Why sentimentality matters

Abstract

Intuitively, everyone knows what sentimentality is - the Hallmark card covered with fluffy little kittens, the sweet embrace of the hero and heroine as the violin music swells in the grand finale of a sappy movie. But, what is sentimentality, really? After all, it would seem that a very wide range of works and items invite this label. Sentimentality is certainly not limited to one genre or type of work. A Hallmark card covered with cute kittens is obviously sentimental, but then so too is the final scene in a sappy romance movie. The death scene of Little Nell in Charles Dickens' novel The Old Curiosity Shop is infamously sentimental, as are some paintings from the French academic tradition. And it doesn't stop there, either. We often use sentimentality to talk about ourselves, as well as art; we may find ourselves "getting sentimental" and sniffling into our handkerchiefs over a favorite memory, or criticizing another for "being sentimental" when they do the same. There are also a variety of terms often used that describe the sentimental - the labels "sappy," "schmaltzy" and even "corny" all refer to sentimentality. A further related concept is that of sweet kitsch - items considered sweet kitsch, such as tacky reproductions of famous works or sugary greeting cards, are very often also considered sentimental. My thesis, however, is not about sweet kitsch alone, but about the sentimental in its many forms, including films and literature.