New Historicism

1 Mehdi Hassanian esfahani

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Before talking about New Historicism, it is helpful to look at the timeline diagram of literary theories in late 20th

In this diagram, New Historicism is a kind of replacement for New Criticism, and is followed by Cultural Criticism. It is worth quite a branch of New Historicism. While the first two are opposing each other, Cultural Criticism accepts New Historicism and tries to apply its theories on more specific subjects. I would start with a short review of New Criticism, and move forward to Cultural Criticism, while the major work would be on New Historicism.

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After decades of reading aApproach had focused onunderstand and criticize a work of art, New Criticism claimed that the emphasis should be upon the close reading and the text itselfnot upon the external circumstances or effects or historical position of the work.

It is not that much important to know about the author’s biography or historical or cultural backgroundattention to individual words;imagery, metaphor, rhythm, meter, and text.

They rejected any kind of criticism based on extrabiography, and advocated thesyntax in order to find the true

New Criticism (1920s

New Historicism (1980s

Cultural Criticism

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Historicism, it is helpful to look at the timeline diagram of century.

w Historicism is a kind of replacement for New Criticism, Criticism. It is worth mentioning that Cultural Criticism is

istoricism. While the first two are opposing each other, New Historicism and tries to apply its theories on more start with a short review of New Criticism, and move

m, while the major work would be on New Historicism.

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bout a text, when Traditional Historical [and Biographical] extra-text materials, such as biography

a work of art, New Criticism claimed that the emphasis reading and the text itself, as an independent entity, and mstances or effects or historical position of the work.

important to know about the author’s biography or round, as New Criticism says, instead, a critic should pay rds; the only present elements of the text, and look at , meter, and the like to find the meaning and

kind of criticism based on extra-text sources, especially the explication or close reading of the textrue [hidden] idea of the author among their words.

s – 1960s)

80s – 1990s)

meline diagram of

for New Criticism, ultural Criticism is osing each other, theories on more icism, and move

w Historicism.

and Biographical] of the author, to

hat the emphasis endent entity, and of the work.

biography or its a critic should pay text, and look at and beauty of the

ources, especially xt, sentences, and eir words.


Once again, let’s look at the diagram;

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The term suggests that it is a new view to literature, rooted in historicism.but it is actually a reaction toward New Criticism. Comparing theories, it would lead us to an understanding about New

First of all, there is aNew Historicism;

- New Historicism believes that history is a story, narrated by historiansnot a set of documents to make facts.subjectively, as no one is free of biasassumes.

They would explain fabout the viewpoint of the narrators; it is very obvious that history is narrated differently in different countries. World’s history would have been different if Naziarmy had won WWII. Secondly, it is the priority that historians apply toward historical events, when they try to see and narrate sometry to forget others. This can be even unconscious

- Believing that every narration iprominent account of the power narration of history. Here, the middle-class teenage guy a

- Concerning about the ignored parts of society, New Historicism emore. It prefers to study a pulp fiction rather than an academic theory book; or to analyze a movie based on a book rather than the Pulitzermore popular issue brings about the chance of plurality in voices, which causes a more accurate understating of it.

- Unlike Traditional Historicism, New Historicism states that Power (which was once the only reliable source of narrating history) is never confined to a single person or a single level of society. It moves through the culture by the exchange of ideas between the members of society, as well as the exchange of the goods or

New Criticism (1920s

New Historicism (1980s

Cultural Criticism

sanian esfahani

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s a new view to literature, rooted in historicism.n toward New Criticism. Comparing with previous o an understanding about New Historicism

a major difference between Traditional

elieves that history is a story, narrated by historiansto make facts. They assert that history

free of bias, and not objectively as Traditional Historicism

furthermore, that this prejudice happenshe narrators; it is very obvious that history is narrated ntries. World’s history would have been different if Nazi

ondly, it is the priority that historians apply toward historical ee and narrate some happenings, meanwhile ignore and n be even unconsciously.

ery narration is subjective, New Historicism rejects the power narration of history. Here, the w

are equal to the official statements of a president.

the ignored parts of history and the marginalizedeven tries to explore and discover these forgotten areasa pulp fiction rather than an academic theory book; or to

a book rather than the Pulitzer winner babout the chance of plurality in voices, which causes a

g of it.

