Historical Criticism

“The literary text is itself part of the interplay of discourses, a thread in the dynamic web
of social meaning.”- Lois Tyson

 History as defined by Meriam-Webster Dictionary, is the study of past events or

events of the past that relate to a particular subject, place organization and
others.
 This term was coined by the German philosopher Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel
(historismus).
 It is a form of criticism used to critique a literature that states social and cultural
phenomena determined by history. In this type of criticism, it has the tendency to
regard historical development as the most basic aspect of human existence.
 It is the idea of relating meaningful significance to space and time, for instance
geographical place and local culture.
 Historical criticism began in the 17th century but gained its popular recognition in
the 19th and 20th century.
 It is also known as the historical- critical method or higher criticism.
 To understand a literary piece, we need to understand the author’s biography
and social background, ideas circulating at the time and the cultural setting.
Goals of historical criticism:
To investigate the origins of ancient text to better understand “the world behind the text.”
To study the original meaning of the text in its original historical context.
To reconstruct the historical situation of the author and the receiver of the text or
literature. Meaning reviving the true nature of the events that is being described in the
text.
To examine the text’s historical origins such as the time and the place in which the text
is written; its sources; the events, persons, things and customs that are mentioned or
implied in the text.
Application:
It usually been used in biblical studies such as investigating the Bible. Historical critics
do comparison between texts written around the same time or period.
Method of Historical Criticism
 New Historicism
-literature must be studied and interpreted within the context of both the history of
the author and the history of the critic or author.
 - critics using this look at work and consider other writing that may have inspired
it and the life of the author and how it relates to the text.
 Old Historicism
-a literary piece must be read with a sense of time and place of its creation
-every literary work is a product of time and world.
-understand the social background and the intellectual currents of that time and
that world illuminate literary works for later generation of readers.

Example:
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

 Background of the text and author:

 Written and published on April 19, 1894
 The rise of the Women’s Rights Movement began in 1848 and rise of
female authors
 In the 1800’s women as seen only as housewives, reproduce, raise
children and serve their husband.
 The focus of the story of Louise Mallard, who suffers from heart problems
and her reaction when her husband died.
 Chopin’s works are focused on the hidden lives of women.
 Analysis:
The story is a representation of women’s negative view towards
marriage because of how women are being treated at that time. There is
inequality between men and women such as rights, particularly political
involvement, works and roles in the society. Women are seen as sensitive
and frail and that they must be treated that way. Patriarchal system also is
reflected by the story. A line from the text by Mrs. Mallard when her
husband died, “Free! Body and soul free! Implies that she wants to live
longer which he hoped otherwise when her husband was still alive. She
rejoiced for it since she wants to be free from being enchain.

References:
Abdullah,N.M. & Nazri, N.L.(n.d.). Historical Criticism. Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net.
Historical criticism. Retrieved from https://www.carleton.edu.
Historical criticism. Retrieved from https://en.m.wikipedia.org