Alessandro Manzoni and the Historical Novel in the Low Countries: Influence and Reception of a European Icon in the Genre

In this paper, I investigate both the reception and the influence in the Low Countries of the literary and essayistic works of one of the greatest nineteenth century European historical novelists. This contribution is not only meant to provide insights into the reputation of Alessandro Manzoni in other parts of Europe; its comparative nature also reveals interesting differences between Belgium and the Netherlands regarding the reception of Manzoni. I argue that these differences are caused by significant distinctions between the literary systems of Belgium and the Netherlands in the nineteenth century. Those distinctions, for their part, are largely the result of the political climate in both countries.