What is it about?
‘Convivencia’ refers to the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Christians and Jews during the period of Muslim rule in Spain (711–1492). Heine formed an idealized image of Muslim Spain in support of his own cultural ambitions.This article considers the depiction of ‘convivencia’ in two texts by Heine, the drama 'Almansor' and the poem ‘Jehuda ben Halevy’. Heine presents Muslim Spain as a centre of cultural and religious tolerance for modern Europeans to emulate.
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Why is it important?
This article is important because it celebrates the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Christians and Jews in Muslim Spain, explaining why this period was inspirational for German-Jewish writers. It gives a good example of interfaith tolerance and of cultural hybridity.
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This page is a summary of: Heine and Convivencia: Coexistence in Muslim Spain, Oxford German Studies, January 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/00787191.2018.1409508.
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