The Historical Background which is also known as Historical Context. It is an important part of literature and without it, memories, stories and characters have less meaning. What exactly is historical context? In more technical terms, historical context refers to the social, religious, economic, and political conditions that existed during a certain time and place. Basically, it’s all the details of the time and place in which a situation occurs, and those details are what enable us to interpret and analyze works or events of the past, or even the future, rather than merely judge them by contemporary standards. In analyzing historical events, context can help readers understand what motivates people to behave as they did. Without historical context, we are only seeing a piece of the scene and not fully understanding the influence of the time and place in which a situation occurred. In novels, a strong understanding of the historical background behind a work’s creation can give readers a better understanding of and appreciation for the narrative.