Perkin Warbeck already appears as a markedly transnational figure from an historical point of view. This Pretender to the English throne – who, after his capture, declared to be born in Tournai – arrived on the European scene in 1491 and, until the moment he was executed, in 1499, he would be a real thorn in the flesh to the English king Henry VII. That because he succeeded in obtaining the support of the major European potentates and engaged Henry VII in three expensive battles. Perkin Warbeck, however, is amazingly transnational from a literary point of view as well because, from the 17th century onwards, several authors, English and not English, devoted numerous fictional and theatrical works to his enigmatic figure. The literary production focused on Warbeck intensified in the decades between the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. However, although Perkin Warbeck’s story undeniably contains many charming ‘Romantic’ elements, in every historical period the rebellion of the Tudor Pretender was connected with political reflections: on monarchical legitimacy, on kingship and on power in general. These reflections were declined differently in the various periods and in the different literatures. This essay aims precisely at investigating the reasons behind such an enduring interest in Warbeck, who continues to exercise great fascination over the 21st century.
Quella di Perkin Warbeck è una figura marcatamente transnazionale già da un punto di vista prettamente storico. Infatti, questo pretendente al trono inglese, che dopo la cattura confessò di essere in realtà fiammingo di nascita, si affacciò sulla scena europea nel 1491 e, finché non fu giustiziato nel 1499, rappresentò per il sovrano inglese Enrico VII una vera e propria spina nel fianco, in quanto ricevette il supporto dei maggiori potentati d’Europa e lo impegnò in dispendiose battaglie. Perkin Warbeck, però, vanta anche una sorprendente transnazionalità letteraria poiché, dal Seicento in poi, vari autori, non soltanto inglesi, dedicarono a questa enigmatica figura numerose opere, sia romanzesche che teatrali. La produzione letteraria su Warbeck si intensificò nei decenni a cavallo fra il Settecento e l’Ottocento. Tuttavia, al di là dei numerosi e affascinanti elementi ‘romantici’ che la vicenda innegabilmente contiene, in tutte le epoche la ribellione di Warbeck si lega anche a riflessioni di natura politica: sulla legittimità monarchica, sulla sovranità e sul potere in generale; riflessioni che vengono declinate diversamente nei diversi periodi storici e nelle diverse letterature. Il contributo si propone di indagare le motivazioni celate dietro questo imperituro interesse nei confronti di Warbeck, un personaggio che continua ad esercitare il suo fascino anche nel ventunesimo secolo.
La transnazionalità letteraria di Perkin Warbeck. Un eroe 'romantico'?
Nicoletta Caputo
2019-01-01
Abstract
Perkin Warbeck already appears as a markedly transnational figure from an historical point of view. This Pretender to the English throne – who, after his capture, declared to be born in Tournai – arrived on the European scene in 1491 and, until the moment he was executed, in 1499, he would be a real thorn in the flesh to the English king Henry VII. That because he succeeded in obtaining the support of the major European potentates and engaged Henry VII in three expensive battles. Perkin Warbeck, however, is amazingly transnational from a literary point of view as well because, from the 17th century onwards, several authors, English and not English, devoted numerous fictional and theatrical works to his enigmatic figure. The literary production focused on Warbeck intensified in the decades between the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. However, although Perkin Warbeck’s story undeniably contains many charming ‘Romantic’ elements, in every historical period the rebellion of the Tudor Pretender was connected with political reflections: on monarchical legitimacy, on kingship and on power in general. These reflections were declined differently in the various periods and in the different literatures. This essay aims precisely at investigating the reasons behind such an enduring interest in Warbeck, who continues to exercise great fascination over the 21st century.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
