Fuster, Joan

b. 1922, Sueca (Valencia); d. 1992, Sueca

   Historian and critic

   Joan Fuster is without doubt one of the most eminent figures to emerge from the País Valenciá in the twentieth century. His stature in the Catalan cultural and ideological sphere is comparable to that enjoyed in literature by his fellow-Valencian Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. Fuster's long career, which could best be described as one of "creative belligerence", may be outlined by his involvement in a series of activities which take the form of, in ascending order of significance, poet, journalist, essayist, literary critic and historian. After an initial flirtation with poetry, Fuster rejected the rarified atmosphere of poetic experience in the early 1950s to involve himself more directly in the progressive struggle against Franco's dictatorship and its state machinery. His tireless struggle against all aspects of Francoist repression is repeatedly articulated within the framework of speculation on the nature of Valencian identity, and outspoken defence of the rights of ethnic minorities. With this in view, he embarked on a journalistic career which would last for four decades, and include an enormous number of high-quality contributions to the local and national press. The logical corollary of this activity was the writing of reflective essays on ethical issues. In collections such as Diccionari per a ociosos (Dictionary for Idlers) (1964) and Rebeldes y heterodoxos (Rebels and Heretics) (1972), he displays the progressive humanism and respect for scientific procedure which he derives from Montaigne and the major writings of the French Enlightenment.

   It is, however, in the field of literary criticism that Fuster's intellectual muscle shows to best advantage. The high-quality scholarship displayed in his anthology of Valencian poets (1956) was also reflected in his studies of Ausias March, Isabel de Villena Espriu, Salvat-Papasseit, and Estellés, and culminated in 1972 in his Literatura catalana contemporània (Contemporary Catalan Literature). This volume provides both a comprehensive overview of twentieth-century Catalan letters and a sensitive synthesis of underlying currents. It is regarded as the authoritative starting-point for any prospective study of this field.

   Fuster's most perceptive and polemical writing is to be found in his reflections on the Valencian character and heritage. In an era typified by rigid centralism and the imposition of a Castilian-based view of Spanish nationhood, he became the champion of Valencian cultural identity. Over a period of four decades, he produced over a dozen volumes, epitomized by Nosaltres els valencians (We Valencians) (1962), which demonstrate, with substantive evidence and impeccable clarity, the Catalanity of the País Valencià. In this regard, Fuster was one of the first to trace the nature of the polemic, over the previous three centuries, between those who saw the place of Valencia as firmly within the Catalan cultural and linguistic world, and those who attempted to argue for linguistic secessionism, which he saw as politically motivated by regressive centralism. With the restoration of democracy, Fuster's lifelong dedication to the promotion of Valencian culture was recognized by awards from the Generalitat of both Catalonia and Valencia. After receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Barcelona in 1984, he became professor of Catalan at the University of Valencia in 1986. He also attracted unwelcome attention from local far-right elements. Effigies of him were burnt in the 1962 fallas, and his home was bombed in 1981.

   See also: regional nationalism

   DOMINIC KEOWN