Authorizing the Past: The Rhetoric of History in Seventeenth-Century New England - Hardcover

Arch, Stephen Carl

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0875801889 ISBN 13: 9780875801889

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press, 1994

Synopsis

Seventeenth-century New Englanders learned a sense of community in a variety of ways. Though they absorbed much through the thousands of sermons they heard throughout their lifetimes, written histories also helped to shape common ideas. Authorizing the Past reveals a developing strand of historical discourse that was as important as the pulpit literature for creating a sense of "national" identity for the people of seventeenth-century New England.
This first book-length analysis of seventeenth-century Puritan histories demonstrates the growing professionalism and sophistication of New England historiography as a genre in its own right. Arch focuses on rhetorical strategies, narrative techniques, and evidentiary conventions to show how the profession of history developed in the first seventy years of settlement in New England.
Arch concludes that narrative histories are fictional constructs designed to effect changes in their audiences and the societies in which they live. Authorizing the Past will engage anyone interested in the convergence between history and fiction, as well as students of colonial American literature, history, and culture.

About this title

About the Author:

Stephen Carl Arch is Assistant Professor of English at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

Review:

Authorizing the Past is the first book-length analysis of 27th century Puritan histories and demonstrates the growing professionalism and sophistication of New England historiography as a genre in its own right. Stephen Arch focuses on rhetorical strategies, narrative techniques and evidentiary conventions to show how the progression of history developed in the first seventy years of settlement in New England. Tracing patterns of historical and literary change, Arch analyzes successive texts to document a gradual but fundamental shift in the way New England historians understood themselves and their community. Arch concludes that narrative histories are fictional constructs designed to effect changes in their audiences and the societies in which they live. Authorizing the Past will engage anyone inters4ted in the convergence between history and fiction, as well as students of colonial American literature, history and culture. -- Midwest Book Review

About this edition

• Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0875801889
• ISBN 13: 9780875801889
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 245