The Reception Of Ossian In Europe (Athlone Sritical Traditions)

James Macpherson's Poems of Ossian, said to be translations from the Gaelic of a third-century bard, caused a sensation on their first appearance in the early 1760s. Contrary to the impression often conveyed in literary histories, enthusiasm for the poetry of the 'Homer of the North' cannot be dismissed as a short-lived fad, for its appeal lasted a century or more, both at home and abroad. There is hardly a major Romantic poet on whom it failed to make a significant impact. In the words of Sir Walter Scott, it succeeded in "giving a new tone ot poetry throughout all Europe" and its influence was ubiquitous, from Poland to Portugal, from Paris to Prague. The essays brought together here consider the reception of Ossian in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, as well as in a wide range of European countries. In some the focus is on individual writers (for instance, Goethe, Schiller, Chateaubriand, Espronceda), in others there is a broader sweep and a survey of reception in a national literary culture is offered (for instance, Hungary, Russia, Sweden). One of the two essays on Ossian in Italy at last gives Macpherson's influential epigone, John Smith, his due. Consideration is also given to Ossian's significance for the rise of historicism, and to non-literary forms of reception in music and art. **Series Editor: Dr Elinor Shaffer FBA, Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London** **Contributors:** **Howard Gaskill, University of Edinburgh** **Dafydd Moore, University of Plymouth****Donald Meek, University of Edinburgh****Mary-Ann Constantine, University of Wales****Mícheál Mac Craith, University of Galway****Joep Leerssen, University of Amsterdam****Colin Smethurst, University of Glasgow****Sandro Jung, University of Wales, Lampeter****Caitríona Ó Dochartaigh, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies****Wolf Gerhard Schmidt, University of Saarbrücken****Peter Graves, University of Sweden****James Porter, University of Aberdeen****Gabriella Hartvig, University of Pécs****Nina Taylor-Terlecka, Oxford, UK****Peter France, University of Edinburgh** **Enrico Mattioda****Francesca Broggi-Wüthrich****Andrew Ginger****Gerald Bär, Aberta University****Christopher Smith, Norwich, UK****Murdo MacDonald, University of Dundee****Reception of Ossian in Europe Review Reception of Ossian in Europe Review 2** This Collection Of 20 Essays, Prepared By An International Team Of Scholars, Critics And Translators, Records The Ways In Which Macpherson's Ossian Has Been Received, Translated And Published In Different Areas Of Europe. The Ossian Poems Caused A Sensation On Their First Appearance In The Early 1760s. Indeed, There Is Hardly A Major Romantic Poet On Whom They Failed To Make A Significant Impression. The Essays Brought Together In This Volume Explore The Reception Of Ossian In A Wide Range Of European Countries, In Both Literary And Non-literary Forms Of Reception And In The Work Of Both Individual Writers And National Literary Cultures.--book Jacket. Series Editor's Preface / Elinor Shaffer -- Abbreviations : Primary Ossianic Texts -- Timeline Of Ossian's European Reception / Paul Barnaby -- Introduction : 'genuine Poetry ... Like Gold' / Howard Gaskill -- 1. The Reception Of The Poems Of Ossian In England And Scotland / Dafydd Moore -- 2. The Sublime Gael : The Impact Of Macpherson's Ossian On Literary Creativity And Cultural Perception In Gaelic Scotland / Donald E. Meek -- 3. Ossian In Wales And Brittany / Mary-ann Constantine -- 4. 'we Know All These Poems' : The Irish Response To Ossian / Micheal Mac Craith -- 5. Ossian And The Rise Of Literary Historicism / Joep Leerssen -- 6. Chateaubriand's Ossian / Colin Smethurst -- 7. The Reception And Reworking Of Ossian In Klopstock's Hermanns Schlacht / Sandro Jung -- 8. Goethe's Translation From The Gaelic Ossian / Caitriona O Dochartaigh -- 9. 'menschlichschon' And 'kolossalisch' : The Discursive Function Of Ossian In Schiller's Poetry And Aesthetics / Wolf Gerhard Schmidt -- 10. Ossian In Sweden And Swedish-speaking Finland / Peter Graves -- 11. Literary, Artistic And Political Resonances Of Ossian In The Czech National Revival / James Porter -- 12. Ossian In Hungary / Gabriella Hartvig -- 13. Ossian In Poland / Nina Taylor-terlecka -- 14. Fingal In Russia / Peter France -- 15. Ossian In Italy : From Cesarotti To The Theatre / Enrico Mattioda -- 16. From Smith's Antiquities To Leoni's Nuovi Canti : The Making Of The Italian Ossianic Tradition Revisited / Francesca Broggi-wuthrich -- 17. The Suggestiveness Of Ossian In Romantic Spain : The Case Of Espronceda And Garcia Gutierrez / Andrew Ginger -- 18. Ossian In Portugal / Gerald Bar -- 19. Ossian In Music / Christopher Smith -- 20. Ossian And Art : Scotland Into Europe Via Rome / Murdo Macdonald. Edited By Howard Gaskell. