Introduction


Sir Walter Scott is credited with popularizing historical novels
How does one make history relevant? This question lies at the heart of the historical novel. The genre rose to prominence during the early- to mid-nineteenth century. The birth of the historical novel coincided with the height of Romanticism, the defining aesthetic of the time. Romanticism focused on the individual, and the emphasis manifested itself in the historical novel. In this form, the large canvas of history is filtered through the perspective of one person, one set of characters, or one community. Wars fought among nations become wars fought among men and women. In short, events of epic proportions become personal. Though they meld fact and fiction, historical novels ultimately make their subject matter both epic and intimate.

Essential Facts

  1. Sir Walter Scott is credited with jump-starting the historical novel movement. Works such as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy dramatized some of the most important moments in Scottish history.
  2. Historical fiction has also been used as a tool to teach children about history. Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond, set in Puritan New England, remains one of the most frequently assigned texts in young-adult fiction.
  3. The historical novel was responsible for the popularity of historical film epics like Quo Vadis. The genre peaked in the 1940s and 1950s.
  4. “Historicization“ is an important offshoot of the historical novel. In this movement, authors use events from past times and cultures to draw parallels to later (often current) events.
  5. The historical novel remains an important form in current literature. Many of Gore Vidal’s novels, such as Lincoln and Burr, portray some of the key figures of American history.