Michel del Castillo’s Works in Sweden and Spain: Translation and Reception

Abstract

In this study the translations and the reception in Sweden and Spain of the works of the French language author of Spanish origin, Michel del Castillo, are examined in the light of two concepts in the sociology of literature: consecration and legitimization. Consecration refers to the status accorded to an author by means of acts of recognition (literary prizes, etc.) while legitimization refers to the active part played by an author in the literary debate in a certain society. Whereas the first is a single, irrevocable act, the second is of longer duration but is subject to change. The books published in Michel del Castillo's early career (the late nineteen fifties and early sixties) made him a legitimized author in Sweden at that time. In Spain he did not become a legitimized author until the early years of the new millennium, when his subject matter coincided with the topics addressed in many other Spanish novels written at that time.