“Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French”: Spanish Patriotism(s) Through Shakespeare’s Critical Reception (1764-1834)

Abstract

The paper focuses on the critical reception of Shakespeare’s work in Spain, beginning with the second half of the 18^th century, showing how the Spanish literary scene became a space for critical controversy that illustrates the aesthetic differences between neoclassical and dissident criticism at the time. The paper demonstrates that this initial aesthetic conflict conceals ulterior issues dealing with the identity of Spanish drama and of Spain as a nation, the decaying quality of Spanish theatrical production at the time, and the neoclassical political programme for moral instruction and social reform.