My PhD research proposal entitled “Manifestation of New Historicism in Select Graphic Novels of Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner and Alan Moore”. Right now I am pursuing my PhD from Department of English, Shri Govind Guru University, Godhra. I have joined PhD in the faculty of Arts and in English subject. My guide is Dr. Anuragsinh D. Puvar. My PhD Registration No is 2010681.

1. For The Program of
Doctor Of Philosophy
2020-2021
“MANIFESTATION OF NEW HISTORICISM IN SELECT GRAPHIC NOVELS OF ART
SPIEGELMAN, WILL EISNER AND ALAN MOORE”
Shri Govind Guru University, Godhra
Faculty: Arts
Subject: English
Research Scholar:
Kaushal H. Desai
Department of English
Shri Govind Guru University, Godhra
PhD Registration No: 2010681
Department of English, SGGU
Guide:
Dr. Anuragsinh D. Puvar
Associate Professor
Shri T. S. Arts College, Kothamba

2. 01
Introduction
02
Title of Study
03
Literature Review
04
Objective of Study
05
Research
Methodology
06
Hypothesis
07
Scope and
Signification of Study
08
Chapter Plan
09
Conclusion
10
References

3. Introduction
● New era of 21st century has expanded literary portion with many new things in
literature. Here, graphic novel works as juvenile expression in society. According to
Merriam-Webster dictionary, Graphic novels are stories that is presented in comic-strip
format and published as a book or written and illustrated in the style of a comic book.
However, there is ambiguity in academic related the term Graphic novel and Comic
books.
● New historicism is a form of literary theory which aims to understand intellectual
history through literature and literature through its cultural context.
● For the purpose of Research, the novels that He takes up are Art Spiegelman’s Maus,
Will Eisner’s A Contract with God, And Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta. These graphic
novels minutely narrate the story of history, political and cultural issues.

4. Title of Study
● This research work entitled as “Manifestation of New Historicism
In Select Graphic Novels of Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner And
Alan Moore” is very significant as it is the first research work
focusing on major Graphic novelist’s works which made an impact in
the globe. The study of illustration and presentation with the concept
of New Historicism in the select novels gives the new vision in the
Graphic novels.

5. Literature Review
● This study is aimed to explore the major issues of life through graphic novels
like history, Political and Cultural issues. The researcher went through many
sources that can help decide the research topic meanwhile, which he came
through subject like “Manifestation of New Historicism In Select Graphic
Novels of Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner And Alan Moore” Maus is a graphic
novel by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, It depicts Spiegelman
interviewing his father about his experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust
survivor. The work employs postmodernist techniques and represents Jews
as mice, Germans as cats, and Poles as pigs.

6. Literature Review
● The present graphic novel presents the history concept to discover. Another
example, A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories is a graphic
novel by American cartoonist Will Eisner which conveys the book's short story
cycle revolves around poor Jewish characters who lives in a tenement in New
York City. Eisner produced two sequels set in the same tenement: A Life
Force, and Dropsie Avenue. Four stand-alone stories make up the book: in A
Contract with God gives a glance of political and cultural issues presented
with portrayal of characters and situation.

7. Objective of Study
Specifying objectives in research gives a direction to the study. The proposed
research work is intended to achieve the following objectives:
● To discover the history of graphic novels.
● A critical study of graphic novels.
● To study history presented through graphic novels
● To decipher new historicism presented in the graphic novels
● To examine the cultural issues through the select novels and explore it in the
research.

8. Research Methodology
● The present research is mainly a library research. The researcher will collect
the data from extensive sources and then the researcher will analyse the
data.
● The present study is aimed to explore the inner depth in the study of graphic
novels. Researcher will discover the discourse analysis, text analysis and
critical interpretation will be done to understand different narratives of graphic
novels deeply.
● The conceptualization of the research will be accomplished by applying the
theory of New Historicism.

9. Hypothesis
● The researcher has undertaken the study of this newly emerging form
of literature, “Graphic novel”. The Researcher is sure that the
investigative study and analysis of the proposal titles will be helpful in
creating a responsible narrative in the historical background, political
and traces cultural issues in the graphic novel with creative
exploration of form, it would also make it easier to understand the
depiction of violence, socio-political issues, being covered and
political mindset behind its creative process. The theory of New
Historicism glide the concept in to the depiction of understanding the
culture of the time.

