How can texts be interpreted differently at different historical times?

In the same way the context in which a text is written influences the author's final product, the historical period in which that text is interpreted greatly shifts our perception of its themes and messages. Hamlet is the most critically studied text in the English language, with various models for interpreting its characters, language, themes, staging, etc. Dr Johnson, in the 1700s, provided the first comprehensive analysis of Shakespearean drama with a focus on the protagonists’ individual characteristics as a medium for exploring the wider themes. In 1899, Sigmund Freud delivered his, Interpretations of Dreams, establishing the Oedipus complex and using it as a framework for analysing Hamlet’s actions and indecision. After World War Two, a focus on power structures developed with practitioners such as Peter Brook taking a more thematic approach rather than strictly textual. Claudius’ corruption of authority and encroachment on the personal lives of his citizens resonated with audiences who were slowly coming to recognise the increasingly authoritarian nature of the state in society. This is a very cursory summary of the gargantuan critical literature on, Hamlet, but serves to highlight the impact of different historical and literary perspectives on our understanding and interpretation of the text. Each wave of literary criticism is informed by the previous body of literature and likewise permeates future studies. Just as the text was not written detached from all other literature and the outside world, literary criticism and our understanding of the text can no occur in a void.