historicism aka “new historicism,” “historical criticism,” “cultural studies,”...
TRANSCRIPT
HISTORICISMHISTORICISMaka “New Historicism,”
“Historical Criticism,”“Cultural Studies,”
“Cultural Materialism”
Literature is made of culture
When: 1980s—now
Where: France, England, America
Who: Michel Foucault, Walter Benjamin, Mikhail Bakhtin, Clifford Geertz, Hayden White, Stephen Greenblatt, Catherine Gallagher, Pierre Bourdie, Brook Thomas, Jerome McGann
literary works are historical artifacts
every work is a product of the historic moment that created it
there is no line dividing historical and literary materials
MAIN IDEAS
literary works are conversations between the “official” voices of society and “popular” critical voices
“high” and “low” culture is an artificial distinction; the two inform one another
we have been conditioned to believe a certain history
the truth about what really happened can never be purely or objectively known
ONE MAIN
QUESTION:What can we learn
about this text from its historical context
& the history of its interpretation(s)?
consider the author's biography and nationality
investigate the text's social, cultural, and intellectual context
identify the work with the cultural and political movements of its time
recreate the meaning the text had for its original audience
see what words, characters, and events in the piece compare to its context
historicist reading:
analyze whether the work supports or condemns the events it depicts
determine whether the portrayal criticizes or praises the people it represents
look up words in the text that have changed meaning since it was written
study literary and non-literary texts together
examine “canonical” works, pop culture, and non-literary cultural products
study how the text interacts with others from its time period
explore the ways the text's meaning has changed over time
discover how historical events have been reinterpreted over time
focus on state, patriarchal, or colonial power
see how the work considers traditionally marginalized populations
make use of poststructuralism, Marxism, and feminism
[Potentially] Positive Aspects
of Historicism It reconnects literature and history
It takes the author's life into account
It gives room for readers' interpretations
It is relevant to its own time and the time in which it is being read
It has political and social applications
[Potentially] Negative Aspects
of Historicism It requires rigorous research to be
done well Any lack of facts destroys the approach
It is often poorly done It might displace a focus on the text itself
It involves various relativisms
SourcesBarry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction to
Literary and Cultural Theory. 2nd edition. NY: Manchester UP, 2002. Print.
Brizee, Allen, and J. Case Tompkins. “Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism.” ©1995-2011 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.
“Definition of the New Historicism.” VirtuaLit Interactive Poetry Tutorial. Adapted from The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms by Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray. Copyright 1998 by Bedford Books.
Gioia, Dana and X. J. Kennedy. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. 6th ed. Boston: Longman, 2010. Print.
Leitch, Vincent B., gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. NY: Norton, 2001.
Morner, Kathleen and Ralph Rausch. NTC's Dictionary of Literary Terms. Chicago: NTC, 1991. Print.