The historiography of Greek literature and its relationship with modern authors: criticism of the idyll and canonization of the novel

Abstract

Throughout the 19th century, a new way of approaching the Greek culture and people was created by studying the history of their literature from its origins to the first Neo-Hellenic samples. Greek literature handbooks emerged as a new academic genre that, as far as Spain is concerned, was inaugurated by Braulio Foz (1849). Thanks to such handbooks, a new relationship with modern literary creators was configured, less deep, but more panoramic. We are going to study specifically how the idyll was considered from its initial lyrical context to a genre in prose. Thus, we will see how the aforementioned Braulio Foz criticizes the judgments of a well-known French handbook, that of Alexis Pierron, about the poets Bion and Mosco as not very representative authors of the idyll, while echoing the author's judgments about Longus and his French translators. Another notable case is the friendly relationship that Juan Valera maintains with a Salvador Costanzo, who follows Pierron’s trials. In the line of French criticism, Valera is going to offer some important considerations about Longus’ novel, which he describes as «idyll in prose». Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”, for his part, stands out as a student of Professor Alfredo Adolfo Camús, who follows the ideas of Franz Ficker. “Clarín”, likewise, reflects in his work a new consideration of the Greek novel in the key of «geographical novel». Fourthly, we will consider the judgments of Ángel Ganivet, a student of González Garbín, regarding Longus’ novel, judgments that are clearly indebted to Valera’s judgments. Finally, we will see the new horizons marked by Gilbert Murray’s handbook and his relationship with Unamuno.