Summary:
"Le Roman Historique à l'Époque Romantique - Essai sur l'Influence de Walter" par Louis Maigron is an academic treatise examining literary history written in the early 20th century. The main topic of the work revolves around the evolution and significance of the historical novel during the Romantic era, particularly assessing the monumental impact of Walter Scott on this literary form. At the start of the text, the author provides a foreword outlining the connection between the historical novel and Romanticism, emphasizing that the genre gained prominence in the early 19th century but faded quickly after 1830. Maigron discusses early instances of historical novels preceding the Romantic movement, mentioning notable authors and how their understanding of historical accuracy heightened the development of the genre. He cites specific works, such as Mérimée's "Chronique de Charles IX," arguing they exemplify a pivotal shift towards authenticity in storytelling, ultimately attributing the flourishing of the historical novel more significantly to Walter Scott's narrative innovations. (This is an automatically generated summary.)