Allusion is a common demonstration of literary context, in which one text indirectly references another. Literary context also considers how a text fits into broad categories of literature, such as the aforementioned literary movements. Writers use context to engage, inform, and entertain readers.
Like most literary tools, moderation is essential when it comes to context. Too much of it can burden a story, rendering it boring or incomprehensible.
Context can be conveyed through just about anything— characterization , setting, backstory, memory, dialogue, and so on. However, specificity is key. They can also incorporate specific details to better anchor a story in a particular time or place. Consider the HBO miniseries Chernobyl. The show uses the context of Soviet Russia to elicit nostalgia and cultural memory, emphasizing how modern politics echo that of the Cold War era. Context can also inspire. A writer might reflect upon their life and realize they have a unique point of view worth sharing.
They can use the context of their lives to communicate that perspective to the world. When a writer does this well, they spark understanding within readers, helping them make new connections and realizations. Publication opens a work up to criticism, including literary analysis, which dissects and evaluates literature to make connections that general audiences may have missed.
Literary analysis hinges on context. Scholars and critics engage in close reading to discover deeper meaning, identify narrative patterns or themes, and detect influences, then analyze and synthesize their findings. They bring these disparate details together like puzzle pieces to explain why and how a text is significant and how it fits into culture and literature in general.
When a reader encounters an unfamiliar word, they study the surrounding text to discern its meaning. This process of gleaning connotation is called using context clues. These are details that directly or indirectly suggest information about a word, phrase, or situation. Especially when it is an older text, such as a sixteenth-century play like Romeo and Juliet, life was very different to modern times.
If we do not have at least a basic understanding of sixteenth-century England, as readers and as audiences we will struggle to understand what the play is trying to say to us, or what comments Shakespeare may have been making about his society when he wrote this play. As we study Romeo and Juliet, knowledge of what life was like for women in the s, and the expectations placed on them, especially regarding marriage, can help us gain a deeper understanding of the play, as love and marriage are of course two of its major themes.
What is context and why is it important when studying a text, for example Romeo and Juliet? Answered by Rachel S. Physical context refers to the setting in which a work of writing takes place. It is the physical environment in which the story, or an event within the story, occurs. The rhetorical context refers to the circumstances under which a particular piece of writing is created. It includes factors such as who the author is, the purpose of or occasion for the writing, and its intended audience.
Context adds richness to a work of literature and helps to truly engage readers in the text. Context is important to writers and readers alike. It is essential to accurately conveying writers and understanding readers the meaning of a work of writing.
While context may not be directly woven into the dialogue of a story, it is the backdrop over which the story takes place. Now that you are knowledgeable about context, discover other concepts that help convey meaning in writing, such as connotation , symbolism , and syntax.
All rights reserved. Types and Significance. Four Types of Context in Writing There are several types of context , including cultural, historical, physical, and rhetorical.
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