New historicism emerged as a literary theory in the late 1970s and early 1980s, during a time of political and social upheaval in the United States. The civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and the anti-war movement were all shaping the cultural landscape, and scholars in the humanities were increasingly interested in exploring the relationship between literature and society.
The emergence of new historicism can also be seen as a response to the limitations of earlier literary theories, such as New Criticism and formalism. These approaches tended to focus on the literary text itself and its formal elements, rather than the social and historical contexts in which it was produced.
It is an interdisciplinary approach to literary criticism that examines literature in the context of the historical and cultural circumstances in which it was produced.
New Historicism emphasizes the interrelationship between literature and history, and the ways in which power relations, social norms, and cultural practices are reflected and contested in literary texts. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the social and political context in which a text was produced, and the ways in which that context shapes the meaning and reception of the text.
New historicists believe that all cultural artifacts, including literature, are embedded in the social and political structures of their time. Therefore, they argue that it is impossible to fully understand a literary work without understanding the social and political context in which it was produced. This includes analyzing not only the text itself, but also the historical events, cultural norms, and power relations that were present at the time of its creation.
New historicism also stresses the idea that history is not a fixed or objective reality, but is rather a series of interpretations and narratives that are constantly being constructed and reconstructed by those in power. Therefore, new historicists are interested in exploring how literary texts participate in the ongoing process of creating and shaping history.
In addition to literary texts, New Historicism also examines non-literary sources such as diaries, legal documents, and historical accounts to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the historical context of a literary text.
Some of the key concepts associated with new historicism include:
Context: New historicists believe that literature cannot be understood apart from its historical and cultural contexts. They argue that literary texts are shaped by the social, political, and economic forces of their time, and that a deep understanding of these contexts is necessary in order to fully appreciate a work of literature.
Cultural Poetics: Cultural poetics is an approach that emphasizes the importance of the relationships between texts and the social and cultural practices of their time. This approach seeks to uncover the ways in which cultural practices are reflected in literary texts.
Contingency: New historicism emphasizes the idea of contingency, which means that history is not predetermined but is shaped by a variety of factors, including chance events and the actions of individuals. This approach sees historical events as dynamic and constantly changing.
Power and Discourse: New historicists are interested in the relationship between power and discourse. They believe that language is not neutral but is shaped by power relations. New historicists explore how cultural texts participate in the shaping of social and political power relations.
Intertextuality: New historicists emphasize the idea that all texts are interconnected and that literary works are influenced by and in conversation with other texts. They are interested in exploring how literary works borrow from and transform earlier literary traditions and cultural practices.
Ideology: New historicists are interested in exploring the ways in which literature participates in the construction and dissemination of cultural ideologies. They argue that literary texts are not neutral, but rather reflect and reinforce the dominant cultural beliefs and values of their time.
Historicism: New historicists reject the idea that literature exists in a vacuum, separate from its historical and cultural contexts. Instead, they emphasize the importance of historicizing literary texts by situating them within their specific historical moments and cultural contexts.
Here are some key figures associated with New Historicism:
Stephen Greenblatt: Greenblatt is considered one of the founders of New Historicism. His book "Renaissance Self-Fashioning: From More to Shakespeare" (1980) is seen as a landmark work in the field. Greenblatt's work explores how writers in the Renaissance period constructed their identities and participated in the larger cultural and political movements of their time.
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