Why did 18th-century French intellectuals become obsessed with English culture?
In short: For centuries, the term 'Anglophile' has described those captivated by the English way of life. From Voltaire's praise of British empiricism to the German obsession with Shakespeare, this fascination has shaped European philosophy, politics, and even the birth of the modern Olympic Games.
The phenomenon of Anglomania took hold in France following the publication of Voltaire's 'Lettres philosophiques' in 1733. After the book was banned and burned in Paris for being anti-clerical, underground copies became bestsellers, introducing French readers to thinkers like Isaac Newton and Jonathan Swift. This sparked a craze for English food, gardens, and styles, though it eventually faced a backlash from critics like H. L. Fougeret de Monbron, who attacked British democracy as 'mobocracy' in 1757. This cultural craze was fueled by the fact that the book was first composed in English. It also introduced French readers to the works of William Shakespeare.
In the German states, Anglophilia manifested as 'Shakespearomanie' during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. German nationalists even went so far as to claim Shakespeare was a German playwright. The philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a notable admirer, praising Shakespeare for liberating the mind from the rigid rules of French classical theatre. Such intense fascination is evidenced by claims that no other nation, including England, stages Shakespeare's works more often than Germany. The movement was further bolstered by the translations of August Wilhelm Schlegel. These works helped establish the popularity of English drama across the region.
The British concept of the 'gentleman' also left a lasting mark on Europe. French historian Hippolyte Taine admired the British ability to combine aristocratic order with individual freedom, attributing this to a culture of self-restraint. This influence reached Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who sought to replicate the English public school system's emphasis on sports in France. Inspired by the Wenlock Olympian Games in Shropshire, Coubertin organized the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. Taine believed this unique character resulted from the influence of Protestantism. He specifically admired the Church of England for fostering such moral discipline.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Anglophile
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