The Contribution of Alexander Mackenzie and Washington Irving to the Image of Spanish Orientalism in the 19th Century

Alexander Mackenzie and Washington Irving are considered the first American travellers to publish complete and detailed works of their experiences in Spain in the early 19th century. His contribution to the image of Spanish Orientalism is only comparable to that of Lord Byron, who has a great fascin...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Merchán López, Jesús
Tipo de recurso: tesis de maestría
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Valladolid
Repositorio:UVaDOC. Repositorio Documental de la Universidad de Valladolid
OAI Identifier:oai:uvadoc.uva.es:10324/66752
Acceso en línea:https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/66752
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Mackenzie
Irving
Byron
Romanticism
Orientalism
Spain
Otherness
Romances
Romanticismo
Orientalismo
España
Otredad
5701.11 Enseñanza de Lenguas
Descripción
Sumario:Alexander Mackenzie and Washington Irving are considered the first American travellers to publish complete and detailed works of their experiences in Spain in the early 19th century. His contribution to the image of Spanish Orientalism is only comparable to that of Lord Byron, who has a great fascination for Spain and its romances. These authors share an idealized and romantic vision of Spain, as well as an interest in the otherness that this country represents. However, Mackenzie breaks with that line when he first arrive in Spain, where he experiences in first person the harsh reality of the moment: the so-called “Ominous Decade” when Spain endures an institutional crisis and great despotism. All this is reproduced with great accuracy in his travel books. Irving does not share the pessimistic speech of his friend. His fascination with the glorious Spanish past results in the use of imagination to create exotic stories loaded with stereotypes that mix reality with fiction.