Henri-René Lenormand’s reception in the early twentieth century Spain

Abstract

Even if Lenormand’s works are barely read or played in actual days, he was one of the avant-garde authors that generated more attention in the early twentieth century. The French author was enthusiastically welcomed by Spanish public. His works were frequently translated and played in Spanish theaters and intense debates were hold in literary reviews about how to interpret his characters. However, Lenormand’s psychological conception of human being divided Spanish criticism in two groups: those who were in favour of his freudian proposals and those conservative critics who rejected Lenormand’s novelties because they did not fit in the theatrical trends prevailing in early twentieth century Spain. Another controversial aspect in the Spanish reception of Lenormand’s works was the alleged innovative nature of his theater: was he really an avant-garde author or did he merely relocate the great dramas of classical theater into the twentieth century? The aim of this paper is to study the diverse reactions stimulated by Lenormand’s works among Spanish criticism.