The World of Literature

Abstract

Literature was a phenomenon of central importance in Dutch Golden Age society. Although much less well known today than the works of painting, architecture, and music that can be appreciated without knowledge of the language, the literary production of the Dutch Republic was in fact remarkable, in both quality and quantity, and played a significant part in the lives of most urban dwellers in the country. Authors such as Roemer Visscher, Gerbrand Adriaensz Bredero, Pieter Cornelisz Hooft, Jacob Cats, and Joost van den Vondel gained fame during their lifetime. They developed a rich vernacular language, and their work contributed to the shaping of Dutch religious, political, and civic identities. The public function of literature was taken for granted. Poets and playwrights saw it as their primary task to instruct and delight audiences for the greater good of the community. This social dimension was visible in the propagation of civic and religious morals, in overt or oblique interventions in public debates, and in the glorification of the local, regional, or indeed national heritage. Nor was literature restricted to the elite. Scandals and public controversies drew raucous satires, just as natural disasters and military victories were commemorated in topical verse and song. Special occasions in a burgher’s life, such as marriages and births, were celebratedwith the recitation of poetry, andmen, women, and even children exchanged poems to offer consolation, convey thanks, or send New Year’s wishes. In all these ways literature helped create and maintain social bonds within the steadily expanding urban communities of the Dutch Republic. The social roles that literature played are reflected in the variety of media in which it was disseminated. While most literary works