Michiel de Swaen

Michiel de Swaen (* January 20, 1654 in Dunkirk, † May 3, 1707 same place ) is considered the greatest Dutch-speaking author of France.

De Swaen, of Dutch citizens

Michiel de Swaen attended the Jesuit college of his native town, where he enjoyed a humanist education. This was characterized among other things by the theater, which was one of the most important elements of Jesuit pedagogy. After six years of apprenticeship, including three years in a surgeon and three years at an unknown location, settled Michiel de Swaen in Dunkirk as a surgeon and barber. He took part in the literary life of the city, became a member of the rhetoricians and appointed princes of that guild later. Although there were fourteen surgeons in Dunkirk, he apparently had many patients as he complained in his occasional poetry to barely have time to write.

Dunkirk and the lost homeland

In the 17th century saw the northern Dutch literature, such as the now independent Northern Netherlands in general, the beginning of their golden age. In the year of birth of de Swaen famous works as all wercken of Jacob Cats, Trintje Cornelis of Constantijn Huygens and Lucifer by Joost van den Vondel were brought out. In contrast, experienced the south, the so-called Spanish Netherlands, a high emigration, misery and war. As Michiel de Swaen was eight years old, the Flemish city of Dunkirk, France was incorporated. A year later, French was the official language of Dunkirk. So that everything suddenly was in Dunkirk ( and in the general Westhoek ) Frenchified, which led to the rapid disappearance of the Dutch language in public life. After 1700 almost exclusively French pieces were played at the theater in Dunkirk. For this reason, Michiel de Swaen and his friends consciously chosen the Dutch language. That de Swaen the French language was powerful, shows his translation of Le Cid by Pierre Corneille. The Dutch standard language was hardly spoken in the 17th century in the cities and villages of the Southern Netherlands (Flanders). Michiel de Swaen tried to use a language that can all Nederlanders ( can all understand Dutch ) begrypen, like his friend the Rederijker and printer Pieter Labus put it. The admiration for the lost land was a constant feature in the Dutch-language literature French - Flanders. As evidenced by the extant texts of the 18th century, probably de Swaen was the motivating model that has led to this literary admiration.

From: De zedighe doot Carel van the Vijfen; ate the heer Van Heel, my Onbekent, over syne clacht, op myn vertrek, uyt Hollant, Michiel de Swaen

The Rederijkerskammer, Bridge to the Netherlands

Michiel de Swaen belonged to Dunkirk Rederijkerskammer of Sint Michiel, Guild of Kassouwieren ( kersouw from, flemish for daisies). The word Rederijker (on German rhetorician ) describes someone who is of oratory powerful or gifted. The movement of the Rederijker was originally created in the 15th and 16th centuries. Most rhetoricians of the 17th century came from Flanders and Brabant, and were partly influenced by new movements like humanism and the Counter-Reformation. 1687 was de Swaen the title Prins of rhetoricians in Dunkirk. Through this literary movement Michiel de Swaen and the rhetoricians still kept a close relationship with the Southern Netherlands (present-day Flanders). 1688 he was with his Rederijkerkammers guest of the Chamber of Kruys - Broeders in Furnes (now in Belgium West Flanders). 1700 took Michiel de Swaen the literary competition Drie Santinnen in Bruges part. He did not win this competition, what rhetoricians all very surprised. This led him to write a letter to the Rederijkerskammer of Bruges, to show that they have made ​​a mistake.

A Flemish hero

Since the Edict of Villers -Cotterets French is the official language in France. For this reason, reached almost no information about Dutch authors such as Michiel de Swaen to the French - even today hardly. Many Flemish people of France want a restoration of Flemish culture in French Flanders, and for that they often take Michiel de Swaen as an example, which remains quite Flanders and the only witness to a Dutch-speaking quality literature in French Flanders for many with the Belgian Guido Gezelle the largest author.

Work

De Swaens most famous works are: De Gecroonde leerse (1688 ), Catharina ( 1702), Mauritius, Andronicus (1700 ), Le Cid ( 1694 ), De Man wording ( 1688), Het leven en de dood van Jesus Christ ( 1694 ), Neder - Duitsche digtkonde of rym - const (ca. 1702), de doot zedighe Carel van the Vijfden (ca. 1707). De Swaen it has however not be published. Only the translation of Andronicus appeared in 1707 in Dunkirk with his consent. 1694 his translation of Le Cid was brought out from the printer Pieter Labus without his consent. While he held in his youth, his employment with the Rederijkerskammer with much enthusiasm, he withdrew later due to his Christian ideology back, and refused that his friends bring out his works. All his works were later printed in cities like Bruges or Ghent. Since many of his texts in the monastery of Sint- Winoksbergen ( Dunkirk neighboring town and the historical center French Flanders ) were kept and this was during the French Revolution in flames, is not sure if all his works could be saved.

The influences

Guido Gezelle called Michiel de Swaen van den Vondel Dunkirk. While Michiel de Swaen belonged to Rederijkersbewegung, he was influenced by well-known Dutch humanist like Joost van den Vondel, or Jacob Cats. Bothered him the way of the rhetoricians to perform their art. Michiel de Swaen claimed at the end of his life that he was only a member of the Rederijkerskammer to maintain contact with friends. But he regarded his work as something more serious and took example of Vondel and others. The denominational beliefs and his affiliation to the Counter-Reformation authors are clear in many of his works, such as Het leven en de dood van Jesus Christ. After Anton van Dunkirk, Michiel de Swaen took example on the moralizing Diktatik of Poirtiers which is also used by Cats. To this end, he wrote two ( nl. Martelaarspel or Treurspel ) martyr dramas ( Catharina and Mauritius). De Swaen was also interested in European history and wrote a historical drama zedighe de doot Carel van the Vijfden. This text about Charles V shows mainly his own ties to the Netherlands and to the Catholic religion. Emperor Charles V is in fact represented as a Christian hero.

His most important work De Gecroonde leerse

One day bought Jacquelijn, the wife of the shoemaker Teunis, a capon, on the market since the evening a festival is celebrated in their family. Next to it is the Emperor Charles V., who sees the whole. The Emperor finds this capon so appetizing that he asks his servant to follow Jacquelijn. The servant says Charles V, where she lives. Then he decides to go alone there. To be invited to pay the unrecognized Kaiser wine for all. A day later gets the shoemaker Teunis a summons by the Emperor. Afraid he goes to him and learns that the emperor of good guest was on his feast, and is appointed by him to the imperial court official shoemaker called crowned here. De Gecroonde leerse is de Swaens farce and his most important work. Although self- identified by the author as clucht - spel ( farce, satirical comedy ), it contains the same elements of classic French comedy, such as the division of the work into five parts, the Alexandrians and the character style.

Works

• De Gecroonde leerse (1688 )
• Catharina ( 1702)
• Mauritius ( 1702)
• Andronicus (1700)
• Le Cid ( 1694 )
• De Man wording ( 1688)
• Het leven en de dood van Jesus Christ ( 1694 )
• Neder - Duitsche digtkonde of rym - const (around 1702)
• De zedighe doot Carel van the Vijfden (around 1704)