Literature As Access To The Past: The Rise Of Historical Genres In The Netherlands, 1800–1850

Abstract

The rise of historical genres was by no means specific to Dutch literature: the national past was integrated into the production of literature throughout nineteenth-century Europe. In this chapter, the author comments on the way literature made the past accessible to wider audiences, and offer a survey on the rise of various historical genres in the Netherlands between 1800 and 1850. The author focuses on texts that were about the Dutch national past, since they played a crucial role in spreading feelings of patriotism and transferring historical knowledge to a broader audience. In the first half of the nineteenth century, the literary interest in the national past increased drastically. It became one of the key themes in literature and inspired many Dutch poets, playwrights, and novelists. Keywords: Dutch national past; historical genres; nineteenth century; patriotic literature