Context is the name given to the circumstances that form the setting of an event. This includes all the characteristics, conditions, ideas and factors that surround an event. There are several questions that can be asked in order to determine a text's context. Some examples include:
Where does the story take place?
When does the story take place?
What are the social conditions of the place?
How is that society different from ours?
What historical events took place during these time period?
What is unusual or remarkable about this location?