As an English Literature student I have, like many others, had the word “context” drummed into me by my teachers, whether it be in class, or written in red on one of my essays whenever I had committed the apparent sin of omitting contextual analysis from a literature essay. And, for the most part, I really didn’t get the big deal. The jump from GCSE to A Level English Literature is a big one, and for much of Year 12 the full extent of my understanding of context was an author’s birth year, or the events taking place during the writing of the text. Though these are all aspects of a text’s context, it’s also more than that.
But why is contextual analysis so important?
When it comes to understanding the context behind a text, it can be the make or break of a modern reader’s relationship with the text, and so, in this sense, the contextual analysis of a text can become an integral part of your overall analysis and comparison of a text. Furthermore, context can tie in well with your use of scholars or schools of thought; viewing Shakespeare’s portrayal of women in his plays in its context can link in well with feminism (particularly, perhaps, a comparison between a first and fourth-wave feminist's perception of the text).
For example, Shakespeare’s portrayal of Desdemona in Othello was, at the time, fairly progressive.
“she thank'd me,
And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her,
I should but teach him how to tell my story,
And that would woo her.” (Othello, 1.3.177-180)
Here Othello speaks of Desdemona’s reaction to the story of his life in order to rebut Brabantio’s claims that he used witchcraft to woo her. In this, the audience is able to gather that Desdemona is taking a pretty forward approach to flirting with Othello, which in turn (context alert) presents a reversal of the traditional, gendered approach to courting. Here’s where context can form a solid part of your analysis: though Desdemona’s pretty massive hint-dropping here is nothing to write home about by today’s standards - you could bring in a fourth-wave feminist criticism here - by the standards of Jacobean England, Desdemona is acting outside the confines of the gender roles set for her by society in flirting directly with Othello. Thus, you could find yourself with a strong argument to support a claim that Shakespeare presents women in a positive light in his text, or able to rebuke a claim that Shakespeare presents women as weak, etc.
Context can also be important in evaluating and comparing the way in which a post-colonial reader or critic may view a text. In the case of Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness, much of the language choice and the presentation of the key issues in the novella can undermine the overall message, and may hamper a modern reader’s reception of the text. This, in particular, has led to Heart of Darkness becoming a highly contested text in recent years, with critics both arguing in favour of and against the integrity of the text. Chinua Achebe’s criticism of Conrad’s novella points out the issues within the text, that being Conrad’s description of the African natives, in which he describes the natives as having “faces like grotesque masks.” Reading this within a post-colonial context, the text appears racist and offensive; however, fellow critic Cedric Watts pointed out an issue with Achebe’s criticism of the text, that being that he was not reading it within its social or historical context.
Here, then, it can be seen that bearing in mind the context in which a text was written can be the make or break of a reader’s perception of and opinion on a text and its success in portraying or responding to certain societal issues. Just as Shakespeare’s Othello appears underwhelming by today’s standards, Conrad’s Heart of Darkness seems to fail as a social criticism in the opinion of a post-colonial reader due to its use of outdated and offensive language. But, as is the case with Othello, context must still be considered in the analysis of the text; though Heart of Darkness fails by today’s standards, in the years immediately succeeding the novella’s publication in Blackwood’s Magazine, the novella and its presentation of colonialism as a morally reprehensible act played a part in the mobilisation and growth of the international criticism against King Leopold II’s abhorrent actions in the Congo, with founder of the Congo Free Association E.D. Morel stating that he was inspired by Heart of Darkness, and labelling it “the most powerful thing ever written on the subject.” In this sense, then, context can transform your argument and analysis of a text, and can lead to establishing a wider scope of debate and consideration.
The progressive nature of modern-day views can lead to the undermining of the historical significance of a text, and can lead to a play or text that was once viewed as a poignant social criticism becoming seen as nothing more than an outdated piece of literature. Of course, it is important to note the outdated nature of texts - a book from 1899 is hardly going to live up to the standards of 2020 - but it is equally as important to acknowledge that a text was once significant, and may have played an important role in acknowledging and bringing awareness to the flaws in society’s systems, and may have even changed people’s ways of thinking by bringing attention to the harmful nature of their mindsets. Taking this into account can play an important factor in your analysis of a text; mention that a text may feel underwhelming, and perhaps even archaic in its presentation of race or gender, to a modern-day audience or reader, but that at the time of its initial publication or performance, it was essential in reforming ingrained oppressive ideas about race or gender. A centuries old text failing to meet the standards of today’s ideas of what is and isn’t a successful social commentary should not take away from the fact that, at the time, the text was an important and effective piece of social criticism. And so, context is a necessary aspect to any strong analysis and evaluation of a text, and can transform your essay from providing a simple yes or no answer to any question, and instead opening up a wider debate, allowing you to bring in more quotes, language analysis and scholars.
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