An Analysis of Absalom, Absalom! From the Perspective of New Historicism

Abstract

New Historicism subverts the traditional binary opposition between literature and history, highlights the operation of “power” and “discourse” within texts, and explores two-way concerns for history and texts. Under the perspective of new historicism, this paper aims to interpret how HISTORICITY OF TEXTS and TEXTUALITY OF HISTORY are embodied in Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. The paper concludes that, Faulkner’s resorting to literary creation, on one hand, reflects the history and on the other hand, highlights the reality, which realizes the interaction between literature and history.