What is historicism in literature?

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Literary criticism has taken on many forms over the decades. Literary critics argue about what elements of a text are significant and how important context is as opposed to structure in any given piece of literature.

in the 1980s, a literary theory called Historicism came to the fore, which gained in popularity throughout the 1900s. Better known as New Historicism, this approach to the appraisal of literature is credited to critic Stephen Greenblatt, who refers to his own theories as “cultural poetics.” As hinted by the name, New Historicism aims to understand literature in terms of its historical and cultural context, as well as the background of the writer. It goes on to claim that even the cultural background of the critic- the era, social environment, prejudices and beliefs- is influential in the way a critic responds to a piece of writing.

Prior to the 1940s, literary criticism was not identified with any one approach or mindset. Some critics evaluated texts in light of the author’s background. Others looked at the historical times in which texts were written, comparing them to works from other eras. Still others focused on the literary forms and styles of a piece of work.

From the 1940s through the 1960s, a theory of literary critique called New Criticism became the rage, quickly becoming the predominant means by which poetry and literature were evaluated. New Criticism ignored all aspects of the author’s life and times and any purported influence these and similar factors may have had on the writing, focusing instead on the words of the text alone.

It was on the wave of New Criticism that New Historicism was born. New Historicism argued that no text can be evaluated independently of the self or the historical context. According to historicists, all literature must be looked at from at least three angles: the historical and social times in which it was written, the writer’s background and culture and how the cultural milieu of the critic impacts evaluation.

New Historicism particularly looks at prevailing ideologies concerning political power, class and authority. It also considers the way in which characters in literary works are marginalized or empowered. New Historicism explores events that may have influenced the author, including books and theories the author has read or has been exposed to. Historicists look for dichotomies and congruencies between the author’s personal life and the characters written about.

Going one step further, New Historicism recognizes that critics are also biased by their upbringing, times, the social structure of their time, predominant beliefs, etc. In other words, New Historicism argues that all literature is biased, as are all critiques of literature.

It has been said that New Historicism is influenced by the philosophies of both Fernand Braudel and Nichel Foucault. Braudel was an eminent French historian who wrote about the significance of socioeconomic factors in the unfolding and narration of history. Foucault, an influential French philosopher, stressed the importance of historical retrospective, claiming that what people think they know and deem as “knowledge” may in fact be a product of propaganda circulated by powerful people. These individuals greatly influence how people interpret both themselves and the world. For this reason, what people ‘know’ today may change tomorrow.

Similarly, New Historicism underscores the fickleness of literary criticism. It anticipates that as historical times and prevailing beliefs change, so too will the interpretation and understanding of literature.

Deconstructionism is a contemporary and similar form of literary criticism. Popularized by philosopher Jacques Derrida, Deconstructionism argues that people interpret literary works in light of their own personal experiences and backgrounds. Therefore, no understanding of a text is more valid than another. However, it was Derrida’s expansion of Deconstructionism to areas outside of literature that met opposition. He negated any structured system, including government and military, which deemed some things correct and some things incorrect.

Resource by A.Moore

I just moved to Michigan from South Carolina. This is my first winter here and so far it's freezing. I enjoy traveling, drawing, camping, writing, and doing community service in my spare time. I work for a education company and help them with their outreach to teachers and students. Hope everyone enjoys my articles.

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