Historical and biographical criticism aims to create an important connection between a given text and its historical framework. While historical and biographical readings of literature may prove to be illuminating to a certain degree, there are problematic aspects to this particular critical strategy.
Historical criticism provides readers with ambiguities that create paradoxical readings.
The approach serves to draw the reader further and further from a true interaction with a text. The text becomes simply a historical document. His life was so interesting and complex that many critics find it difficult to analyze his work without alluding to his life experiences. Frye s underlying assumption here is that Byron s life itself is of more value to readers than his actual poetry. Good readers, though, can learn and grow through personal readings of his poetry.