Spanish Romantic Literary Theory and Criticism (Cambridge Studies in Latin American and Iberian Literature, Series Number 5)

This study provides a fresh assessment of Spanish Romanticism through a sympathetic appraisal of its literary theory and criticism. It identifies the origins of Spanish Romantic thought in the theories of German Romantic thinkers, in particular Herder's historicism. The range of reference, from the articles of B?hl von Faber to the judgments made by Ca?ete and Valera is counterpointed by the detail of close readings of books and articles published between 1834 and 1844, together with an examination of the ideas that informed the creative work of Fern?n Caballero. Derek Flitter's use of the history of ideas offers a corrective to the recent preponderance of political approaches to Spanish Romanticism, countering their stress on its radical and liberal associations with a detailed demonstration that the majority of Spanish Romantic writers derived their inspiration from restorative, traditionalist, and Christian elements in their contemporaries' theory and criticism. This study provides a fresh assessment of Spanish Romanticism through a sympathetic appraisal of its literary theory and criticism. It identifies the origins of Spanish Romantic thought in the theories of German Romantic thinkers, in particular Herder's historicism. The range of reference, from the articles of Bohl von Faber to the judgements made by Canete and Valera is counterpointed by the detail of close readings of books and articles published between 1834 and 1844, together with an examination of the ideas which informed the creative work of Fernan Caballero. Derek Flitter's use of the history of ideas offers a corrective to the recent preponderance of political approaches to Spanish Romanticism, countering their stress on its radical and liberal associations with a detailed demonstration that the majority of Spanish Romantic writers derived their inspiration from restorative, traditionalist and Christian elements in their contemporaries' theory and criticism Frontmatter Preface (page xi) List of abbreviations (page xiii) Introduction (page 1) 1 Böhl von Faber and the establishment of a traditionalist Romanticism (page 5) 2 The consolidation of Romantic ideas: 1820-1833 (page 23) 3 The exiles, liberal Romanticism and developments in criticism (page 50) 4 Condemnation and clarification in the literary debate (page 76) 5 Reaffirmation of Schlegelian principles in literary criticism (page 92) 6 The religious spirit in literary ideas and the influence of Chateaubriand (page 113) 7 The perception of literature's role in society (page 130) 8 Romantic traditionalism in the work of Fernán Caballero (page 151) 9 Conclusions: The mid-century (page 175) Notes (page 188) Bibliography (page 205) Index (page 217) The first systematic exposition of Romantic ideas in Spain was that undertaken by the German bibliophile and scholar Johann Nikolaus Bohl von Faber (1770-1836), a naturalised Spaniard who had settled in Cadiz.

this Study Provides A Fresh Assessment Of Spanish Romanticism Through A Sympathetic Appraisal Of Its Literary Theory And Criticism.

Derek Flitter. Revision Of The Author's Doctoral Thesis, University Of Oxford. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 205-216 ) And Index.