NEW HISTORICISM

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Introduction
New Historicism is a literary theory that began to
gain popularity in the 1980s. It prioritises viewing
literature within its historical and social contexts
above all else. The theorist Stephen Greenblatt
(1943-) is one of the foundational figures in the field.

Today, New Historicism has become influential in

literary studies worldwide. Read on for the principles
of New Historicism, some of its key theorists, and an
example of how to use the theory to analyse texts.
 Background
New Historicism as a theory is attributed to American theorist Stephen Greenblatt. It
involves analysing a given text in the context of its historical background. This includes
considering the political, social, and economic conditions of the time the writer lived in.
New Historicists see history as central to any and all texts. The theory also considers
the societal background of the critic or individual evaluating a text using New
Historicism. Just as a writer is influenced by their time period when creating a work, we
are also influenced by our time period when reading and analysing it. New Historicism
promotes nuance when studying a text. Society is constantly changing, and texts should
be fairly viewed through the context of the society that produced them. New Historicism
is in a way poststructuralist in that it rejects the essential idea of a common human
nature that is shared by the author, characters and readers; instead it believes that
identity is plural and hybrid.
 HISTORY
There are some key differences between New and Old Historicism. While New
Historicism sees history as inextricably linked to analysing literature, Old
Historicism viewed it more as background to be considered during analysis. Old
Historicism also sees literature as being impacted by history, whereas New
Historicism views the relationship as reciprocal. History can influence literature,

and literature can influence history. When coming up with the theory of New
Historicism, Greenblatt expanded on the ideas of Old Historicism, adding nuance.

Many consider New Historicism to be an anti-theory literary theory. It rejects a

great deal of theoretical jargon, instead prioritising the grounded study of
history. Such an interpretative analysis would ideally begin with a powerful and
dramatic explication of the “anecdote”, which is the historical context or the co-
text.
Notable People & Contributions
STEPHEN GREENBLATT
Is an American literary
HAROLD ARAM VEESER
theorist specialising in the is an American
study of William university professor
Shakespeare (1564-1616).
and literary theorist.
Greenblatt is attributed to
founding the field of New
He is known for his
Historicism. The term is first contributions to both
mentioned in Greenblatt's New Historicism and
theoretical text The Power of
Postcolonial theory.
Forms in the English
Renaissance (1982).
 Principles of New
Historicism
✔ H i s t o r y
i s c e n t r a l
✔ All historical factors must be considered
✔ The critic's historical conditions are relevant too
✔ Power is a key consideration:
✔ Nuance is key, and history is ever-changing:

New Historicism - Key takeaways

New Historicism is a literary theory that involves analysing a text within its historical
context.
The theory was first written about by theorist Stephen Greenblatt in the 1980s.
Harold Aram Veeser is another key New Historicist.
New Historicism prioritises making history central to any literary analysis and always
acknowledging nuance.
New Historicist critics are also aware of their own biases and prejudices that are
influenced by the time period they live in.

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