THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

1. THE HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE

2. “The literary text is
itself part of the
interplay of discourses,
a thread in the dynamic
web of social meaning.”
– Lois Tyson

6. CAN YOU SHARE YOUR PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE ON THE
PICTURES/STORIES PRESENTED?
HOW WOULD LIFE BE, IF YOU WERE
BORN IN THAT ERA?

7. LEARNING SKILLS:
 MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY:
Critique a literary selection based on Historical
Approach
 OBJECTIVES:
A. Analyze a poem using the historical lens
B. Write a historical literary criticism on a literary piece
read

8. A historical approach to literary
interpretation and analysis is
perhaps the oldest and one of the
most widely-used critical
approach.

9. HISTORICAL CRITICISM
It involves looking beyond the literature at the
broader historical and cultural events
occurring during the time the piece was
written.
An understanding of the world the author
lived in (events, ideologies, culture, lifestyle
etc.) allows for a more comprehensive
understanding of the work.

10. This approach “seeks to understand a
literary work by investigating the
social, cultural, and intellectual
context that produce it/a context
that necessarily includes the artist’s
biography and milieu”

11. EXPLORING THE POEM
•Answer each of the following
questions with 1 or more complete
sentences. Use quotes from the poem
when indicated. Write your answer on
your answer sheet.

12. ACTIVITY 1:
RICHARD CORY
BY: EDWARD ARLINGTON ROBINSON

13. 1.How do the people in the poem feel about
Richard Cory? Cite one quote from the poem as
proof.
2. Cite proof in the poem that the people have
identified Richard Cory as the embodiment of
success.
3. Describe the people who are the speakers of this
poem. What is their condition in life?

14. 4. Why do the people curse “the bread”?
What does “the bread” stand for?
5. What does “the meat” stand for? How
do you know?
6. What is “the light” that the people are
waiting for?

15. 7. Why is it ironic that the
townspeople envied Cory so
much?
8. How does Richard Cory treat
the speakers? Find one quote to
support your answer.

16. 9. Why does the poet use words like
“crown,” “imperially,” “glittered”, “king,” and
“grace?” What is the poet trying to
compare Richard Cory to?
10. Look over the last line of the poem.
What makes the last line such a shocking
line?

17. THINGS TO REMEMBER IN
HISTORICAL APPROACH
IN OTHER WORDS….
This approach focuses on the
connection of work to the period in which it
was written;
historians attempt to connect the
historical background of the work to
specific aspects of the work.

18. GUIDE QUESTIONS IN
UNDERSTANDING
HISTORICISM
(TRADITIONAL)

19. How does the work reflect the
biographical or historical
background of the author or
the time during which it was
written?

20. •What moral statements, if any,
does the work make, what
philosophical view of life or
the world does the work
resent.

21. •What literary or historical
influences helped to shape
the form and content of the
work?

22. •What other literary
works may have
influenced the writer?

23. •What historical events or
movements might have
influenced this writer?

24. WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPAL
THEMES OF THE WORK?

25. GETTING HISTORICAL…
1. HOW DO HISTORICAL EVENTS INFLUENCE THE
WAY THE POEM?
2. HOW DID THE POEM REFLECT THE CULTURAL
INFLUENCE OF THAT PERIOD?
3. HOW DO HISTORY AND CULTURE INFLUENCE A
LITERARY TEXT?

26. 1. SETTING - THE SETTING IS A REFLECTION ON THE
INFLUENCE OF HISTORICAL EVENT OF WHEN IT
WAS WRITTEN.
2. MOOD - SHOWS THE BEHAVIOR OF THE SOCIETY
AND ITS CULTURE DEPENDING ON THE PERIOD
WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN
3. TONE - SHOWS HOW THE AUTHOR FEELS ABOUT
A CERTAIN EVENT IN HISTORY
4. THEME - EXPRESSES THE CORE MESSAGE THAT
THE AUTHOR WOULD LIKE THE READER TO
PONDER UPON REGARDING THE EVENTS IN THE
PAST THAT MAY BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE

27. PRACTICE TASK 2 - GETTING
HISTORICAL
• The Caged Bird
by: maya Angelou
• https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird
• READ AND CONSIDER THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE POEM
OF THE POEM AS WHAT INSPIRED THE POET TO WRITE HER PIECE.
ANALYZE THE POEM IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
• YOUR ANSWER….

28. THE CAGED BIRD
BY: MAYA ANGELOU
• Guide Questions:
• 1. WHY DOES THE CAGED BIRD OPENED HIS MOUTH TO SING?
• 2. WHAT DO THE WORDS “DARES TO CLAIM THE SKY MEAN?”
• 3. NAME 3 THINGS THAT FREE BIRDS THINKS OF?
• 4. WHAT DOES THE POET IMPLIES BY THE LINES “A FREE BIRD
LEAPS ON THE WINDSAND FLOATS DOWNSTREAM?”

29. 5. THE POET SAYS THAT THE CAGED BIRD SINGS WITH “FEARFUL
TRILL”. WHY DO YOU THINK SHE USES THE WORD “FEARFUL”
HERE?
6. QUOTE THE LINE THAT SHOWS THE CAGED BIRD LOST HIS
WILL TO SURVIVE
7. WHERE IS THE SONG OF THE CAGED BIRD HEARD? WHAT DOES
HE SING OF?
8. HOW DOES THE POET CONTRAST THE FREE BIRD AND THE
CAGED BIRD? OR WRITE A CHARACTER SKETCH OF A FREE BIRD
AND A CAGED BIRD.

30. Writing Activity:
Analyze the poems you have just read –
Caged Bird and Richard Cory. Consider
the historical background of the poems
as to what inspired the poet to write his
piece.

31. ASSIGNMENT:
Watch the musical movie entitled: “Les Miserables”
and write a historical analysis how the author’s
background and history are reflected in the text.

32. RUBRICS: CRITERIA POINTS
• Content 20
• Presentation 20
• Grammar, Punctuation, Sentence Structure, and Spelling 20
• Application of the theory 40

33. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
HAPPY LEARNING.