The present paper investigates the different manifestations of the phenomenon of loneliness in Romanian literature – a literature that began its path towards modernization, despite the pronounced conservative tendencies, during the interwar period and has been accordingly shaped through the peculiar interplay of tradition and modern European influences. Since loneliness is a literary motif often related to the theme of growing up, the paper focuses on literary texts dealing mainly with adolescence and youth. It wants to provide an overview of the specific manifestations of the topos of loneliness in Romanian literature. It also discusses the social and cultural features that have shaped the idea of loneliness. Based on three literary texts (Diary of a Short-Sighted Adolescent by Mircea Eliade, Travesti by Mircea Cărtărescu and Kinderland by Liliana Corobca), the following questions will find an answer: What is the meaning of the notion of loneliness for the depicted object – the adolescence and/or youth of the protagonist? Another issue that is to be discussed in the present contribution is: What function does the confrontation with the theme of loneliness have for the overall image of adolescence/youth as described in the chosen literary texts?
 

Keywords: Loneliness, Romanian Literature, Adolescence, Youth