Historical

Approach
“History is not the past but a
map of the past, drawn from a
particular point of view, to be
useful to the modern traveler.
Historical Approach
Historical Criticism is the historical
approach to literary criticism. It involves looking
beyond the literature at the broader historical and
cultural events occurring at that time the piece
was written. An understanding of the world the
author lived in (events, ideologies, culture, lifestyle,
etc.) allows for a more comprehensive
understanding of the work.
 What is the goal of
Historical criticism?
Historical Criticism seeks greater
understanding of biblical texts by
analyzing the historical contexts in
which they developed. The goal of
historical criticism, traditionally,
has been to try to understand the
text’s meaning in its original
context.
 Tenets of Historical Approach
Synthesizes factual data from various sources to interpret a literary work

Focuses on details within a text that give insight into a cultural time period, and/or how
a cultural time period is revealed by details in the text

Seeks to understand a text’s original meaning within its original context

Might evaluate the impact of a literary work on readers in subsequent eras in order to
understand how the perceived meaning, reception, and significance of a work evolve
over time
 Noli Me Tangere

Noli Me Tángere is an 1887 novel by

Filipino writer and activist José Rizal
published during the Spanish colonial
period of the Philippines. It explores
perceived inequities in law and
practice in terms of the treatment by
the ruling government and the Spanish
Catholic friars of the resident peoples.
Dr. Jose P. Rizal
José Rizal (June 19, 1861–December
30, 1896) was a man of intellectual
power and artistic talent whom
Filipinos honor as their national
hero. He excelled at anything that he
put his mind to: medicine, poetry,
sketching, architecture, sociology,
and more. Despite little evidence, he
was martyred by Spanish colonial
authorities on charges of conspiracy,
sedition, and rebellion when he was
only 35.
Life in the year of 1887
Dr. Jose P. Rizal
 Who wrote the
story?

333,000.000
The story was written by Dr. Jose
This is the Sun’s mass
Rizal.
compared to Earth’s
 When was the
story writ ten?

The story was written

in the of 1887.
 What else was
happening at the time
of its writing?

During that time,

Spanish were colonizing
our country.
What is the situation
of the Philippines
during Rizal’s Time?

The Filipinos in this time

were unfortunate victims of
the evils of an unjust, biased
and deteriorating power.
Why do you think the
author wrote the
story?

Driven by his undying love for his country,

Rizal wrote the novel to expose the ills of
Philippine society during the Spanish
colonial era. Also, it was the wake-up call for
the filipinos to act and fight.
 What is the historical
context behind Noli Me
Tangere?

The story line goes detailed with the

society of the Philippines during
Spanish colonial period and features
aristocracy behind poverty and abuse of
colonialists.
 How are political, social,
and economic conflicts
reflected in the text?

Government was administered by self-seekers,

motivated by desire to enrich themselves at the
expense of people. Corruption and bribery was
very rampant among Spanish Officials. Makes use
of their powers to control the Filipinos.
 How are
discoveries/inventions/technology
of the period evident in the text?

Technologies were not

popular at that time. Works
were done manually in the
Philippines.
 What do the historical elements
of the text teach us about the
actual history of the period?

Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere tells us that we

should reflect on our actions and beliefs for our
country. The theme of the novel is to promote
nationalism and to accept change in
ourselves is still applies to us today.
 How does the story reflect the
attitudes and beliefs of the time in
which it was written or set?

Most of the Filipinos are

catholics which was
influenced by the Spaniards.
 Main Task
Interview your ancestor or the old
member of your family members, then ask
about their life during Spanish Era. List
down the events that was evident in Noli
Me Tangere of Jose Rizal.
 Extended Task
1. What are some issues in Noli that can be
seen today?
2. What historical events or movements might
have influenced this writer?
3. How would characters and events in this
story have been viewed by the writer’s
contemporaries?