Contextual material at A Level

Generic Types of Contexts Cultural Religious Biographical Philosophical Genre Literary Tradition Historical Social Generic

Cultural Cultural context may mean different things for different nations and social groups, largely in terms of attitudes and belief systems, customs and practices Culture affects how a person or society views what is excellent in the arts, such as painting, literature, music, architecture To call a person ‘cultured’ implies taste and refinement There have been certain periods in history when a change in one art form (for example painting) has been very influential on other art forms. The Renaissance is probably the most famous instance. You need to know about such changes in order to place a work of literature in its cultural context

Religious Religious context relates to sets of beliefs about the origins of the universe and the worship of a divine or supernatural being It manifests itself through influential writings such as the Koran or the Bible and associated moral codes Rituals often go hand in hand with sets of beliefs and are a public form of devotion Those sharing a religion are often found in groups, congregations or sects. Anyone not conforming to the beliefs of the religious group may be considered by those within it as an outsider or even a heretic

Biographical Biographical context is the life story of a writer Some literary critics include facts about the writer’s life, loves, beliefs or works in their comments on a writer’s work as they believe that life events, crises and beliefs affect the presentation of characters, plots and themes Some literary critics believe this is misguided and refer to it as ‘the authorial fallacy’

Philosophical Philosophy is a rational study of beliefs and principles It often involves deep questioning and discussion Questions in philosophy could relate to the nature of existence and how ethics are formed Someone’s philosophy might also be their own set of ideals and expectations, governing the way they perceive the world

Genre Genres are categories into which novels, plays and poems can be placed, either by publishers or by critics Common genres include comedy, tragedy, crime fiction and farce The categories are governed by particular features. In the genre which critics call the Gothic, fear and terror are typically caused by melodramatic, shocking events, often taking place in ruined ancestral homes, sometimes involving confinement or forced marriages

Literary tradition ‘Tradition’ means the handing-down of customs and practices from one generation to another Literary traditions stem from the belief that a certain style or way of writing has been passed from one generation of writers to the next Writers might be seen – or see themselves – as heirs of specific writers of previous generations Many writers have been very heavily influenced by Shakespeare. Some may also trace their approaches back to Romantic poets such as Keats, or to Social or Realistic novelists such as Dickens

Historical Historical context is usually taken to mean particular historical events, such as the First World War, that had a strong influence on a writer’s philosophy or a catastrophic effect on their personal lives It does not just mean wars but can also mean economic boom or bust

Social Social context is related to gender and class, and the ways in which these affect the destiny and choices of characters A character’s personality, situation and fate might be said to rest on a mere accident of birth A character from a lower social class might be portrayed less favourably than one in a higher social ranking Similarly, women may be shown as lacking in power or autonomy