Brunanter literature

Brunanter literature encompasses the English, the Dutch and the Barzuna language. For such a small nation, Brunant has made a disproportionately big literary output through the ages.

Beginnings
Old Brunanter literature consists of several works written in Barzuna and, from the early 15th century, in Dutch. Anonymous works of this nature include the story of Adenis and Virsise; originating probably from the 12th or 13th century, it has been a major influence to later artists and writers. The Zatram Bible is the oldest surviving document in Barzuna, as well as one of the first to be written in Roman script rather than Arabic writing.

The 16th century epic poem Theodoricus is considered the first masterpiece of Brunanter literature written in Dutch. However some fragments of the poem are missing. It is known that a library existed in Zatram, but it was burnt down in the middle of the 14th century and no manuscript has been found so far.

17th and 18th centuries
During the 17th and 18th century, Brunanter literature was still unformed, but several writers rose to fame.

Hans August Detker was a prolific novelist, but he is best remembered for his children's books and the translation of Adenis and Virsise in Dutch. Cornelius van Haecht, a celebrated polymath and polyglot, translated several important works of European literature in Dutch. St. Gregory the Chronicler, the writer of the Gregorian Chronicles, was the one who popularized the legend of Gisbert the Lion.

19th century
During the early 19th century, Romanticism was the prime literature movement in Brunant, permitting both poetry and prose to flourish. The writers focused on Brunanter history and folklore.

A great number of romantic authors and poets were popular during this period and many of them have been highly immortalized through their works. Charlotte Coutts (1808-1881) was a renowned writer, famous for her gothic short stories, thus dubbed Brunant's Mary Shelley. On the other hand, Dionys van der Akker (1810-1854) wrote epic novellas and novels, greatly influened by Sir Walter Scott and Wolfgang Goethe, while William Blayne's epic poem Lambert's Revenge is considered a masterpiece of Brunanter literature.

Martin Tempines (1842-1900) was a Brezondian popular poet of that period, known as the Father of Barzuna nationalism, while Anton Reiber-Koller (1826-1895) is considered the most important playwright of the 19th century. Emmanuel Berger (1800-1848) was also a very famous novelist, but today he is mostly knownd for his music.

In the last two decades of the 19th century, romanticism declined in popularity and Symbolism took over. However, the literary output was significantly lower and today, the best remembered symbolist is the controversial poet Xavier Plamondon (1850-1901).

The Golden Age
The whole 20th century is generally believed to be the "Golden Era" of Brunanter literature. Scholars divide the century in two periods; the pre-War (1900-1940) and post-War (1945-2000).

During the first period, Brunant's industrialization and the new social reality, as well as the First World War, proved to be inexhaustible sources of inspiration. The so-called "Triad of the '90s" (Fedde Laninga, Jozef Hoedemaker and Andrew Cuigley) are considered the top writers of this era. Fedde Laninga (1891-1979), a recipient of the Medal for Arts and Letters, is considered the most prolific author in Brunanter literature. Both Josef Hoedemaker (1892-1961) and Andrew Quigley (1894-1980) were proponents of naturalism. Adelia Hierro (1903-1938), a Barzuna poet accused of lack of originality by her contemporaries, is today very popular.

After the Second World War, there was an enormous creativity in the field of literature, due to the "the odd inspiration that bad situations bring". Klaas-Gerrit Jansen (1920-1984) was known for his controversial themes, as he often focused on sexuality and religious matters. Stylistically influenced by Modernism, Hannah Jacobson (1931-2002) and Henry Winston Cavell (1924-2008), are thought to be the most important figures of Dark Realism. The theatre flourished, with playwrights like Enrico Soas (1947-1980) and Carlyle O'Keefe (1916-1999).

Contemporary
Literature continues to thrive in the 21st century. Some scholars have called Brunant "the blender of world literature", as modern writers are influenced by a great range of worldwide movements.

Historical novel is worthily represented by Carl Ingesson (1944-) and Giona Ecasaria-Melo (1960-). Lodewijk van't Kirk (1949-), best known for his detective novels, has been awarded the Medal for Arts and Letters. Even though science fiction isn't very popular in Brunant, Horatio Kudbryn (1955-) is quite successful and is often compared to P.K. Dick. Inspired by many different writers (including H. Jacobson, H. Murakami and G.G. Márquez), Liesbeth de Cloet (1976-) is a promising novelist.