This is criticism in the light of historical

evidence or based on the context in which

a work was written, including facts about
the author's life and the historical and
social circumstances of the time.
 In short, it is a literary criticism
in which critics look at a text for
the historical context in which it
was written.
For example:
The novel "Noli Me Tangere" was written
by Dr. Jose Rizal in 1887. In this time, the
Philippines was under the colonization of the
Spaniards. This means that many of the plot
points in the novel are a reflection of the period
in which Rizal grew up.
Things to consider in writing a historical critique
- The author's biography and social background.
- When the work was written.
- Ideas circulating at the time of writing.
- Events occurring in the time of writing.
- What the work meant to the people who first read it.
 Historical criticism began in the 17th
century and gained popular recognition
in the 19th and 20th centuries.
GOALS:
- To strive to understand a literary text in as a
product of the social, cultural, and intellectual
context in which it was created.
- To examine how the text was initially received by
the readers and how it has changed over time
- To examine how the text may be reflection of the
author's own experiences.
 This is in contrast to other types of
criticism, such as textual and formal, in
which emphasis is placed on examining
the text itself while outside influence on
the text are disregarded.