Contextualism in Literature & Literary Theory

Contextualism: Etymology, Meanings and Concept

Contextualism, derived from the Latin contextus (“joining together”), is a philosophical framework emphasizing the critical role of context in shaping the meaning and interpretation of statements, actions, or concepts. Contextualists assert that a comprehensive understanding is contingent upon examining the full range of surrounding circumstances and influences.

Key Meanings and Concepts:

• Contingent Meaning: The meaning and interpretation of a phenomenon are inherently bound to its specific context and thus subject to change across different situations.
• Holistic Approach: Analysis must prioritize the whole, as understanding an element in isolation is inadequate.
• Interdisciplinary Relevance: Contextualism is a prevalent perspective in philosophy, linguistics, the arts, and other disciplines where interpretation is central.
• Epistemological Contextualism: A specific branch examining how contextual factors influence the standards and criteria for what constitutes “knowledge.”
• Contextualism vs. Relativism: While contextualism recognizes the validity of multiple perspectives based on context, it maintains a distinction from relativism, which can suggest a lack of any objective standards.

Contextualism: Definition of a Theoretical Term

Contextualism is a theoretical perspective that emphasizes the importance of examining the surrounding circumstances to understand the meaning of a concept, idea, or event. It posits that meaning is not fixed but depends on factors such as time, place, culture, and the individuals involved. Contextualism challenges the notion of universal or absolute interpretations.

Contextualism: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Theorist/School	Works	Core Arguments
Linguistic Contextualism	J. L. Austin (How to Do Things With Words) John Searle (Speech Acts)	The meaning of words and utterances is heavily determined by the context of their use. A statement’s literal meaning may differ from what the speaker intends to convey.
Epistemological Contextualism	Keith DeRose (The Case for Contextualism)	What counts as “knowledge” depends on the standards relevant to the context. In some high-stakes situations, we need a very strong basis for knowledge, while more casual circumstances might have looser standards.
Moral Contextualism	Various Philosophers (no single unifying figure)	The rightness or wrongness of an action depends on the specific context of the situation. There may be few universally true moral rules.
Historical Contextualism	Quentin Skinner (Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas)	To understand historical texts or ideas, we must place them within their original historical and social context. Meanings shift over time, so what an author intended in the past might not be how we interpret it today.

Contextualism: Major Characteristics

• Emphasis on the Role of Context: Meaning is not inherent in the text alone. External factors like the author’s intent, the time period, audience, cultural setting, and even the reader’s own understanding heavily influence the interpretation of a literary work.
• Rejection of Universal Meanings: Contextualists argue against fixed, unchanging interpretations. A text’s meaning evolves with historical and cultural shifts, as well as with the perspectives of individual readers.
• Importance of Historical Setting: Understanding the social, political, and intellectual climate in which a work was written is essential for contextual interpretation.
• Ambiguity and Multiple Interpretations: Contextualism embraces the idea that literary works can have layered meanings, and often deliberately invite multiple possible readings.

Literary References

• Shakespeare’s Hamlet: The play is full of ambiguity, like Hamlet’s true motives or the nature of Ophelia’s madness. Modern productions of Hamlet often take very different approaches (e.g., highlighting political intrigue versus psychological turmoil), demonstrating the influence of context on interpretation.
• Poetry of T.S. Eliot: Eliot’s works like “The Waste Land” are fragmented and allusive. Understanding them requires knowledge of historical events, literary traditions, and religious/mythological references.
• Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird: The novel’s perspective on race relations shifts dramatically depending on the time period in which it’s read. Its initial reception was very different than its place in literature today due to changes in societal context.
• Reader Experience: Your own background heavily colors your reading. A poem about childhood will resonate differently for someone raised in a rural village versus an urban environment.

How Contextualism Impacts Analysis

A contextualist approach to literature involves:

1. Research: Investigating the author’s life, historical period, and cultural influences relevant to the work.
2. Close Reading: Paying attention to nuances of language, word choice, and the work’s internal clues about its own context.
3. Acknowledging Subjectivity: Recognizing that interpretation is partly influenced by the reader’s own experiences and biases.

