Historical criticism seeks to understand how a text reflects the historical context in which it was written. It examines how the economy, politics, and social climate of the period may have influenced the author and questions whether the text references important figures, beliefs, or conflicts of the time in order to learn about the actual history of the period from the historical elements in the text.

1. Historical Criticism Main Questions

2. Questions Historical Criticism Seeks To Answer:
• How do you think historical influences are reflected in the text?
• How did the economy, politics, or social climate affect the author’s
attitudes and expression?
• What key historical figures appear or are alluded to in the text?
• What commonly held beliefs of the period are shown in the text?

3. Questions (Continued)
• How are political, social, and economic conflicts reflected in the text?
• How are discoveries/inventions/technology of the period evident in the
text?
• What do the historical elements of the text teach us about the actual
history of the period?