HISTORICISM aka “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

Sources Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. 2 nd edition. NY: Manchester UP, Print. Brizee, Allen, and J. Case Tompkins. “Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism.” © by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. Web. 13 Sept “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. 6 th ed. Boston: Longman, Print. Leitch, Vincent B., gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. NY: Norton, Morner, Kathleen and Ralph Rausch. NTC's Dictionary of Literary Terms. Chicago: NTC, Print.