The Spanish Gypsy
The History of a European Obsession
Lou Charnon-Deutsch
“To my knowledge, this is the only work to date that retraces both the historical and anthropological studies concerning the Spanish Gypsies in concert with the numerous literary texts and visual representations that they have elicited throughout the ages. I would not be surprised if it became the standard reference work in the field.”
- Description
- Reviews
- Bio
- Table of Contents
- Sample Chapters
- Subjects
Charnon-Deutsch starts her story in the Middle Ages and proceeds to show how Europeans came to revere but also fear Gypsies because of their nomadic way of life and the freedoms it seemed to allow. Much of Charnon-Deutsch's information is drawn from historical and sociological studies, but she also proposes new readings of literature, starting with Cervantes's "Precious Jewel of Love" and moving on to the vogue for Gypsy subjects that arose in the Romantic era.
This fascinating book reaches its culmination in the chapters devoted to Spain's embrace of Gypsy myth and lore. Here the range of materials broadens to include music, dance, and the visual arts. Although the primary audience for Charnon-Deutsch's study will be students of Spanish social and cultural history, it will also be essential reading for all those interested in a group of people who remain the least understood ethnic minority in Europe.
“To my knowledge, this is the only work to date that retraces both the historical and anthropological studies concerning the Spanish Gypsies in concert with the numerous literary texts and visual representations that they have elicited throughout the ages. I would not be surprised if it became the standard reference work in the field.”
“Richly illustrated, breezily and beautifully written, well researched and theorized, this book is now obligatory reading for all who would attempt to rethink the enduring and complicated myth of the gypsies in Spain.”
“It unquestionably represents an indispensable contribution and a reference tool in the fields of Romani Studies and Spanish Cultural Studies.”
“The examination of sources is exhaustive, leaving no stone unturned, and the gathering of materials offers much valuable information for the researcher. [C]harnon-Deutsch has laid the ground and marked the territory for future scholars.”
Lou Charnon-Deutsch is Professor of Hispanic Languages and Literature at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. She is the author of Narratives of Desire: Nineteenth-Century Spanish Fiction by Women (1994) and Fictions of the Feminine in the Nineteenth-Century Spanish Press (1999), both published by Penn State Press.
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Cervantes, Precious Jewel of Love
2. The Discovery of the Romantic Spanish Gypsy
3. Spreading the Good Word
4. The Legacy of the Romany Rye
5. Gypsies
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
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