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Correct Answer: new historicism
the correct answer to the question is new historicism. new historicism is a school of criticism that emerged in the 1980s, primarily through the work of literary scholar stephen greenblatt, and has since influenced many other fields of the humanities. this approach challenges the conventional ways in which history is narrated and understood.
unlike traditional historiography, which often attempts to objectively recount historical events, new historicism asserts that every representation of the past is mediated through the cultural, social, and political contexts of both the subject of the history and the historian themselves. this means that history is not a fixed narrative but is instead a series of interpretations influenced by the times and biases of those who write it.
new historicists believe that historical texts and literary works are intertwined with the power structures and cultural ideologies of their time. as such, they argue that historical narratives are inherently subjective and function as political acts, serving to reinforce or challenge existing power dynamics. this view stands in contrast to the notion of an objective past that can be accurately and neutrally documented.
in practical terms, new historicism involves a close reading of historical and literary texts, focusing on the interplay of political power and cultural expression. by examining how these texts reflect, perpetuate, or challenge societal norms and structures, new historicists seek to uncover the underlying power relations and cultural contexts that shape human understanding and expression.
differentiating from other critical schools like formalism, which focuses purely on aesthetic qualities of the text, or deconstruction, which emphasizes the inherent instability of language and meaning, new historicism provides a framework for understanding texts as products of specific historical and cultural moments. myth criticism, on the other hand, explores how texts reinterpret and perpetuate cultural myths, which differs from new historicism's emphasis on historical and cultural contexts influencing texts.
thus, when considering the school of criticism that holds the view that the past cannot be known objectively due to the narrative projections of historians and the inherent political nature of historical writings, new historicism is the appropriate answer. this approach offers a lens through which to consider history not as a static, unbiased record but as a dynamic, interpretative field influenced by various subjective factors.
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