On Germany (French: De l'Allemagne), also known in English as Germany, is a book about German culture and in particular German Romanticism, written by the French writer Germaine de Staël. It promotes Romantic literature, introducing that term to readers in France and other parts of Europe. The book was published in 1813, after the first edition of 10,000 copies, printed in 1810, had been destroyed by order from Napoleon. The book had a major impact on Romanticism in France and elsewhere.
Staël writes in favour of literature rooted in Christian culture, which is defined by its preference for the internal life, as practised in the confession. She opposes neoclassicism, which focuses more on action and is prone to use external rules, like those in Aristotle's Poetics and Horace's Ars Poetica. She places Christian belief in opposition to the pagan notion of fate, which she rejects. Romantic poetry, she says, is more relatable than classical imitations, because Christian culture is native to the French people, whereas classical culture is not. She also promotes the use of native French subjects to ensure that literature is relatable.[1]
Publicationedit
A first edition of 10,000 copies was printed in Paris in 1810. Napoleon, however, ordered the entire edition to be destroyed; the preferences for Christian and medieval culture over the neoclassicism of the Napoleonic era, and for German thinkers like Schlegel over French philosophers like Voltaire, were seen as politically subversive, and a possible threat to the established order. A new edition had to be printed in London and was published there in 1813.[1] A commercial success throughout the 19th century, the book was published in 25 French editions alone.[2] An English translation was published by John Murray in 1813 under the title Germany. Segments have been translated by Vivian Folkenflik and published by Columbia University Press in An Extraordinary Woman: Selected Writings of Germaine de Staël (1987), where the English title is On Germany.[3]
Legacyedit
On Germany had a greater influence than any of Staël's other works. Along with The Genius of Christianity (1802) by François-René de Chateaubriand, it pointed out the direction that French Romanticism would follow. The recommendation to express the inner life, like in the Christian confession, led the way for a tradition of French confessional literature.[1] The book also had significant impact elsewhere, including the United Kingdom and the United States, where it was the work that introduced the term Romanticism. The scholar John Claiborne Isbell compares its impact to that of Victor Hugo's Hernani (1830), which was seen as a "triumph of Romantic art",[2] writing: "Romanticism outside Germany dates its conscious existence from De l'Allemagne: recognising its pivotal role will give France back twenty stolen years of literary history, and restore the missing origin of this Europe-wide transformation of art and society. Hugo, Leopardi, Emerson do not come before, they come after: they are a second generation."[4]
Halsall, A. W. (2004). "De l'Allemagne (On Germany) 1810". In Murray, Christopher John (ed.). Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760–1850. New York: Fitzroy Dearborn. pp. 266–267. ISBN1-57958-361-X.
Isbell, John Claiborne (1994). The Birth of European Romanticism: Truth and propaganda in Staël's 'De l'Allemagne', 1810–1813. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-43359-4.
Staël, Germaine de (1987). An Extraordinary Woman: Selected Writings of Germaine de Staël. Translated by Folkenflik, Vivian. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN0231513186.
Further readingedit
Blennerhassett, Charlotte (1889). Madame de Staël: Her Friends, and Her Influence in Politics and Literature. Translated by Cumming, Jane Eliza Gordon. London: Chapman and Hall.
Furst, Lilian R. (1976). "Mme. de Staël's De L'Allemagne: a Misleading lntermediary". Orbis Litterarum. 31 (1): 43–58. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0730.1976.tb00514.x.
