Applying New Historicism to Spirituals
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Spirituals
Using New HistoricismLet's look at the spritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot": Swing low sweet chariot If you would like to hear an audio version of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," click this link: "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" We can use some of the questions New Historicists ask to help us view this from their perspective: What language/characters/events present in the work reflect the current events of the author’s day?
Does the work's presentation support or condemn the event?
In general then, a New Historicist would then say something along the following about "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot": Knowing the context of the piece the text takes on a deeper meaning than just a song about a chariot. Understanding the context of slavery lets us place the song in that same context, slavery, and knowing that the author is a slave, we can understand the piece to reflect how the system of the Underground Railroad would be viewed in a positive light by slaves. |
Works Cited
Liberty Letters http://www.libertyletters.com/resour...et-chariot.php 24 August 2012