But their own antiwhig interpretation is priggish and fails to. The whig interpretation of history available for download and read online in other formats. Butterfield had in mind especially the historians of his own country but his criticism of the retrospective creation of a line of progress toward the glorious present can be and has subsequently been applied generally. Sir herbert butterfield was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge. The whig historian studies the past with reference to the present. Herbert butterfields the whig interpretation of history seeks to dissolve historical abridgments popularized by whig history, a term he coins as the historiographical fallacy of studying the past for the presents sake, often in favor of protestant and whig narratives. Sir herbert butterfield, master of peterhouse, cambridge 195568, regius professor of history 196368, and author of the whig interpretation of history 1931, was one of the leading. Butterfields book on the whig interpretation marked the emergence of a negative. Butterfields little book the whig interpretation of history made his name as a historian. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield. Whig history or whig historiography is an approach to historiography that presents the past as. Butterfield the whig interpretation of history contents eliohs.
Thomas mcintire, then at the institute for christian studies. Hallams works helped materially to lay the foundations of the english historical school, and, in spite of later researches, maintain their position as standard books. Butterfields book, the whig interpretation of history 1931, became a classic for history students and is still widely read. The matter is historical and political, it deals with knowledge and epistemology, culture and philosophy. Herbert butterfields the whig interpretation of history. Download pdf the whig interpretation of history book full free. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield goodreads. 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.
Two cheers for the whig interpretation of history perspectives on. The whig interpretation of history, which evaluates the past in terms of the present, is derided by the new historians of science. When he published it, he was a cambridge fellow, barely 31, slight of build, and very shy. Butterfields whig interpretation of history made his name as a historian. Eliohs butterfield the whig interpretation of history. 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 semantic scholar. Herbert butterfield, the whig interpretation of history 1931 url. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield w. Although butterfields generation of historians learned to be suspicious of stirring narratives that played fast and loose with.
This book is a critical essay on the whig interpretation of history according to the theory standing behind, i. At least it covers all that is ordinarily understood by the words, though possibly it gives them also an extended sense. Butterfield whig interpretation of history pdf the following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase. 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.