New Historicism & Cultural Materialism: Ultimate Guide for UGC NET English (Unit 9)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Post-WWII Literary Theories
The period following World War II witnessed revolutionary developments in literary theory, particularly in approaches that examined literature within its cultural and historical contexts. Two of the most significant movements that emerged were:
New Historicism
Developed in the 1980s, primarily by Stephen Greenblatt, this approach examines literary texts as part of a broader historical and cultural discourse, rejecting the idea of literature as separate from other cultural productions.
Cultural Materialism
Originating from the work of Raymond Williams in Britain, this approach analyzes literature within its material conditions of production, emphasizing the political dimensions of cultural practices.
"Culture is ordinary: that is the first fact. Every human society has its own shape, its own purposes, its own meanings." - Raymond Williams
2. New Historicism Explained
New Historicism, a term coined by Stephen Greenblatt, represents a significant shift in literary studies by emphasizing:
Core Principles of New Historicism
- Historical Context: Texts are products of specific historical moments
- Power Dynamics: Literature participates in power structures (influenced by Foucault)
- Cultural Artifacts: Treats literary and non-literary texts as equally significant
- Thick Description: Borrowed from Clifford Geertz's anthropological method
- Self-Fashioning: Greenblatt's concept of identity construction in Renaissance literature
Key Concepts in New Historicism
| Term | Definition | Theorist |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Fashioning | Process of constructing one's identity through cultural discourses | Greenblatt |
| Cultural Poetics | Study of how cultural forms circulate social energy | Greenblatt |
| Power/Knowledge | Mutually constitutive relationship (Foucault's influence) | Foucault |
| Thick Description | Detailed contextual analysis of cultural practices | Geertz |
UGC NET Focus: Greenblatt's Renaissance Self-Fashioning (1980) is frequently referenced in exam questions about New Historicism.
3. Cultural Materialism Explained
Cultural Materialism, developed primarily by Raymond Williams, represents a British approach to cultural analysis with Marxist influences:
Core Principles of Cultural Materialism
- Material Conditions: Culture must be understood within material contexts
- Structures of Feeling: Emergent cultural patterns not yet formalized
- Residual/Dominant/Emergent: Categories of cultural elements in historical process
- Keywords: Analysis of culturally significant terms and their evolution
- Cultural Production: Focus on how cultural artifacts are produced and circulated
Williams' Key Concepts
| Concept | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Structures of Feeling | Emergent cultural patterns before they become institutionalized | Early working-class literature |
| Residual Culture | Elements formed in the past but still active | Religious traditions in secular society |
| Dominant Culture | Currently prevailing cultural system | Neoliberal ideology today |
| Emergent Culture | New meanings and practices being created | Digital culture in early internet days |
"A culture is not only a body of intellectual and imaginative work; it is also and essentially a whole way of life." - Raymond Williams
4. Key Theorists and Their Contributions
Major Figures in New Historicism
| Theorist | Key Work | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Greenblatt | Renaissance Self-Fashioning (1980) | Founded New Historicism; concept of self-fashioning |
| Louis Montrose | "The Elizabethan Subject" (1986) | "The historicity of texts and the textuality of history" |
| Catherine Gallagher | Practicing New Historicism (2000) | Feminist applications of New Historicism |
Major Figures in Cultural Materialism
| Theorist | Key Work | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Raymond Williams | Culture and Society (1958) | Foundational texts of Cultural Materialism |
| Stuart Hall | Encoding and Decoding (1973) | Media and cultural studies applications |
| Alan Sinfield | Faultlines (1992) | Political Shakespeare readings |
UGC NET Focus: Be prepared to match theorists with their key concepts and works - this appears frequently in the exam.
5. Comparative Analysis: New Historicism vs. Cultural Materialism
| Aspect | New Historicism | Cultural Materialism |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | USA (1980s) | UK (1950s-60s) |
| Key Figures | Greenblatt, Montrose | Williams, Hall, Eagleton |
| Primary Influence | Foucault's power/knowledge | Marxist cultural analysis |
| Focus | Historical power structures | Material conditions of production |
| Method | Anecdotes, thick description | Historical materialism |
| Political Engagement | Less overt | Explicitly political |
Shared Characteristics
- Both reject traditional historicism
- View literature as part of cultural production
- Analyze power relations in cultural texts
- Incorporate non-literary texts in analysis
- Influenced by poststructuralist thought
6. Literary Applications
New Historicist Reading Example: Shakespeare's The Tempest
- Examine colonial discourses in early 17th century England
- Analyze power relations between Prospero and Caliban
- Connect to contemporary travel narratives about the New World
- Consider how the text circulates social energy about colonialism
Cultural Materialist Reading Example: Jane Austen's Emma
- Analyze class structure in Regency England
- Examine material conditions of women's lives
- Consider the novel as cultural product of its time
- Identify residual and emergent cultural elements
UGC NET Strategy: When asked to apply these theories, first identify key concepts you can use (e.g., for New Historicism: power relations, historical context; for Cultural Materialism: class analysis, material conditions).
7. UGC NET Exam Focus Areas
Most Frequently Tested Aspects
- Theorist-Concept Matching: Greenblatt → Self-Fashioning; Williams → Cultural Materialism
- Key Terminology: Thick description, structures of feeling, power/knowledge
- Comparative Questions: Differences between New Historicism and Cultural Materialism
- Application Questions: How would a New Historicist read X text?
- Historical Context: When and where these theories developed
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Confusing New Historicism with traditional historicism
- Mixing up key theorists between the two approaches
- Overlooking the political dimension of Cultural Materialism
- Neglecting Foucault's influence on New Historicism
- Forgetting that both approaches treat literature as cultural production
8. Practice MCQs with Explanations
1. Who coined the term "New Historicism" in literary studies?
- Raymond Williams
- Stephen Greenblatt
- Michel Foucault
- Stuart Hall
Explanation: Greenblatt first used the term in his 1980 work Renaissance Self-Fashioning.
2. Which of the following concepts is associated with Raymond Williams?
- Self-fashioning
- Thick description
- Structures of feeling
- Power/knowledge
Explanation: "Structures of feeling" is Williams' term for emergent cultural patterns.
3. New Historicism is particularly influenced by the work of:
- Karl Marx
- Michel Foucault
- Jacques Derrida
- Ferdinand de Saussure
Explanation: Foucault's concepts of power/knowledge and discourse are central to New Historicism.
4. Which of these best describes the difference between New Historicism and Cultural Materialism?
- New Historicism is British while Cultural Materialism is American
- Cultural Materialism is more explicitly political than New Historicism
- New Historicism focuses only on Renaissance literature
- Cultural Materialism rejects historical context
Explanation: While both are political, Cultural Materialism maintains a more overt Marxist political stance.
9. Exam Preparation Strategy
Effective Study Plan for Unit 9
- Master Key Concepts: Create flashcards for all major terms and theorists
- Compare Approaches: Make a chart comparing New Historicism and Cultural Materialism
- Practice Applications: Apply theories to sample texts (Shakespeare, Austen, etc.)
- Solve Previous Papers: Identify patterns in how questions are framed
- Join Study Groups: Discuss concepts with peers for better retention
Recommended Reading List
- Greenblatt, Stephen. Renaissance Self-Fashioning (1980)
- Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature (1977)
- Gallagher, Catherine & Greenblatt, Stephen. Practicing New Historicism (2000)
- Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading (1992)
- UGC NET previous year question papers (Last 5 years)
Final Tip: Create mnemonic devices to remember theorists and concepts - for example, "Greenblatt Gives New Historicism" (GGNH) or "Williams Wrote Cultural Materialism" (WWCM).
