Background
In writing his finest work, La LégendeLegende de Thyl Ulenspiegel et de Lamme Goedzak (1867), Coster had a patriotic motive. He hoped that his picture of a heroic past would inspire the Belgians to future greatness. His hero was Ulenspiegel (Owlglass), the popular prankster, whom he made into the symbol of the people's resistance against oppression and tyranny. To strengthen the atmosphere of his story he placed it in the 16th century, using an archaic French, and resorting to forceful vulgarity in his vocabulary. In the work, Ulenspiegel becomes the symbol of freedom, fighting the Inquisition and the state. Coster did not care about historical accuracy in his portrayals. His violent anticlerical feelings prevented him from stating both sides of the question with objectivity. He is brilliantly, cruelly, partial, and this endows his book with an exceptional strength and unity. He found inspiration in the paintings of the Flemish masters, and much of their spirit has passed into his writings. In the LégendesLegendes Flamandes (1858) he imitated the style of Rabelais, reviving the local tales of Flanders with great success. His tragedy, Stephanie, was published after his death. Among his other works are Les BohémiensBohemiens (1868), Le Voyage de noce (1872), and Le Mariage de Toulet (1879).