MASCULINE CENTRE AND FEMININE PERIPHERY IN ANTON HOLBAN’S NOVELS
MASCULINE CENTRE AND FEMININE PERIPHERY IN ANTON HOLBAN’S NOVELS

Summary/Abstract: The article analyzes, dissects, and interprets the central themes of Anton Holban’s novelsand identifies love as a ubiquitous one among them. Drawing on O moarte care nudovedeşte nimic (A Death that Proves Nothing), Ioana, and Jocurile Daniei (Dania’sGames), the paper sets out to prove that the masculine element in Holban’s novels,represented by the protagonist-narrator, intertwines with the feminine, materialized in histhree partners. It is made clear throughout the article that Sandu’s relationships withwomen are determined, first of all, by the image that he creates of himself, while all theother characters usually live in his shadow. As a rule, women are treated by Holban’sprotagonist with superiority, in a condescending—and sometimes even sadistic—manner. By way of literary analysis, the article determines that the male figure treats women notas complex human beings, but as decipherable puzzles and coveted mysteries, desiredjust so that they can be controlled. Thus, the woman in Holban’s novels never gets theleading role, but must always stay in the background, only allowed to aspire to aperipheral role in the story of the male protagonist’s existence.

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