O n l i n e . L e a r n i n g . S u p p o r t
Department of Information and Library Science
Southern Connecticut State University
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UNIT 15 READING ASSIGNMENT

• pp. 265-268
• the six essays found on pp. 328-347
• the myth "Atalanta" found on pp. 269-272

UNIT 15 LECTURE

Historical Fiction

Definition: Historical fiction is stories set in the past and seeks to recreate the aura of a time past, reconstructing characters, events, movements, ways of life, and the spirit of a bygone day: The time period--and its portrayal--is at the core of the story. Historical fiction may overlap other genres, for example historical realism, historical fantasy, historical tall tales, historical mysteries. Historical fiction may be a domestic novel, a psychological novel, etc.

Relationship to biography:

Historical fiction and biography complement each other. Where historical fiction portrays the era, including mention of some specific individuals; biography portrays the individual, including mention of some of the features of the era. Historical fiction enriches the context for biographies from the same time; biography enriches understanding of specific individuals.

Historical development:

• Developed from the romantic movement of the early 19th century.
• Appeals to the romantic desire to escape from the present.
• Historical fiction before World War I tended to be idealized and filled with patriotic sentiment.
• Historical fiction today attempts to reassess and understand the past rather than glorify it.
• After World War I, historical fiction declined in popularity. During the 1930s to 1960s, historical fiction regained popularity. The youth rebellions of the 1970s brought a rejection of the past and a clamor for relevance in fiction.

Characteristics of historical fiction:

• Unobtrusive history
  • depends on a believable and reasonably accurate setting; often includes actual historical personages.
  • events in historical fiction are creations of the authoršs imagination; they are not history.
  • fills gaps for the reader, such as political and social history, customs, psychological attitudes, state of science and technology during the covered time period.
  • primary requirement of historical fiction is that it tells a good story.
• Authenticity
  • conveys the flavor of the period--its sights, sounds, smells, characteristics.
  • uses language appropriate to the setting (time and place).
  • faithful to the facts of the period--this means the author reads history of and documents from the period covered.
• Sensitivity
  • writer's of historical fiction must be sensitive to and balance the various intellectual views of an era.
  • ignorance and prejudice have no place in the author's telling of the story or perspective of the era.

Evaluating historical fiction:

• tells a good story
• conveys the flavor of the historical period
• authentically captures the people of the period, their values, and their habits
• uses dialogue to make the characters sound authentic but not artificial
• faithfully uses historical knowledge to avoid distorting history
• fairly and sensitively portrays different sides of the compelling issues of the period
• gives us insight into contemporary problems as well as helps us understand the problems of the past

Age and historical fiction:

• children of any age can enjoy historical fiction.
• very young children have little understanding of chronology or the existence of a past and may not realize the story is from another era.
• around age 7 or 8 children become aware of the passage of time and the existence of a past

UNIT 15 QUIZ ON LECTURE

See WebCT

UNIT 15 WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Recall a childhood story about a character and his/her job. In 10 lines or less, explain the impressions this story leaves about the role of a male/female.