New_Historicism_as_a_Form_of_Criticism_of_Writings

New Historicism as a form of criticism of writings New Historicism in a literary sense is a way used to find a deeper understanding of a literary work in which we, the reader, look at the whole piece collectively. Not just the black and white words on the page; it is more than the story itself because the story is enhanced by the historical elements that surround the writing. We, the readers, need to know about the writer in a biographical sense also. Washington State University English Department’s Michael Delahoyde states “ Historical Criticism insisted that to understand a literary piece, we need to understand the author's biography and social background, ideas circulating at the time, and the cultural milieu.” He further writes, “In other words, history here is not a mere chronicle of facts and events, but rather a complex description of human reality and evolution of preconceived notions. Literary works may or may not tell us about various factual aspects of the world from which they emerge, but they will tell us about prevailing ways of thinking at the time. New Historicism is more "sociohistorical" than it is a delving into factoids.” This principle of assessing a literary work makes perfect sense to me. To create a simple analogy, there are three people that tell you they have each cut their finger. The person’s history changes the story dramatically, as in the following three scenarios: An older woman is deathly ill due to the sight of blood although her cut is minute but she is traumatized by the dubious injury that requires a simple bandage. . The “tough-guy” overly proud young man has nearly lost his finger and requires a great deal medical attention but just wraps it up in her bandana and gets back to work. You assume it is all about gender but there is more to this sociological aspect of it. Now add the historical aspect. The older woman is of Tutsi heritage who once lived in Rwanda, was raped by knife point, in front of her husband and sons to only witness them being slaughtered by Hutu extremists. The young man is out in the middle of the open fields of the newly colonized US, riding alone; days from medical help of any town. He knows he must keep going as he seeks land for his new bride expecting this child. Their place in history, the cultural elements and the human reality surrounding their story change the facts. It is this very concept that makes Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story “The Yellow Wallpaper” so poignant. Not only does this story epitomize the patriarchal domination of men during the late 1800’s it is also an account of Gilman’s medical treatment as a young mother suffering from what we now know to be post-partum depression. Not has had a real relationship with her father, becoming pregnant within the first month of her marriage and raised in isolation by her mother continually shamed and hurt by her husband leaving when her daughter was born. Charlotte was touched by her desire for an education and independence by letters sent from her father and awareness of her relatives; the outspoken preacher Lyman Beecher and author and activist Harriet Beecher Stowe. I would imagine it sparked her interest of self-liberation and made her existence seem menial to her. Charlotte, under the suggestion of her husband – which during that era was not up for debate – placed herself in a mental hospital that within three months left her feeling on the brink of mental destruction. She was stronger than she realized. She fought the confines of women’s roles to remain under the sole rule of their husbands, enduring any and all, even if they lost themselves. Her leaving the hospital, along with her husband to begin a new life with a progressive thinking and supportive husband was her rebirth. Women at the time were just beginning to embrace. A few decades sooner she would most likely have died in that hospital. A few decades later, she would not have been in the hospital.