Final answer:
Literature has historically influenced societal events and our understanding of those events, as exemplified by works addressing the Vietnam War and democratization of reading in the 18th and 19th centuries. New Historicism underscores the reciprocal relationship between literature and historical context, positing that each shapes the other.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Literature and history are intrinsically linked, with each influencing the other in profound ways.
- The impact of literature on events is best understood through the lens of New Historicism, a theory which posits that societal contexts shape literature, which in turn can influence historical understanding and events.
- The narratives told in famous works such as War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and Dispatches by Michael Herr, not only reflect the times and events of their creation but also contribute to our interpretation and understanding of those events.
- Moreover, literature serves as a cultural relic that offers a window into the society that produced it, embodying both positive and negative aspects, and has the power to shape cultural and societal norms.
- Focusing on examples from American and Russian literature, works centering on the Vietnam War have significantly revisited and revised the history and perception of the event.
- Similarly, in the 18th and 19th centuries, novels began to offer new perspectives and the notions of literature also played a role in the Democratization of reading, allowing for broader interpretations and challenging the status quo of authority in interpretive practices, particularly among women.