Context in a World of Information Many aspects help create our world's rich history of literature. Throughout history to now, many layers of understanding go into a work of literature. Due to these layers, having context of a work's creation help the reader to appreciate and enjoy the work. Knowledge of the current political conditions that the author was facing during their life can greatly impact a reader's interpretation of a story. George Orwell's books Animal Farm and 1984 are great examples of how knowing the context of political conditions can unlock an entire new view to a story. Orwell created these books in the 1930s and 40s, a time where the Soviet Communist Party held power. On the surface, Animal Farm is purely a story of animals
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Knowing what year a story was written in, as well as knowing of current events from these years are all things that can influence the content of a work. Time period can be seen through writings in literature such as Shakespearean plays. Language plays a prevalent role in these plays, due to the Shakespearean language that they are written in. The reader having context of what time period these stories were released in helps them to understand why this old-fashioned language is used. The reader is then able to enjoy and appreciate the language of the work and the story being told with it. Similar language is used in the poem Ode on a Grecian Urn, by John Keats, a poem we read in class. On first reads, I saw lines such as "[t]hou still unravish'd bride of quietness", "fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave", and "thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe" and believed it to have been written during Shakespearean times (Keats). While I still enjoyed the poem, once I discovered that the poem had actually been released in 1820, compared to the 1500s or 1600s, I was surprised. I learned that Keats deliberately used older language and diction when writing this poem. He uses the language to express the specifics of beautiful romance displayed by the urn that happen in a past time. Having the knowledge that Keats deliberately used older language to tell his story allowed me to appreciate and enjoy more it in further readings. Another example of when it is important to know the history behind the language used is while reading Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Fin. This story faces criticism in today's time for the harsh racial slurs used, but the reader must understand that times were different during the time the story was written. This language was a commonly used by many people. While a reader may not enjoy this story due to the offensive language, having the historical
Knowing what year a story was written in, as well as knowing of current events from these years are all things that can influence the content of a work. Time period can be seen through writings in literature such as Shakespearean plays. Language plays a prevalent role in these plays, due to the Shakespearean language that they are written in. The reader having context of what time period these stories were released in helps them to understand why this old-fashioned language is used. The reader is then able to enjoy and appreciate the language of the work and the story being told with it. Similar language is used in the poem Ode on a Grecian Urn, by John Keats, a poem we read in class. On first reads, I saw lines such as "[t]hou still unravish'd bride of quietness", "fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave", and "thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe" and believed it to have been written during Shakespearean times (Keats). While I still enjoyed the poem, once I discovered that the poem had actually been released in 1820, compared to the 1500s or 1600s, I was surprised. I learned that Keats deliberately used older language and diction when writing this poem. He uses the language to express the specifics of beautiful romance displayed by the urn that happen in a past time. Having the knowledge that Keats deliberately used older language to tell his story allowed me to appreciate and enjoy more it in further readings. Another example of when it is important to know the history behind the language used is while reading Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Fin. This story faces criticism in today's time for the harsh racial slurs used, but the reader must understand that times were different during the time the story was written. This language was a commonly used by many people. While a reader may not enjoy this story due to the offensive language, having the historical