The Relations Between Spanish and English Literature (Classic Reprint) - Tapa blanda

Excerpt from The Relations Between Spanish and English Literature

It is no marvel of adroit arrangement. If the interlude was meant to be played on the boards, there is justification for condensing the first four acts of the Spanish book into one act the substitution of a happy ending for the tragedy of the original is a feeble and fatal concession to Philistinism. It has been suggested that the adaptor added his morall conclusion and exhortacyon to vertew' out of deference to Vives. Assuming that he knew Vives (of which there is no proof), this wouldoexplain his tamperings: it is no excuse for them. Yet enough of the original survives to lend the English interlude a permanent historical interest. The New Commodye breaks with the allegorical tradition, introduces human beings on the stage instead of abstractions, and prepares the way for a drama of character.

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This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Relations Between Spanish and English Literature

There are numerous publications, varying in merit, which deal with what is called the influence of Spanish on English literature as though the extent of this influence were established beyond dispute, and as though there were no reciprocity in the matter. This has the advantage of assuming what ought first to be proved, and of enabling the writer to indulge in wide generalizations; but the method is more convenient than scientific. It is safer to speak of the literary relations between Spain and England, for, if the phrase implies a certain reserve, at any rate it does not prejudge the case. My purpose is to lay the main facts before you, so far as time allows. 'Influence' is an elastic term, not easily defined; yet, however loose your definition, I hope to convince you that there has been some exaggeration on this subject in the past.

In the earliest period relations of any sort between Spain and England were necessarily slight (the word 'Spain' is, of course, used here merely as a convenient geographical expression). The Christian inhabitants of the land were too busily engaged in fighting the Moors to do much else, and the inhabitants of these islands took no special interest in the Peninsula. A little later many pilgrims from northern countries journeyed to the famous shrine of St. James, at Compostela, in Galicia. One such pilgrim is mentioned in Wace's Roman de Rou - a certain Walter Giffard who brought back with him, as a present from the reigning King of Galicia to William the Conqueror, the horse which William rode at the battle of Hastings. This was not, perhaps, an auspicious beginning. Giffard was unable, for the best of reasons, to bring back from Spain anything in the shape of a characteristic literary monument.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.