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [405]-439) And Index. James Macpherson's Poems of Ossian, said to be translations from the Gaelic of a third-century bard, caused a sensation on their first appearance in the early 1760s. Contrary to the impression often conveyed in literary histories, enthusiasm for the poetry of the 'Homer of the North' cannot be dismissed as a short-lived fad, for its appeal lasted a century or more, both at home and abroad. There is hardly a major Romantic poet on whom it failed to make a significant impact. In the words of Sir Walter Scott, it succeeded in "giving a new tone ot poetry throughout all Europe" and its influence was ubiquitous, from Poland to Portugal, from Paris to Prague. The essays brought together here consider the reception of Ossian in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, as well as in a wide range of European countries. In some the focus is on individual writers (for instance, Goethe, Schiller, Chateaubriand, Espronceda), in others there is a broader sweep and a survey of reception in a national literary culture is offered (for instance, Hungary, Russia, Sweden). One of the two essays on Ossian in Italy at last gives Macpherson's influential epigone, John Smith, his due. Consideration is also given to Ossian's significance for the rise of historicism, and to non-literary forms of reception in music and art. Series Editor: Dr Elinor Shaffer FBA, Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London Contributors: Howard Gaskill, University of Edinburgh Dafydd Moore, University of Plymouth Donald Meek, University of Edinburgh Mary-Ann Constantine, University of Wales Mícheál Mac Craith, University of Galway Joep Leerssen, University of Amsterdam Colin Smethurst, University of Glasgow Sandro Jung, University of Wales, Lampeter Caitríona Ó Dochartaigh, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Wolf Gerhard Schmidt, University of Saarbrücken Peter Graves, University of Sweden James Porter, University of Aberdeen Gabriella Hartvig, University of Pécs Nina Taylor-Terlecka, Oxford, UK Peter France, University of Edinburgh Enrico Mattioda Francesca Broggi-Wüthrich Andrew Ginger Gerald Bär, Aberta University Christopher Smith, Norwich, UK Murdo MacDonald, University of Dundee Reception of Ossian in Europe Review Reception of Ossian in Europe Review 2 MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Contents 6 Series Editor's Preface 8 Acknowledgements 13 List of Contributors 14 Abbreviations: Primary Ossianic Texts 19 Timeline of Ossian's European Reception 22 Introduction: 'Genuine poetry . . . like gold' 70 1 The Reception of The Poems of Ossian in England and Scotland 90 2 The Sublime Gael: The Impact of Macpherson's Ossian on Literary Creativity and Cultural Perception in Gaelic Scotland 109 3 Ossian in Wales and Brittany 136 4 'We know all these poems': The Irish Response to Ossian 160 5 Ossian and the Rise of Literary Historicism 178 6 Chateaubriand's Ossian 195 7 The Reception and Reworking of Ossian in Klopstock's Hermanns Schlacht 212 8 Goethe's Translation from the Gaelic Ossian 225 9 'Menschlichschön' and 'kolossalisch': The Discursive Function of Ossian in Schiller's Poetry and Aesthetics 245 10 Ossian in Sweden and Swedish-speaking Finland 267 11 Literary, Artistic and Political Resonances of Ossian in the Czech National Revival 278 12 Ossian in Hungary 291 13 Ossian in Poland 309 14 Fingal in Russia 328 15 Ossian in Italy: From Cesarotti to the Theatre 343 16 From Smith's Antiquities to Leoni's Nuovi Canti: The Making of the Italian Ossianic Tradition Revisited 372 17 The Suggestiveness of Ossian in Romantic Spain: The Case of Espronceda and García Gutiérrez 404 18 Ossian in Portugal 420 19 Ossian in Music 444 20 Ossian and Art: Scotland into Europe via Rome 462 Bibliography 474 Index 509 A 509 B 509 C 510 D 511 E 512 F 512 G 513 H 513 I 514 J 514 K 514 L 515 M 515 N 517 O 517 P 518 Q 518 R 518 S 519 T 520 U 520 V 521 W 521 Y 521 Z 521 The intellectual scope and cultural impact of British writers cannot be assessed without reference to their European fortunes. This collection of 20 essays, prepared by an international team of scholars, critics and translators, records the ways in which Macpherson's Ossian has been received, translated and published in different areas of Europe. The Ossian poems caused a sensation on their first appearance in the 1760s. Indeed, there is hardly a major Romantic poet on whom they failed to make a significant impression. The essays brought together in this volume explore the reception of Ossian