Attending to the complexity of the 3-sided text allows us to hear voices too long silenced and to act upon

what we hear.  Herein lies some hope for our future.  Because I find any theory without praxis somewhat
empty, I look for ways in which postcolonial studies can have an active effect on our world.  In so doing,
though admittedly idealistic (but having ideals provides a goal and the creation of a path to attain it), I am
conscious and speak of the hope represented by postcolonial studies when employing the broader, flexible
foundation as the definition of the theory.  Postcolonial studies can help us confront the past to heal old
wounds by finding a voice in the present for all who had been formerly marginalized.  For some of us,
and I am one, if we take postcolonial studies and what we learn seriously, we visualize creating a future
that is postnational, dignifying individuals in community.  Though this may not mean the dissolving of
nations or national identities (which some might find scary or abhorrent and could lead to new,
unforeseen problems), it would mean ridding our world of rabid nationalism that leads to borders and
wars.  Rather, we could learn to delight in diversity and in multiple identities.  Postcolonial studies,
connect well with Peace Studies.  After all, most of the hot spots in our world are inherited from
colonialism—the Middle East, Africa, Northern Ireland, parts of the Americas.  The importance of telling
stories has been recognized in the attempts to forge peace and community, such as during the Truth and
Reconciliation Hearings in South Africa.  Indeed, as a literature professor in the field, I find the role of
literature particularly applicable to both Postcolonial and Peace Studies.  Personal stories humanize the
history.  As feminists taught us years ago, the personal is indeed political.  While facts are questionable,
images write on the mind and heart.  That is why film, murals, music, and literature remain powerful tools
of expression and change.  That is why I know my theory is praxis.

This site was created to help explain the critical approach of Historical-Biographical Criticism, one of the two types
of criticism under the heading of the "Traditional Approaches" to criticism. Throughout this site you will find
examples of ways to use this approach, links to information on this approach and some suggestions on which
works of Literature this approach could be used to help analyze. The first button in the link section near the bottom
of the page provides a brief list of advantages as well as disadvantages of using this style of criticism.

According to A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature: Fourth Edition the Historical-Biographical approach
can be defined as the approach that "...sees a literary work chiefly, if not exclusively, as a reflection of the author's
life and times or the life and times of the characters in the work" (Guerin, 22). Understanding the social structure
or way of life of a certain time period give the reader a greater knowledge base from which to draw conclusions
and better understand the story. Discovering details about the author's life and times also provide similar ways to
further develop ideas about a story.

There are a variety of resources available to help with the understanding of this criticism from the traditional
approach:

A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature: Fourth Edition by Wilfred Guerin, Earle Labor, Lee Morgan,
Jeanne C. Reesman, and John R. Willingham.

Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice (3rd Edition) by Charles E. Bressler.

Literary Theory: The Basics by Johannes Willem Bertens.

Literary Theory: An Introduction by Terry Eagleton (**This book is recommended if you want to see the benefits
and problems with many of the different critical approaches).

The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism edited by Vincent B. Leitch.

In this section I have provided an example of a way to use the Historical-Biographical Approach using a well-known
work from Literature.

by William Shakespeare

If you use this style when approaching the text of the play, you might want to focus on the style of rule in Denmark
during Shakespeare's time. It would also be helpful to note the way revenge was viewed by the people in England
{The people whom these plays were written for} during this time. Revenge was viewed as a sin against both God
and the State. When one kills as an act of revenge it was thought that God would be offended because he was the
one that was supposed to control human life. When someone was killed un-naturally it was perceived as a great
violation of what was accepted as right. How does this change the meaning of Prince Hamlet's choices in the play?
Also, one could examine the Catholic notion of Purgatory, and examine what role Purgatory played in the newly
Protestant England. Catholics viewed Purgatory as a middle ground between Heaven and Hell where people could
go to work off venial sins (or non-mortal sins, murder was a mortal sin). There was no such thing as Purgatory in
the Protestant religion. Audience members would have had to decide whether to view the ghost of King Hamlet,
who appears in Act I of the play, as a ghost sent from a Purgatory they did not believe in to seek vengeance for his
murder or whether they should adhere to what their faith dictated and see the ghost as a demon sent from Hell to
insight murder. Using all these insights, a reader could begin to re-examine the character of Hamlet as well as
some of the other supporting players in the story.