THE FATHER FIGURE AND MALE AUTHORITY IN IOAN SLAVICI’S GURA SATULUI
THE FATHER FIGURE AND MALE AUTHORITY IN IOAN SLAVICI’S GURA SATULUI

Summary/Abstract: This article analyses Ioan Slavici’s novella Gura satului from the perspective of the father figure and the role of the man in the traditional Romanian family. Starting from the central character, Mihu, the study examines how paternal authority is constructed at the intersection of domestic space, economic power, and communal opinion (“gura satului”). The article first outlines Slavici’s realist poetics and his constant interest in the peasant family as a moral and social microcosm. It then focuses on the thematic and structural features of Gura satului, highlighting the tension between the normative patriarchal model (arranged marriage, paternal decision, social prestige) and individual affective choice (Marta–Miron). Through close readings of key fragments, the study shows that Mihu embodies a dynamic, negotiable patriarchy: he is at once master of the household and prisoner of public opinion, capable of harsh decisions but also of self-correction and sacrifice. The masculine roles are differentiated: Cosma represents traditional, inflexible paternalism; Toader, the socially “correct” but affectively neuter groom; Miron, the outsider whose masculinity combines physical vigour, artistic sensitivity, and moral verticality. The conclusion argues that Slavici nuances the traditional model of male authority, suggesting that true paternal legitimacy derives less from social control and more from the capacity to place the child’s happiness above the fear of communal judgement.

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