Description
Book SynopsisThe United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815-1830) was a creation of the Congress of Vienna, where the map of Europe was redrawn following Napoleon’s defeat. Dutch language and literature were considered the essential tools to smoothly fuse the North and South – today, the Netherlands and Belgium respectively. King Willem I tried a variety of measures to stimulate and control literary life in the South, in an effort to encourage unity throughout his kingdom. Janneke Weijermars describes the driving force of this policy and especially its impact in the South. For some authors, Northern Dutch literature represented the standard to which they aspired. For others, unification triggered a desire to assert their own cultural identity. The quarrels, mutual misunderstandings and subsequent polemics were closely intertwined with political issues of the day. Stepbrothers views the history of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands through a literary lens.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ... ix List of Illustrations ... xi Introduction ... 1 Part 1: ‘Released from the French Yoke’, 1814–1819 1 The Language and the Literature ... 21 The Language Resolution of 1814 ... 21 Criticism of the Language Resolution ... 27 The Language Resolution in Literature ... 30 2 The Myth of Waterloo ... 40 3 The Book Publishing Industry ... 50 Press Freedom ... 50 Copyright ... 59 The Reprint ... 62 Attempts to Collaborate ... 67 4 The World of Literary Societies ... 70 In Defence of the Rhetorical Tradition ... 70 Chambers of Rhetoric under the Flag of Holland ... 72 Antwerp: Tot Nut der Jeugd ... 76 5 Aen de Belgen (1818) ... 81 ‘An Undefended Case’ ... 81 United in History and Freedom ... 84 Willems’ Family ... 88 6 Epilogue ... 93 Part 2: ‘The Dawn of Freedom, Civilisation and Prosperity’, 1819–1825 7 Education and Literature ... 101 The Situation in Education ... 101 Main Points of Education Policy ... 103 Appointments ... 105 Prejudices, Misfortunes and Abuses ... 108 Successes and Failures ... 112 The Significance of Anthologies, Handbooks and Histories of Literature ... 114 8 The World of Literary Societies ... 121 The Literary Societies ... 121 The Chambers of Rhetoric ... 138 Society for the Benefit of All ... 142 9 The Book Publishing Industry ... 155 Trade in ‘Dutch Books’ ... 155 Attempts to Collaborate ... 157 French Translations ... 159 The Reprint and the Association ... 163 10 Epilogue ... 166 Part 3: The Parting of Minds, 1825–1830 11 Religion and Literature ... 173 A Problematic Royal Decree ... 173 Willems’ ‘Moderate Catholicism’ ... 175 ‘A Hundred Eyes and Still Blind’: The Journal De Argus ... 177 12 The World of Literary Societies ... 183 ‘Institutions of the Devil’ ... 183 New Societies in Lier and Eeklo ... 187 13 Literature ... 194 The Belgische Muzen-Almanak (1826–1830) ... 194 The Almanak voor Blijgeestigen (1826–1831) ... 203 De Argus (1825–1826) ... 206 14 The Book Publishing Industry ... 212 Laurens Janszoon Coster as a Divisive Element ... 212 Attempts to Collaborate ... 216 15 Epilogue .... 224 Epilogue, 1830–1834 16 The Belgian Revolution and Literature ... 237 The South ... 237 The North ... 244 The Belgian Revolution in Literature ... 246 17 Commentary ... 250 Notes to Literature References ... 253 Bibliography ... 290 Index ... 310
