcar ), had French citizenship.

At the age of four he went to Paris with his mother. He attended the primary courses of the Communal School in rue Dupleix, and from 1921, together with his sister, he lived in what he would evoke in his later writings as a Paradise – La Chapelle Anthenaise.

In 1924, when his parents divorced, Eugen Ionescu followed his father to Romania. He enrolled at the “Sfântul Sava” High School, where he had colleagues who were future actors, men of letters, philosophers, etc.

After graduating from the Saint Sava National College in Bucharest, he took the baccalaureate exam at the Carol I National College in Craiova. Later, he enrolled at the Faculty of Letters in Bucharest, obtaining a degree in French.

From 1938, Eugen Ionescu settled in Paris, where he started working as a cultural attaché of the Antonescu government, during the Second World War. For many years he combined his diplomatic career with his passion for writing and theater.

In the 1950s, he wrote his first plays, famous for their absurd and satirical style, “The bald singer” and “Lesson” being notorious examples from his debut in the theater of the absurd.

He has written and produced plays for many years, receiving international recognition and appreciation from critics and audiences. Among the most famous plays are “The Rhinos” and “The King Dies”, which have been performed successfully on the stages of prestigious theaters around the world.

In 1970 he became a member of the French Academy, a recognition of his significant contribution to French literature and culture. His work has inspired and influenced generations of writers and artists, his impact on world theater being undeniable.

Eugen Ionescu died on March 28, 1994, in Paris, in the Île-de-France region, France, his work still being studied and appreciated throughout the world.

“If evil exists, then God also exists…”

Here are some famous quotes about life, death and art from Eugen Ionescu, themes that appear frequently in his work:

1. “Childhood is a world of miracles and wonder of creation bathed in light, emerging from darkness, unspeakably new and fresh and astonishing”.

2. “Ideologies separate us. Dreams and suffering bring us closer”

3. “Everybody wants to lead everybody. Everyone resists being directed by everyone. Thus a dynamic balance is established at least”.

4. “It is not the answer that illuminates, but the question”

5. “Reason is the madness of the strong man. The reason of the weak man is madness”

6. “Fear is irrational. Reason must overcome fear” (line from the play “Rhinoceros”)

7. “Art is useless, but man is not able to give up uselessness.”

8. “The dead are more than the living. And their number is growing. Lives are rare”

9. “We are perhaps only knots, ephemeral intersections of energy, forces, diverse and contradictory tendencies that death releases(“The Lonely One”)

10. “All people play roles, except maybe some actors“

11. “Boredom also thrives when you feel safe. It is a symptom of safety”

12. “You remember the night. The day is made to forget”(“Air Pedestrian”)

13. “At the same time, despite everything, I believe in God, because I believe in evil. If evil exists, then God also exists…” (“Will”)