10. Scope and Signification of Study
● This research will be helpful to those who want to make research on
graphic novel and how it can be called as emerging genre of
literature. It will develop the study of graphic novel with researcher
intends to make a research on “Manifestation of New Historicism in
Select Graphic Novels of Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner and Alan
Moore”. There are many scopes to carry out a research on the
graphic novel as in the current scenario as the graphic novel has
been the attraction for the readers. It will also explore the theory of
New Historicism and through that one can better understand the
depth of the select novels.

11. Chapter Plan
This proposed research work would be carried out under the following tentative chapters.
● Introduction:
In this chapter the researcher will mention the origin of graphic novel, growth and
interpret the minute details which represent the research concern. It will also give the depth
information about graphic novel in present time as well it will also focuses on how graphic
novel is usually taken to mean a long comic narrative for a mature audience.
● Chapter 1: Theory of New Historicism
New historicism is a form of literary theory which aims to understand intellectual
history through literature and literature through its cultural context, which is presented in
the mentioned topic. The research topic can be explored through the concept of New
Historicism as it will also discover the concept of culture.

12. Chapter Plan
● Chapter 2: A Study of New Historicism in Art Spiegelman’s Graphic Novel
“Maus”
In this chapter the researcher will deal with the critical study of Art
Spiegelman. Moreover, the study of new historicism in represented work concern
Maus. “Maus is a graphic novel by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, serialized
from 1980 to 1991. It depicts Spiegelman interviewing his father about his
experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. The work employs
postmodernist techniques and represents Jews as mice, Germans as cats, and
Poles as pigs. Critics have classified Maus as memoir, biography, history, fiction,
autobiography, or a mix of genres. In 1992, it became the first graphic novel to win
a Pulitzer Prize” (Spiegelman). Here Researcher will analyse it through historical
aspect and violence depicted in the graphic novel.

13. Chapter Plan
● Chapter 3: A Study of New Historicism in Will Eisner’s Graphic Novel “A
Contract with God”
In this chapter the researcher will deal with the critical study of Will Eisner.
In this chapter furthermore elaborate the work concern A Contract with God and
other Tenement Stories. "A Contract with God deals with sociocultural issues as in
the novel it has a religious man gives up his faith after the death of his young
adopted daughter; in "The Street Singer" a has-been diva tries to seduce a poor,
young street singer, who tries to take advantage of her in turn; a bullying racist is
led to suicide after false accusations of pedophilia in "The Super"; and "Cookalein"
intertwines the stories of several characters vacationing in the Catskill
Mountains.(Eisner)

14. Chapter Plan
● Chapter 4: A Study of New Historicism in Alan Moore’s Graphic Novel “V for Vendetta”
This chapter the researcher will also deal with the critical study of Alan Moore. It will
forecast the study of his work concern V for Vendetta. At a glance, V for Vendetta has
historical perspectives, to study it with new historicism can take exploration of social issues
presented in the novel. It is a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated
by David Lloyd (with additional art by Tony Weare). (Moore) It morphed into a ten-issue
limited series published by DC Comics. Subsequent collected editions have been typically
published under DC's more specialized imprint, Vertigo. The story depicts
a dystopian and post-apocalyptic near-future history version of the United Kingdom in the
1990s, preceded by a nuclear war in the 1980s that devastated most of the rest of the world.

15. Chapter Plan
● Conclusion
In this chapter the researcher will draw the conclusion that it
objectify of the research have been fulfilled and how the researcher
attempted on a graphic novel as an emerging form of literature through the
presentation of its historical trajectories. It explores the theory of New
Historicism and through that one can better understand the depth of the
select novels.

16. References
Primary Sources
● Basu, Antarleena. "“Representation of History in the Indian Graph“Representation of History in the
Indian Graphic Novel: An Analytical Study of History through the Frame of Graphic Narratives.”."
IAFOR Journal of Arts & Humanities 4.2 (2017): 25-39.
● Eisner, Will. A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories. New York: Baronet Books, 1978.
● Moore, Alan. V for Vendetta. United Kingdom: Quality Communication, 1982.
● Nayar, Pramod K. The Indian graphic novel: Nation, history and critique. London: Navayana Publishing,
2016.
Secondary Sources
● contributors, Wikipedia. Alan Moore. Vers. 1000120968. n.d. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alan_Moore&oldid=1000120968>.
● Spiegelman, Art. Art Spiegelman. Ed. Michael Ray. n.d
● William Erwin Eisner Wikipedia. Vers. 999645633. n.d. The Free Encyclopedia Wikipedia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Will_Eisner&oldid=999645633>.

17. THANKS!