Interpreting literature: Historical context v. personal context

In order to read anything, we have to fill in details that aren't mentioned in the text. The natural way to do this is by recalling images and assumptions from our own personal experiences. However, when we read literature from another place, time, and culture, we may be adding assumptions that are very different from those held by earlier authors and audiences. These texts can take us further out of our own habits of thought if we interpret them through the historical context in which they originated--at least to the extent we are able to reconstruct it.

[lullabi]

Shelley was pretty specific about the use of electricity, but yeah, no lightening machine.
Thank you so much for putting this course online. I'm SUPER excited to go through it.