Traveling through Spanish-German Literary History: «La judía de Toledo», from Lope de Vega to Lion Feutchwanger

Abstract

This article proposes a journey through European literary history, exploring the transformations imposed by Lion Feuchtwanger, in his novel La judía de Toledo, on the poetics of places and the characters of Lope de Vega’s Las paces de los reyes y judía de Toledo. The German author develops the complex ambiguity of the heroine, Rachel, to make her a symbol of the Judeo-Muslim culture of peace; to the contrary, he simplifies the character of Belardo, Lope de Vega’s representative in the comedy, to denounce the barbarity of medieval Christian society. Feuchtwanger’s reading of Lope de Vega is at once critical and refined.