Reevaluating Biography

Reevaluating Biography

Biography, history and literature have a sometimes fraught relationship. Hagiography was the norm in earlier historical writing as scholars followed Thomas Carlyle’s conception of the Great Man and lauded the achievements of the European white male. Attention has since turned to a more determinist approach that considers the complex social, economic and political forces that lead to change, with less emphasis on the achievements of the individual. This paper makes a case for a re-examination of the place of biography in historical and literary studies, considering the validity of contextual biography as a methodology. Contextual biography seeks to position their subject within the broader social forces and see them both as 'a product and an agent of their time' (Carr, E.H. 1961). While a number of scholars, particularly in literary studies, have labelled their works as contextual biography, the method remains ill-defined. This paper uses Mary Shelley and her works as a case study to further explore the potential of contextual biography to examine the impact of an individual’s work upon the world. It does so by arguing that Shelley’s life not only influenced her work, but her work in turn established a discourse that had a significant and lasting impact upon both literary and scientific culture and so can offer new insights into the history of Shelley’s era. This paper seeks to start a conversation about the key features of contextual biography and better define the methodology. In doing so, we have an opportunity to reconsider the place of biography in studies of the past and revisit how we see the role of individuals in our understanding of global change and continuity.

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