The term historical biography might seem a tautology, after all, a biography can only be history. However, the adjective adds another layer to a biography, showing how the subject shaped or reacted to their time.
Those who sympathize with the ‘Great Man theory’, that a few notable people (usually men) make history, will see the immediate value of biography as a vehicle for history. But even those who believe in ‘history from below’, that history is the result of the trends and movements of society as a whole, will realize that just as important can be how leaders react to those shifts.
The challenge of historical biography
Like any historical writing, historical biography presents a series of challenges. The first is the need to research and understand your topic. Depending on the historical era and subject, this can be incredibly difficult.
Some eras might have few available sources, making verification of what you do have difficult or impossible. More recent subjects might have an overwhelming set of sources, making it challenging to find the facts that tell a story.
And, of course, lots of historical biographies have already been written. That makes it hard for you to tell your version, rather than just regurgitating someone else’s.
However, when you get the balance right, historical biography is one of the most compelling forms of history. At their heart, it is the story of a person, and done well, that means that whatever their deeds, or misdeeds, a well-crafted biography allows the reader to relate to the subject.
Choosing the subject
The subject is, perhaps, the most important choice you will have to make. Your decision will affect your ability to research, and also the story you can tell. It might be, for example, that you can tell a far more compelling story by using a slightly less well-known character; even the most powerful leaders had lieutenants.
But also pay attention to which characters interest you. Writing historical biography is hard work, so make sure that you choose a figure that will sustain, not bore, you.
Researching your subject
Most students’ research will be through secondary sources, the books and papers written by previous biographers and historians. Some, however, will be using primary sources, such as artefacts or writing by their subject.
But whatever the sources used, it’s vital to consider them critically. This is especially important for sources from the time you are studying. Even letters and diaries that purport to be your subject’s innermost thoughts may be subject to self-censorship. And even professional historians have biases, which can persist for centuries. Take the American Revolutionary War: a struggle for freedom from tyranny in the US national identity, but in the UK, it’s usually considered secondary to the ongoing conflicts with France.
Whenever possible, strive to triangulate your facts. Can you back up your assertions with independent facts? For example, by identifying documentary evidence, or statements made by others who would have been present.
Telling your story
Very few lives create neat stories, with discrete acts and satisfying conclusions. However, as a writer, even one endeavoring to provide an accurate representation of a subject, you need to be a storyteller. This is not about entertainment — although there is no reason a biography cannot be entertaining — but necessity and information.
First, you simply cannot include everything about your subject, there will be far too much material. This means you have to selectively edit.
Second, you have to provide a context. While you could simply relay facts, it is much easier for a reader to understand when presented using a structure, such as using a cause they championed, or even external events, to create a narrative frame.
Think carefully about what story makes sense, helping you to write and your readers to understand, while remaining faithful to your historical goals.
Painting the characters
One of the most compelling aspects of historical biography is that they are about people. And that means the subjects will have the same interests and flaws, passions and emotions, that readers see in themselves and others.
Revealing and detailing these can be illuminating, and sometimes even help explain actions and decisions. However, care needs to be taken to ensure you are reflecting what happened, not what you imagined.
While human emotions are nothing new, you have cannot experience historical events with a modern mind. For example, it’s often popular to diagnose historical figures with physical and mental conditions that they may simply not have heard of or recognized. Bringing those characters to life for the modern reader is important but be sure to do it in a way that still has meaning for the era in which your subject lived.
Maintain academic standards
A difficulty with historical biography is that we often look for binaries. We want our historical figures to fit categories like good or evil, adroit or incompetent. In fact, almost everyone is a mix. Our historical heroes often had dark secrets or undesirable opinions, while those we see as on the wrong side of morality may well have had redeeming characteristics.
And history continually changes. Although we might strive for fixed historical facts, as we find and assess more evidence, and as we change our own standards, we change how we view those from our past.
Your historical biography can never be definitive, but you must strive for a balanced view of the evidence, by acknowledging and addressing your biases and presenting a biography that is as accurate as it can be.
Telling the story
Writing historical biography is not easy. Even with all the facts you can muster, you still face the challenge of writing about another human being, with all the complexities we have.
We can never truly be in the mind of someone else, living or dead, so your task is to understand that mind as well as you can, and present an impartial account of how that person lived.
But, for all that difficulty, it provides not just the satisfaction of completion, but a route to in-depth understanding not just of a person, but of the time they lived, both for you, and for the reader.