External linksedit
French Wikisource has original text related to this article: De l’Allemagne
Germany (1813) at the Internet Archive: Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III
December 15, 2023
germany, french, allemagne, also, known, english, germany, book, about, german, culture, particular, german, romanticism, written, french, writer, germaine, staël, promotes, romantic, literature, introducing, that, term, readers, france, other, parts, europe, . On Germany French De l Allemagne also known in English as Germany is a book about German culture and in particular German Romanticism written by the French writer Germaine de Stael It promotes Romantic literature introducing that term to readers in France and other parts of Europe The book was published in 1813 after the first edition of 10 000 copies printed in 1810 had been destroyed by order from Napoleon The book had a major impact on Romanticism in France and elsewhere Title page from the first volume London 1813 Contents 1 Summary 2 Publication 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 Sources 6 Further reading 7 External linksSummary editThe book is divided into four parts On Germany and German Customs On Literature and the Arts On Philosophy and Morals and Religion and Enthusiasm 1 It surveys modern German literature and philosophy praising writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Jean Paul and Friedrich Schiller It introduces French readers to the German concept of Romantic literature a term derived from the chivalric romances of medieval Europe Like Friedrich Schlegel Stael views Romantic literature as modern because its roots are in the chivalric culture of the Middle Ages and not in the classical models of ancient Greece and Rome Stael writes in favour of literature rooted in Christian culture which is defined by its preference for the internal life as practised in the confession She opposes neoclassicism which focuses more on action and is prone to use external rules like those in Aristotle s Poetics and Horace s Ars Poetica She places Christian belief in opposition to the pagan notion of fate which she rejects Romantic poetry she says is more relatable than classical imitations because Christian culture is native to the French people whereas classical culture is not She also promotes the use of native French subjects to ensure that literature is relatable 1 Publication editA first edition of 10 000 copies was printed in Paris in 1810 Napoleon however ordered the entire edition to be destroyed the preferences for Christian and medieval culture over the neoclassicism of the Napoleonic era and for German thinkers like Schlegel over French philosophers like Voltaire were seen as politically subversive and a possible threat to the established order A new edition had to be printed in London and was published there in 1813 1 A commercial success throughout the 19th century the book was published in 25 French editions alone 2 An English translation was published by John Murray in 1813 under the title Germany Segments have been translated by Vivian Folkenflik and published by Columbia University Press in An Extraordinary Woman Selected Writings of Germaine de Stael 1987 where the English title is On Germany 3 Legacy editOn Germany had a greater influence than any of Stael s other works Along with The Genius of Christianity 1802 by Francois Rene de Chateaubriand it pointed out the direction that French Romanticism would follow The recommendation to express the inner life like in the Christian confession led the way for a tradition of French confessional literature 1 The book also had significant impact elsewhere including the United Kingdom and the United States where it was the work that introduced the term Romanticism The scholar John Claiborne Isbell compares its impact to that of Victor Hugo s Hernani 1830 which was seen as a triumph of Romantic art 2 writing Romanticism outside Germany dates its conscious existence from De l Allemagne recognising its pivotal role will give France back twenty stolen years of literary history and restore the missing origin of this Europe wide transformation of art and society Hugo Leopardi Emerson do not come before they come after they are a second generation 4 See also edit19th century French literatureReferences editCitations edit a b c d Halsall 2004 p 266 a b Isbell 1994 p 220 Folkenflik 1987 Isbell 1994 p 221 Sources edit Halsall A W 2004 De l Allemagne On Germany 1810 In Murray Christopher John ed Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era 1760 1850 New York Fitzroy Dearborn pp 266 267 ISBN 1 57958 361 X Isbell John Claiborne 1994 The Birth of European Romanticism Truth and propaganda in Stael s De l Allemagne 1810 1813 Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 43359 4 Stael Germaine de 1987 An Extraordinary Woman Selected Writings of Germaine de Stael Translated by Folkenflik Vivian New York Columbia University Press ISBN 0231513186 Further reading editBlennerhassett Charlotte 1889 Madame de Stael Her Friends and Her Influence in Politics and Literature Translated by Cumming Jane Eliza Gordon London Chapman and Hall Furst Lilian R 1976 Mme de Stael s De L Allemagne a Misleading lntermediary Orbis Litterarum 31 1 43 58 doi 10 1111 j 1600 0730 1976 tb00514 x External links edit nbsp French Wikisource has original text related to this article De l Allemagne Germany 1813 at the Internet Archive Vol I Vol II Vol III Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title On Germany amp oldid 1188528484, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
