Thinking historically about literature

The Little Professor is discussing the relationship between students' and teachers' understanding of history and their interpretation of literary texts:

But when we introduce "history" into our courses, how do we go about it? At a conference several years ago, a historian observed that historians like their literature to stay stable, whereas literary critics like their history to stay stable. In other words, it's very easy to slip into the habit of presenting historical background stripped of its own disciplinary signposts--especially when we don't actually know the debates surrounding our history of choice.

| Posted by Wilson at 14:28 Central | TrackBack
| Report submitted to the Education Desk