History of English Literature

References

History of English Literature

work by Taine

Also known as: “Histoire de la littérature anglaise”

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June 29, 2026

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Hippolyte Taine's History of English Literature (1863–69) is a significant work that applied a scientific, deterministic approach to literary analysis. Taine believed that literature could be understood by examining three key factors: "race" (inherited disposition), "milieu" (environment), and "moment" (historical context). This method aimed to establish a causal explanation for literary works, treating them as products of specific societal and historical forces. Taine's work reflects the positivist philosophy prevalent in the 19th century, emphasizing empirical observation and scientific methodology in the study of humanities. His approach influenced the literary movement of naturalism, suggesting that novels could contribute to a scientific understanding of human behavior.123

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literature
National and group literature
His History of English Literature (5 vol., 1863–69) is an extensive elaboration of these ideas. It is doubtful that anyone today would agree with the simplistic terms in which Taine states his thesis. It is obvious that Russian literature differs from English or French from German.…
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His History of English Literature (5 vol., 1863–69) is an extensive elaboration of these ideas. It is doubtful that anyone today would agree with the simplistic terms in which Taine states his thesis. It is obvious that Russian literature differs from English or French from German.…
Read More

Hippolyte Taine
Attack on eclecticism
(1863–64; History of English Literature).
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(1863–64; History of English Literature).
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naturalism
…de la littérature anglaise (1863–64; History of English Literature) that “there is a cause for ambition, for courage, for truth, as there is for digestion, for muscular movement, for animal heat. Vice and virtue are products, like vitriol and sugar.” Though the first “scientific” novel was the Goncourt brothers’ case…
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…de la littérature anglaise (1863–64; History of English Literature) that “there is a cause for ambition, for courage, for truth, as there is for digestion, for muscular movement, for animal heat. Vice and virtue are products, like vitriol and sugar.” Though the first “scientific” novel was the Goncourt brothers’ case…
Read More

literary criticism
The late 19th century
The French critic Hippolyte Taine’s History of English Literature (published in French, 1863–69) reflected the prevailing determinism of scientific thought; for him a work could be explained in terms of the race, milieu, and moment that produced it. For other critics of comparable stature, such as Charles Sainte-Beuve in France,…
Read More
The French critic Hippolyte Taine’s History of English Literature (published in French, 1863–69) reflected the prevailing determinism of scientific thought; for him a work could be explained in terms of the race, milieu, and moment that produced it. For other critics of comparable stature, such as Charles Sainte-Beuve in France,…
Read More