Start 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne

Chapter 723 Looking at the literary hegemony of the 19th century
As William IV set his sights on Hermann Van Peron, the president of the University of Sydney, Henry Lloyd, Mark Twain, August Strindberg, and Vincent Van Gogh could not help but look at him. Her eyes fell on him.

Herman Van Peron saw their fiery gazes, but did not respond directly. Instead, he said suddenly: "The Election of Presidents and Governors is a work with unique artistic characteristics. It is between a satirical sketch and a short story. A special genre of time, mainly depicting characters’ personalities and having complete complexes.”

William IV nodded.

Others, especially the author himself, Henry Lloyd, had no objections.

Next to them, Mark Twain and Strindberg had their eyes even brighter.

Herman Van Peron then said to Mark Twain: But your "Running for Governor" did not imitate "The Campaign for President and Governor". Your "Election for Governor" did not focus on character development, and I seem to find that there is no emphasis on character. The complex is just a bunch of cleverly arranged news guides and short comments inserted in between. From this aspect, it is like a funny story or a satirical essay. Then, it is different from ordinary satirical sketches. Because although she does not focus on portraying the character's personality, it cannot be said that it does not express the character at all. It runs through the emotional changes and awakening process of this character "I" from beginning to end. "

When Herman and Van Peron said this, he couldn't help but sigh: "Aesthetically speaking, humor and satire belong to comedy, when things that are essentially ugly are presented in a beautiful and just form; or on the contrary, when the essence is When good things in the world are expressed in some harmless form that is inconsistent with their essence, they often produce comic effects. The former may often appear as ironic and funny, while the latter may appear as humorous and ridiculous. Mr. Mark Twain, "Running for Governor", which you adapted from "The Campaign for President and Governor", was based on this contradictory principle of content and form, and used exaggeration to create a comedic effect, and it finally succeeded."

"Herman Van Peron" said to Henry Lloyd: "The humor and satirical artistic style of "The Presidential and Governor's Campaign" are fully reflected. Although it is simple and clear, it is thought-provoking."

William IV smiled and said: "This review is really good."

"Mr. Mark Twain's artistic style of parallel humor and satire is very eye-catching, but it is not the first time or the only time that you have used a humorous style to expose and satirize the ugly style of capitalist society. I think In your other masterpieces, such as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", you have used your unique artistic style to profoundly expose the ugly faces of capitalism. Moreover, with your further understanding of American democracy and the aggressive and predatory nature of imperialism in your works, your artistic style has gradually evolved from your first work "A Fool's Travels Abroad" in 1869. The current style change has finally become a trend today, from the early mood and light humor to the current satire and criticism."

Afterwards, William IV praised: "What I like most is that your work, Mr. Mark Twain, comprehensively exposes and criticizes the social democratic political system of the United States. The style of the novel is humorous. In a short space, you can dig out the details The corruption and darkness of the American electoral system is extremely profound. He exposed the darkness of the so-called "democratic" electoral system in the United States and exposed the hypocrisy of the American capitalist electoral system."

He said with joy: "In this way, in the field of world democracy and morality, British colonialism is suppressed, and the 'real' truth about American democracy is revealed to the world through your works. Under the division of north and south France, the status of French literary circles At this critical moment, the Netherlands has fully entered the world with your support. You have won the largest share of the Dutch literary world. It can be said that you have made a great contribution."

Hermann Van Peron said worriedly: "Your Majesty, the German Empire has enjoyed a stable life in the past ten years, and the literary world has experienced a rapid revival, especially romantic literature.

From Gottsched to Goethe, German literature was classical literature that developed along the path opened by the Enlightenment. However, in the last century, German literature saw a counter-Enlightenment-movement ideological trend, which was the Romantic literary movement.

Therefore, Germany occupies an extremely important position in classical literature and romantic literature. "In this regard, William IV naturally understood that what he said was right.

"In 1796 August Wilhelm Schlegel came to Jena, and in 1798 he published "The Temple of the Athenaeum" with his brother Riderich Schlegel in Berlin, and started with them as the core It has formed a literary center. In the past 80 years, it has been called "early romantic literature" or "Jena romantic literature" by the international literary world. In addition to these two brothers who are responsible for the leading romantic literature, there are also important German green-leaf writers. Holderlin, Tick, Wackenroeder, etc., they all developed literature in this way. Their basic tendency is to nostalgic and escaping from the world, focusing on conversations and legends.

In 1802, the early Romanticism gradually disintegrated. Napoleon's military occupation of some parts of the German Confederation caused a large area of ​​intellectuals to be enthusiastic about politics, and inspired early Romantic writers such as Friedrich Schlegel and Adam Miller in their work. Germany's politics are openly anti-dong.
Even a large number of young romantic writers, out of concern for the future of the nation, remembered the people and the tradition of democracy. They formed a new center in Haider. These people and their works are called "late romantics" or "late romantics". Heidelberg Romantics.

However, after 1848, especially after Bismarck came to power, the Bismarck government began to restrict the thoughts of these literary people from "derailing".

Henry Lloyd sighed: "After the German Confederation was unified by William I and Bismarck in the 70s, German literature showed an anti-democratic tendency and developed into a defensive literature that openly defended Prussia and a chauvinism that promoted the German spirit. In literature, Gabel's poems praised Prussia's achievements in unifying Germany, while Dahn's "The Great War of Rome" in 1876 promoted the reactionary theory that the Germans were the superior race."

"good"

Hermann Van Perondao sarcastically said: "During the period when the German Empire was under the strong rule of William I and Bismarck, there was a strange phenomenon in the German literary world: the so-called great writers did not have much achievements in art. Gabel He is known as a great poet, but his poems are purely imitations of classical poetry. Heizer's novellas have a large number of readers, and they all write interesting stories that cater to the small townsfolk in the West. Freytag's novel The novels are said to be masterpieces, and they are nothing more than stories about how honest people get rich. Driven by these so-called masterpieces, all kinds of vulgar and boring works have occupied the German literary world, creating a smoky atmosphere."

He said with great ambition: "Your Majesty, I think the Netherlands can really expand the weight of the Dutch literary scene in the world."

William IV asked him, Mark Twain, and Strindberg seriously: "Do you have confidence?"

"Have"

Several people answered in unison, letting William IV know the answer. Next, he knew what to do.

(End of this chapter)