It sees history as always progressing toward the abolition of arbitrary differences between people. Tories reactionary herbert butterfield, the whig interpretation of history, london, 1931. Sir herbert butterfield fba 7 october 1900 20 july 1979 was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge. Herbert butterfield and the interpretation of history. When he published it, he was a cambridge fellow, barely 31, slight of build, and very shy. What does it mean to have a whiggish view of history.
The whig interpretation of history by butterfield, herbert, sir, 1900publication date 1965 topics historiography publisher new york. Now at last hay has come to their rescue in a fine new history that fully appreciates their importance. Originally whig and tory were terms of abuse introduced in 1679 during the heated struggle over the bill to exclude james, duke of york afterward james ii, from the. Sir herbert butterfield was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge.
Herbert butterfields, the whig interpretation of history will be one of them. Herbert butterfield and the interpretation of history book. It is not as easy to understand the past as many who have written it would have us believe. As a british historian and philosopher of history, he is remembered chiefly for two books, a short volume early in his career entitled the whig interpretation of history 1931 and his origins of modern science 1949. Davis, emeritus professor of history, washington university in st. The whig interpretation of history by sir herbert butterfield, september 1965, w.
The whig interpretation of history available for download and read online in other formats. Butterfield papers at the cambridge university library. It was written after discussions on anachronism and historical change in the meaning of words. Their methodology consists in abstracting things from their context, overdramatisation of the story, oversimplification. During herbert butterfields lifetime, most historians were certain that the whig interpretation of history 1973 1931 had finished once and for all with the interpretation of history as the ratification if not the glorification of the present butterfield, 1973 1931, p. Pdf the whig interpretation of history download full. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield when i first began to spend my time doing serious historical research, i often came across the word whiggish used in a negative sense to describe a historical thesis or set of ideas. The most trenchant exploration and critique of the phenomenon of whig history is provided by herbert butterfield in the whig interpretation of history, a work that appeared over seventy years ago but remains keenly relevant to the writing of history. Butterfields whig interpretation of history made his name as a historian. Download the predictions and prophecies of nostradamus public domain e book in pdf format.
Nov 20, 2007 a good old classic for the metahistory tag today. The following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase. The whig interpretation of history of 1931 hereafter, the whig interpre tation was a. Ashplant school of humanities and social sciences, liverpool polytechnic of the many books written by the late herbert butterfield, the most influential by far was the whig interpretation of history. Sep 01, 2012 still, the ambiguously partial praise i offer here is not just for the whig interpretation of history but also for the unitalicized and lowercased whig interpretation s of history that the book criticizes. Pdf is the history of science essentially whiggish. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield. History hereafter, the whig interpretation with a strong criticism of. Scholasticism william of ockham the principle of parsimony. Central to the whig interpretation of history was the long conflict between crown and parliament that dominated the seventeenth century. It might be called the historians pathetic fallacy. Basically, what the whig theory of history says is that history is an inevitable march upward into the light. Herbert butterfield 19001979 was a british historian and philosopher of history, who also wrote christianity and history and the origins of history.
This book is a critical essay on the whig interpretation of history according to the theory standing behind, i. The historiography of the american revolution journal of. Its still dominant despite criticisms in the 1930s and 40s. This was how herbert butterfield described historians who project modern attitudes on to the past, pass moral judgments on historical figures, and regard history as significant only to the extent that it labored to. The whig narrative and american christianity james r.
The historians who look at it from the protestant, progressive, 19th century gentleman viewpoint are defined by professor butterfield as the whig. To the editors steven weinberg suggests, in eye on the present the whig history of science nyr, december 17, 2015, that historians of science may be permitted to view the past in terms of modern knowledge called whig history, whereas others may not. Actons insistence on the historiographical delivery of ultimate moral judgements. Early in the book, butterfield acknowledged that the impulse toward progressive narratives and anachronistic judgments has less to do with a. The necessity of the study of hermeneutics follows from several considerations. Over the course of his career, butterfield turned increasingly to historiography and mans developing view of the past. Oct 04, 2003 the whig interpretation of history is a concept in historiography that is too presentoriented when dealing with the past. Eye on the presentthe whig history of science from the december 17, 2015 issue. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The whig interpretation of history is a concept in historiography that is too presentoriented when dealing with the past. At least it covers all that is ordinarily understood by the words, though possibly it gives them also an extended sense. Beyond the immediate intent of butterfields little book, the condemnation of the whig interpretation of history had a felicitous career, not least because of.
When i first began to spend my time doing serious historical research, i often came across the word whiggish used in a negative sense to describe a historical thesis or set of ideas. The whig interpretation did not refer to whig politicians, but to the 19thcentury interpretation of history as one long triumphant march of progress. The whig interpretation of history and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Description of the book the whig interpretation of history. He wrote in the preface to this 1931 book, the following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase. Firstly, as he employed it, the term whig history embodied the very insularity which it. He has lived in the usa for the past 20 years but he does not think that this prevents him from presenting britains history. Reflections on the whig interpretation of history in. Big whig history and nano narratives patrick mccray. The whig methodology would restrict such a history to only those technologies that currently count as an automobilei. It is part and parcel of the whig interpretation of history that it studies the past with reference to the present. Jan 09, 2020 the whig interpretation of history by sir herbert butterfield, september 1965, w. Apr 25, 2010 5081 the whig view of history the whig view of history is more often than not now used as a pejorative. Even when he himself has been unsympathetic to the movements of his own generation, as in the case of hallam 1, who bitterly opposed the great reform bill and trembled to think of the revolutionary ways into which the country was moving, something in his constitution still makes him lean to what might be called the whig interpretation of.
