New Historicism BY CHARLIE ANDERSON What is it

New Historicism BY : CHARLIE ANDERSON

What is it? New Historicism is a school of literary theory, which was first developed in 1980. The term ‘New Historicism’ was created by the American critic Stephen Greenbelts. New Historicism is a literary theory based on the idea that literature should be studied and interpreted within the context of both the history of the author and the history of the critic.

Background • Introduced in the 1980’s • Response to messages just approach by formalists • Recognizes significance of content yet breaks down content with an eye to history • Introduced by Louis Montrose and Stephen Greenblatt

History In its historicism and in its political interpretations, New Historicism is indebted to Marxism. Whereas Marxism tends to see literature as part of a 'superstructure' in which the economic 'base' manifests itself. New Historicist thinkers tend to take a more distinct view of power, seeing it not exclusively as class-related but extending throughout society.

The Views on History Characterizes control of history more extensively than ancestors; it is a sociology Necessities to make sociohistorical subjects and techniques fundamental to artistic studies Links sociology and historical criticism Human studies especially valuable in scholarly feedback History is connected to power

Positive Aspects of Historicism • It reconnects literature and history • It takes the authors life into account • It is relevant to its own time and the time in which it is being read • It has political and social applications

Negative Aspects of Historicism • Any lack of facts destroys the approach • Its often poorly done • It is possible to displace a focus on the text itself • It involves various relativisms

Requirements • Critic must acknowledge and be aware of bias: historical vantage point as well as personal bias • Examine the voice of the writer and his/her experiential influence on the text

Elements contributing to New Historicist practice § Ideas of philosophy and subject development § Foucault and talk hypothesis; how power works and makes subject positions § Anthropology- Intrigued by the typical elements of material practice, caught through "thick depiction, " previews of culture § A methodological self-consciousness about the critic’s own authentic circumstance and biases

Complaints It tends to reduce literature to a footnote of history, and neglects the uniquely literary qualities of the work in question. Frederick Jameson argues that much New Historicist criticism lacks a theory of history. That history, to a paraphrase, “just happens”, without explaining why it happens in the way that it does and who is affected.

The End