
seeks to understand a literary work by investigating
the social, cultural, and intellectual context that
produced it: a context that necessarily includes the
artist’s biography and milieu.

A key goal for historical critics is to understand the
effect of a literary work upon its original readers.

When, where, and why?

literature is written by actual people and
understanding an author’s life can help readers
more thoroughly comprehend the work

focuses on explicating the literary work by using the
insight provided by knowledge of the author’s life








What time period was the piece written in?
How does that time period influence the work?
What cultural impact does the time period have on the
piece?
What is the author’s background?
Does the author’s personal history influence the piece? If so,
how?
Are any significant historical events described in the work?
Was there a political and or religious message in the work?
Does the author’s political or religious bias influence the
piece?
Time period clarifies purpose
 A window into a different time
 Insight into author’s personal life
 Taste of previous culture’s language and
society
 Comparisons between past and present

Author’s political bias
 Religious and political influences from
society
 Content may be inaccurate
 Censorship
 Limits reader’s creativity
 Accuracy of timeline






English ClassA Thousand Splendid Suns- Historical Context (Turmoil in Afghanistan in
the late 20th Century). By Khaled Hosseini
Tweak – Biography of a struggling drug addict. By Nic Sheff
History ClassThe Jungle- Historical Context (Chicago Meatpacking plants in 1906) By
Upton Sinclair. Read a 4 page section of the book.

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln- Lincoln’s speech
delivered to the nation after the bloody battle of Gettysburg. Reflected
the nation’s chaos at the time, and was short and concise, just over two
minutes. (1863)

MathThe Pythagorean Theorem- In every math book that deals with this type
of arithmetic there is a short piece on the origination of the method.
Pythagoras of Samos published the method in the late 6th century B.C.

The Catcher in The Rye by J.D. Salinger
My Pet Virus by Shawn Decker
Boardwalk Empire HBO Television Series
Enemy at the Gates – Movie, The Battle of Stalingrad
Saving Private Ryan Academy Award Winning Movie,
Based on a platoon in WWII
 American Gangster- Movie, Famous drug dealer Frank
Lucas
 Gladiator- Move, Graphic depiction of the late Roman
Empire
 Night by Elie Wiesel
 Columbine by Dave Cullen
 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain





When reading
 When studying history
 During research
 Determining author’s purpose
 Relating text to time period
 During critical analysis

Works Cited







http://www.wikipedia.org/
http://mgshapenglish12.blogspot.com/2008/05/bio
graphical-historical-literary-lens.html
http://home.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/spring97/litcrit.ht
ml
www.classjump.com/eball/documents/9256264647.doc
http://english23405.tripod.com/english234.html
http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/Engl1B/Histori
cal_files/frame.htm
http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs/studyskills/comp
guide/AppLitCrit.htm