This PPT is based on MA Semester 3 presentations on Cultural Studies presented at the Department of English, MKBU. The topic of this presentation is Introduction to New Historicism with the reference of Andrew Marwell's Poem 'To His Coy Mistress'.

1. Introduction to New Historicism
With the reference of Andrew
Marvell's Poem 'To His Coy Mistress'
Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar university.
Paper No. - 205 Cultural Studies
Prepared by :- Hetal Pathak

2. Personal details :-
Presented by :- Hetal Pathak
Roll No. - 09
Enrollment No. :- 4069206420220022
Semester :- 3
Paper No. - 205
Paper Code :- 22410
Paper Name :- Cultural Studies
Topic :- Introduction to New Historicism with the reference of Andrew Marvell’s Poem ‘To His Coy
Mistress’
Submitted to :- Smt. S.B.Gardi, Department of English, M.K.B.U
E- mail :- hetalpathak28@gmail.com

3. Table of contents :-
01 03
02
04
Introduction
Conclusion
Andrew Marvell’s ‘To His
Coy Mistress’ : A New
Historical reading
05
How do critics define
‘New Historicism’
Cultural studies in
Practice

4. Introduction :-
● New Historicism, the most innovative and critical movement came in existence 1980
because of the critical manifesto of Stephen Greenblatt - “ an award winning literary
critic, theorist and scholar” who coined this very term New Historicism for the first
time.
● New Historicism is an approach to literary criticism and theory based on the Premise
that a literary work should be considered a product of its time, Place and circumstances
of its composition rather than as an isolated creation of genius.
● New Historicist greatly influenced by Michel Foucault’s Concept of discursive
analysis of Power relation, come to give another strategy of political reading of the
texts.
● The critical strategy adopted by new Historicist is quite significant because they give
equal significance to text and an embedded history.
● New Historical critical approach stresses on the Political reading of the text because
ant texts whether literary or Non - literary is a cultural construct and reveals political,
social, religious and economical circumstances of the given era. (Sharma)

5. New Historicism reopened the interpretation of literature to the social , political and
historical milieu that produced it. To a new Historicist, literature is not the record of
single mind, but the end product of a particular cultural moment. New Historicists look
at literature alongside other cultural products of a particular historical period to
illustrate how concepts, attitudes and ideologies operated across a border cultural
spectrum that is not exclusively literary.
In brief, New Historicists attempt to situate artistic texts both as products of a
historical context and as the means to understand cultural and intellectual history.
(“New Historicism”)
Definition of New Historicism :-

6. New Historicism Provides us a clear
distinction between Old and New
Historicism :-
New Historicism :-
- It involves a Parallel study of
literary and non - literary texts.
- Whereas, New Historicists see it
as Primary.
- In New Historicism, the aim is
not to represent the past as it
really was, but to present a new
reality by re-situating it.
- New Historicism is more
concerned with the interplay of
literature , culture, and Power
dynamics.
Old Historicism :-
- Hierarchical separation
between the literary text.
- Old Historicists see history as
the background to literature.
- In Old Historicism, the word
of the Past replaces the world
of the Past.
- It is more focused on
historical contexts and is text
- centered.
(Barry))

7. “ Always
Historicize.”
He identifies
‘the moment of
exchange’ as
Particularly
fascinating for
New historians.
How do critics define New Historicism ?
He Phrases New
Historicism’s motto as;
“ The text is
historical, and history
is textual.”
Michael
Warner
Fredric
Jameson
Harold
Aram
veeser
(Guerin)

8. Cultural studies in Practice :-
❏ Cultural studies can be applied to literary works through various theoretical and analytical
frameworks. It delves into how culture is influenced by social , Political , economic , and
historical factors. When we apply cultural analysis to specific literary works, it provides
valuable insights into how literature both mirrors and impacts culture on a significant scale.
❏ Here are some approaches to Practicing cultural studies in literary analysis. It Includes ;
● Historical Context
● Gender studies
● Race and ethnicity studies
● Reader Response theory
● Cultural Identity
● Cultural Materialism

9. A new Reading of Marvell’s Poem :-
To His Coy Mistress - Implied Culture V/S. Historical Fact
The Interpretation of Marvell's ‘To His Coy Mistress’ has known a fate
common to many other anthologized , frequently read pieces : there is general
agreement as to is overall meaning, but widespread contention as to the precise
ways in which that meaning is produced.
Marwell has brought together in ‘To His Coy Mistress’ from a rather gross
obvious intertextual hodgepodge : “ Using the ancient theme of Carpe diem , ”
according to Elizabeth story Donno’s introductory note , the Poet blends together
a blazon , reduced to a bare arithmetical recital of the lady’s beauties. (Brody)
Brody Points out the Concept of implied reader - as distinct from the fictive
lady who would be able to summon up a certain number of earlier and
contemporary examples of this kind of love Poem. (Guerin)

10. But what does he not show? What does he ignore
from his culture?
- Historical fact of that time.
● Historical context of the Black death :-
It mentions the black death, a devastating Plague that Struck Europe multiple
times. This Plague killed millions, and there were recurrences , including the great
Plague of London. From July to october it killed some 68,000 Persons and a total
of 75,000 in the course of the epidemic.
● It highlights the tension between the cultural and poetic Perspective of the poem
where the speaker can attempt to push off death and the harsh historical reality of
recurring Plagues, where death could strike suddenly.
❖ ‘The real world is completely absent from the Poem.’
(Guerin)

12. Conclusion :-
To Conclude, Exploring these Poem through the lens of
New Historicism reveals the rich layers of historical and
cultural context that influence the Poem. Through this
analysis, we see that New Historicism provides a
valuable tool for revealing the hidden meanings and
implications of literary works.

13. References :-
Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory: Fourth Edition. Manchester
University Press, 2017. Accessed 22 October 2023.
Brody, Jules. The Resurrection of the Body: A New Reading of Marvell's to his Coy Mistress, vol. 56, 1989, p. 27,
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2873123. Accessed 23 October 2023.
Guerin, Wilfred L. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Harper & Row, 1979. Accessed 22 October 2023.
“New Historicism.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/new-historicism.
Accessed 22 October 2023.
Sharma, Rajani. “New Historicism: An Intensive Analysis and Appraisal.” vol. 10, 2014, p. 11,
https://worldlitonline.net/2014-july-articles/4-new-historicism-rajani.pdf. Accessed 22 October 2023.

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