Contextualism: Relevance in Literary Theories

• New Criticism:
  • Challenge: New Criticism emphasizes close reading of the text itself, seeking universal truths within a work of art. Contextualism directly opposes this, arguing that meaning exists far beyond the text’s boundaries.
• Reader-Response Theory:
  • Alignment: Contextualism supports the idea that a reader’s background, experiences, and the act of reading itself shape interpretation. Both perspectives reject the idea of singular, author-intended meaning.
• Feminist Criticism:
  • Alignment: Contextualism helps expose power dynamics embedded in both the production and reception of literature. It allows feminist critics to examine how historical and social contexts have privileged certain voices and marginalized others.
• Marxist Criticism:
  • Alignment: Considering historical materialism and class struggle are core aspects of Marxist readings. Contextualism helps reveal how literature both reflects and shapes the socioeconomic realities of its time.
• Postcolonial Criticism:
  • Alignment: Contextualism is essential in highlighting how colonialism and imperialism shape both the creation of literature and the way we interpret it. It helps deconstruct power imbalances within texts.
• New Historicism:
  • Close Relationship: New Historicism is inherently contextualist. It examines literary texts alongside other historical “texts” (events, laws, cultural artifacts) to uncover the complex interplay between literature and society.

Key Points

• Contextualism as a Tool: Contextualist thinking doesn’t replace other theories. Instead, it provides a lens to understand how external forces influence the creation, interpretation, and value ascribed to literature.
• Subjectivity of Context: What even counts as relevant “context” can be debated from different theoretical viewpoints. A Marxist critic might focus on economic conditions, while a feminist critic might highlight gendered power structures.

Contextualism: Application in Critiques

Literary Work	Contextual Considerations	How Context Shapes Analysis
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald	* Roaring Twenties economic boom and social upheaval * Author’s own disillusionment with the American Dream	The novel can be read as a critique of materialism, the pursuit of social status, and the emptiness of wealth when not accompanied by deeper values.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe	* Pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria * Igbo cultural traditions and beliefs * Author’s desire to represent African perspectives	The novel gains layers of meaning when analyzed within the context of colonialism’s impact. Themes of cultural conflict, resistance to change, and the tragedy of lost traditions become far more poignant.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood	* Rise of the religious right in the 1980s * Historical precedents for totalitarian, patriarchal regimes * Ongoing debates about women’s rights and bodily autonomy	The novel takes on a chilling relevance when considered in light of both historical and contemporary power structures that seek to control women. Its themes of oppression and resistance resonate differently in different social-political climates.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman	* 19th-century medical practices surrounding women’s mental health * Restricted social roles for women * Author’s own experiences with the “rest cure”	The work becomes a powerful indictment of the ways in which societal expectations and medical treatment of the time could confine and damage women psychologically.

Important Notes:

• These critiques are NOT exhaustive. Each of these works could be analyzed through multiple contextual lenses.
• Contextualism is one tool among many. You could also apply other critical theories (Feminist, New Historicist, etc.) in conjunction with contextual considerations.

Contextualism: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Context	The circumstances, setting, background, or environment in which something exists or occurs. This can include the historical period, social norms, cultural influences, the author’s intent, or the reader’s perspective.
Situational	Specific to a particular situation or context.
Subjectivity	Influenced by personal experiences, biases, and interpretations. Contextualism acknowledges subjective elements in understanding.
Ambiguity	Open to multiple interpretations; lacking a single, definitive meaning.
Perspective	A particular viewpoint or way of seeing something. Different readers and different historical periods bring different perspectives to a text.
Contingent	Dependent on other factors or circumstances; not fixed or absolute.
Nuance	Subtle differences in meaning, tone, or implication. Contextualism highlights the importance of nuance in interpretation.
Relative	Considered in relation to something else. Meaning, knowledge, or morality in a contextualist framework is gained through comparison and relation to various contexts.
Discourse	The broader social, cultural, and historical conversations and power structures that shape how language is used and how meaning is created.
Hegemony	The social, cultural, or ideological dominance or influence of one group over others. Contextualism can be used to analyze and challenge hegemonic interpretations of texts.

Contextualism: Suggested Readings

1. Austin, J. L. How to Do Things with Words. 2nd ed., edited by J. O. Urmson and Marina Sbisa, Harvard University Press, 1975.
2. DeRose, Keith. The Case for Contextualism: Knowledge, Skepticism, and Context, Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, 2009.
3. Fish, Stanley. Is There a Text in This Class? The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Harvard University Press, 1980.
4. Foucault, Michel. The Archaeology of Knowledge. Translated by A. M. Sheridan Smith, Pantheon Books, 1972.
5. Graff, Gerald. Literature Against Itself: Literary Ideas in Modern Society. University of Chicago Press, 1979.
6. Greenblatt, Stephen. Renaissance Self-Fashioning: From More to Shakespeare. University of Chicago Press, 1980.
7. Rorty, Richard. Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity. Cambridge University Press, 1989.
8. Searle, John. Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge University Press, 1969.
9. Skinner, Quentin. “Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas.” History and Theory, vol. 8, no. 1, Meaning and Context: Quentin Skinner and His Critics, 1969, pp. 3-53.
10. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Philosophical Investigations. Translated by G.E.M. Anscombe, 3rd ed., Blackwell, 1958.