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UNIT 15
UNIT 15 READING ASSIGNMENT
Read in Butler all of the following:
- 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 author's 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
After reading and reviewing the Unit 1 lecture, please take the quiz in WebCT (SCSU Vista)
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 (Type 1 writing). Post your writing to the appropriate thread.
On this class site, every effort has been made to acknowledge the work of others. Any omission is unintentional. If anyone finds an oversight, please contact me at brownm6@southernct.edu immediately so that any error can be corrected.
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