Historicism, New Historicism states that Power (which was urce of narrating history) is never confined to a single society. It moves through the culture by the exchange of

ers of society, as well as the exchange of the goods or

– 1960s)

0s – 1990s)

icism. That’s true, h previous literary m.

al Historicism and

by historians, and story is narrated itional Historicism

in two ways: First story is narrated

n different if Naziy toward historical nwhile ignore and

ricism rejects the ords of a jobless resident.

inalized people in e forgotten areasheory book; or to book! Analyzing a , which causes a

Power (which was fined to a single

y the exchange of e of the goods or


human beings. It influences the culture, and is influenced by the culture. In other words, historical events, as well as texts and artifacts are shaped by, and shape their culture at the same time.

That’s why New Historicism sharply rejects New Criticism’s notion of close reading of a text in an isolated situation, and asserts that a text should be studied in its context. Social and political orientation can influence the work of art produced in that situation, meanwhile, the works of art produced in a society can give a clue to an accurate understanding of history.

To illustrate, I want to look at a phenomenon in Iran, which is Ahmadi-nejad. Traditional Historical approach will discuss his words, his biography and his acts in a particular time of the political history of Iran. But New Historical approach claims that it is not sufficient. In order to understand this particular period of history, one should analyze the culture in which Ahmadi-nejad appeared. New Historicism doesn’t analyze the phenomenon in an isolated manner, rather asks why the phenomenon happened, and how? It was the passive voice of lower middle-class in society, it may claim, and their economical needs that brought about Ahmadi-nejad to power.

Consequently New Historicism asserts that a literary text, like any other phenomenon, is formed and structured by the particular conditions of a time and place, and should be discussed in its own context, i.e. the social and cultural patterns of that era, and cannot be understood fully unless one considers these influences, too.

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As we discussed now, New Historicism says that history is narrated subjectively and should be interpreted (it is not a fact to be accepted). In search of a clue to interpret the history, it finds literature as a way to reach the culture and society of the time, in which particular phenomenon has happened. This is the first function of literature, in New Historicism; to help us interpret history more accurately.

Next step is the usage of New Historicism in literature. In this case, the procedure is the same. One tries to understand the cultural and social setting of the time, in which a book was introduced, to understand the text better. New Historicism wants to know why a particular text was written in a particular time in a particular society. It may discuss the other literary works of the time, or analyze the political, social related issues in order to find more information regarding the time, place and situation that produced the work.

Furthermore, New Historicism would try to interpret the culture of a time, by discussing all its available materials, such as literary works, any social, political, artistic or popular documents, or even the written history of the time.


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1. History, like any other narrations such as books and novels, is written subjectively. Therefore we should talk about interpretations of eventfacts.

2. The issue we want to discuss in New Historicism, which could be a political phenomenon or a book, ihas an influence on itcreation, because it is a cultural and social production of that time.

3. New Historicism tends to discuss more popular events. Ignoring noble and “high” culture, it tends to and pulp fiction.

4. New Historicism tends to discuss more neglected subjects, such as postcolonial, African-American, lesbian, gay, queer issues

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sanian esfahani

ther narrations such as books and novels, is written ore we should talk about interpretations of event

to discuss in New Historicism, which could be a political book, is influenced by its social and cultural conn it too. That’s why we cannot analyze it as an isolated is a cultural and social production of that time.

nds to discuss more popular events. Ignoring noble and ds to stick to middle-class interests, such as TV programs

nds to discuss more neglected subjects, such as posterican, lesbian, gay, queer issues, as well.

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Stephen Greenblatt (born: American literary critic, theorist and scholar.

Greenblatt is regarded by many as one founders of New Historicism.been influential since the early 1980s when he introduced the term "cultural poetics"Historicism). Greenblatt has written and edited numerous books and articles relevant to Historicism, the study of culture, Renaissance studies and Shakespeare studies and is considered to be an expert in these fields.

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Hippolyte Adolphe Taine (1828 a French critic and historian.

He argued that a literary work is less the product of its author's imaginations than the social circumstances of its creatithree main aspects of which Taine called race (nation), milieu (environment), and moment (time).

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Myers, D. G. “The New Historicism in Winter 1988-89, 27-

Rice, Philip, and Patricia Waugh.Britain, 1989.

Tyson, Lois. Critical theory today.

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>>

1828 - 1893) was n.

work is less the ginations than the its creation; the

hich Taine called nvironment), and

of literary terms. Heinle & Heinle: USA, 1999.

ry criticism: an introduction to theory and practiceJersey, 2007.

Historicism in literary study.” In Academic Questions 236.

Waugh. Modern literary theory. Edward Arnold: Great

today. Garland Publishing: USA, 1999.

999.

d practice. Upper

mic Questions 2.

ard Arnold: Great

New Historicism

Education

Transcript of New Historicism