Synopses & Reviews
Includes bibliographical references (p. [194]-206) and index.
Synopsis
Historicism is the essential introduction to the field, providing its readers with the necessary knowledge, background and vocabulary to apply it in their own studies. Paul Hamilton's compact and comprehensive guide:
* explains the theory and basics of historicism
* presents a history of the term and its uses
* introduces the reader to the key thinkers in the field, from ancient Greece to modern times
* considers historicism in contemporary debates and its relevance to other modes of criticism, such as feminism and post-colonialism
* contains an extensive bibliography of further reading.
Synopsis
Historicism is a critical movement which has existed in some form from Ancient Greece to modern times. But what exactly does it entail?
In this lucid volume, Paul Hamilton provides the essential guide to the history of the term, its uses and the critical terminology of historicist approaches. He discusses the major thinkers in historicism, both past and present, and guides readers through the vocabulary required to engage with crucial texts in the field. With refreshing clarity, Hamilton explains the place of historicism within literary theory and outlines the differences between historicism and new historicism. He also demonstrates the ways in which historicist approaches might shed new light on contemporary debates around post-colonialism, feminism and, in this second edition, globalisation.
Historicism is essential reading for any student new to the sometimes bewildering field of literary theory, or those looking to explore historicist approaches in greater depth. With a new glossary, fully updated bibliography and clear suggestions for additional reading, this is an ideal introduction and an invaluable foundation for further learning.
Synopsis
Historicism is the essential introduction to this crucial concept in literary studies. This edition has been fully revised and includes a new glossary of critical terms, fully updated bibliography, clear suggestions for additional reading, as well as new discussion of Historicism's relation to the globalization debate.
Historicism:
*explains the theory and practice of historicism
*presents the history of the term and its uses
*introduces key thinkers in the field, from ancient Greece to the present
*considers historicism in relation to contemporary debates, such as post-colonialism, feminism and globalization.
This compact, yet comprehensive guide enables students to understand and apply historicist approaches in their own studies.
Table of Contents
History and historicism. The poetics of history -- The nature of historical explanation -- Historicism and historiography -- The rise of historicism. Enlightenment by natural law -- Critiques of enlightenment--Vico and Herder -- Kant and Hegel--towards hermeneutics -- The hermeneutic tradition. Origins of hermeneutics -- Schleiermacher--the grammar and divination of history -- Dilthey's critique of historical reason -- Gadamer and the event of meaning -- Historicism and modernity. Marx's poetry of the future -- Nietzsche's prelude to a philosophy of the future -- Freud, Lacan and the illusion of a future -- Historicism of the present. Foucault--from anti-historicist theory to new historicist practice -- Derrida's postcards -- New historicism -- Postcolonial stylistics and postmodern logic -- Herstory -- Globalization and the end of history.