Review of herbert butterfields the whig interpretation of. The whig interpretation of history semantic scholar. In the 1960s he was dead set against the whig interpretation of history but with his recent rereading of the great books, he is not so sure that the whig historians are wrong. The whig historian studies the past with reference to the present. Culture and politics national humanities institute. Whig interpretation of history september 1965 edition.
May 12, 2008 one small matter that struck me was the notion of whig history. Butterfield defines the whig view of history as the theory that we study the past for the sake of the present p. Although butterfields generation of historians learned to be suspicious of stirring narratives that played fast and loose with. Two cheers for the whig interpretation of history perspectives on. The whig interpretation of history is superb meditation on the craft of history and how it can be distorted by whig history. If youve read dozens of narratives and biographies but find yourself wanting to dig even deeper into the analytical history of the american revolution, this article is designed to give you a crash course in the historiography of the american revolution. Butterfield uses the term whig history to denote a common mode of historical writing. The whig interpretation of history york university. When, like athenagoras, he condemns second marriage as specious adultery, he has no manner of doubt that he is expressing the opinion of st. In the whig interpretation of history, herbert butterfield critiques historians who let their perception of the present influence their study of the past. It takes its name from the british whigs, advocates of the power of parliament, who opposed the tories, advocates of the power of the king.
In 1997, david womersley reminded readers of augustan critical writing that those who deemed the british literary world to be palled by dullness were ardent tories who responded to a selfconsciously modern programme for english poetry propounded in the 1690s and 1700s by whig writers. It characterized many historians, such as thomas babington macaulay 18001859. Eliohs butterfield the whig interpretation of history. The historians who look at it from the protestant, progressive, 19th century gentleman viewpoint are defined by professor butterfield as the whig historians. Download pdf the whig interpretation of history book full free. Whig history and presentcentred history adrian wilson wellcome unit for the history of medicine, cambridge and t.
The whig vision of history derived from the commonlaw claim of. Its a phrase ive encountered before and understood to mean a kind of triumphalist point of view in the writing of history. Such whig writings found their apogee in george bancrofts massive multivolume sermon, the history of the united states 18341874, whose great principle of action was the pursuit of liberty. Eye on the presentthe whig history of science steven weinberg it was the cambridge historian herbert butter. They saw british history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of. He wrote in the preface to this 1931 book, the following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield on. Were you pleased when president obama won the us election.
Alun munslow argues that the centrality of narrative to history undermines empirical views of the subject alun munslow, march 2002, history today archives. Royle, the whig interpretation of history and its critics a course at york university. Whig history or whig historiography is an approach to historiography that presents the past as. While they regretted the bloodshed of the civil war and the execution of king charles i, the whigs saw the defeat of the crown and its subjugation to parliament as essential to the establishment of a free society. The whig interpretation of history butterfields book, the whig interpretation of history 1931, became a classic for history students and is still widely read. Still, the ambiguously partial praise i offer here is not just for the whig interpretation of history but also for the unitalicized and lowercased whig interpretation s of history that the book criticizes. There are few books that i have read that have made huge impact on me, but i think dr. A classic essay on the distortions of history that occur when historians impose a rigid point of view on the study of the past. Eye on the present the whig history of science from the december 17, 2015 issue.
The whig interpretation of history whigs progressive vs. The whig interpretation of history is not merely the property of whigs and it is much more subtle than mental bias. Over the course of his career, butterfield turned increasingly to. Frustrated in his ability to rework the system, obama and his team seem to have chosen to withdraw on some issues, and trust to the passage of time. Whiggish people almost universally the great and the good among white men. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield 19001979 1931 preface 1. The complete works of nostradamus are here compiled in one file. This was a good book, attacking some unnecessary assumptions, while encouraging the pursuit of historical questions. Lectures on modern historythe rise of the whigs wikisource.
His writings, indeed, like that of some other historians, were obviously. When first coined it was to describe a narrative where everything just got better all the time. Eliohs butterfield the whig interpretation of history 2. In the whig interpretation butterfield required the historian to repre. Butterfields book on the whig interpretation marked the emergence of a negative. Herbert butterfield, the whig interpretation of history 1931 isi. The whig party in the first three decades of the nineteenth century is a topic that has long cried out for a serious reappraisal. As a british historian and philosopher of history, he is remembered chiefly for a short volume early in his career entitled the whig interpretation of history 1931 and for his origins of modern science 1949. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The whig theory of history began in the early to mid19th century, and it has taken over. Whig history or whig historiography is an approach to historiography that presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy in general, whig historians emphasize the rise of constitutional government, personal freedoms and scientific progress. The british historian herbert butterfield coined the term whig history in his short but influential book the whig interpretation of history 1931. Whig interpretation of history 931 general winfield scotts invasion of mexico from the gulf. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. His english colleagues always took note of his publications, and on this continent he has been studied and commented on by such authors as c. Although butterfields generation of historians learned to be suspicious of stirring narratives that played fast and loose with historical complexities, and although subsequent generations have. They saw british history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of toryism and absolute monarchy. Whig history exhibits a gradual renunciation of burnets mitigated doctrine, that resistance is only justified. Like much of butterfields work elegant and teasing you think its saying something important but youre not quite sure what it actually is. And the term whig interpretation has been applied to both the latter and to all types of presentminded history. The british historian herbert butterfield, in his small but influential book the whig interpretation of history 1931 whose title actually coined the phrase.
Whig and tory, members of two opposing political parties or factions in england, particularly during the 18th century. Whig partisan view of the english constitution and the whig view of history which dominated british historiography in the victorian era. Find kingston breaking news, latest stories, recent happenings, events and updates in kingston, ontario. Jul 23, 2010 lectures on modern historythe rise of the whigs. The whig narrative is the popular version of whig history. Moral judgements in history all footnotes are editorial.
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