Historian Jess Venner Uses Critical Fabulation to Restore Voices in Pompeii
Historian and archaeologist Jess Venner’s new book, The Lost Voices of Pompeii, employs a methodology known as critical fabulation to reconstruct the lives of marginalized individuals during the 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Coined by Saidiya Hartman, critical fabulation uses historical evidence to speculate on gaps in records, restoring agency and emotional depth to voiceless figures like enslaved people. Venner challenges common misconceptions about Pompeii, clarifying that the eruption lasted over 24 hours, allowing most residents to escape, and noting the city was already damaged by prior earthquakes. By focusing on sensory experiences and plausible scenarios rather than just physical ruins, the work shifts historical analysis from mere event reconstruction to understanding lived human experiences. This approach is gaining acceptance in academia as historians seek to move beyond dominant narratives and explore the complex realities of those historically flattened by traditional records. The book follows seven specific figures, illustrating how speculative yet grounded storytelling can illuminate the past.
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Historian Jess Venner Uses Critical Fabulation to Restore Voices in Pompeii
Historian and archaeologist Jess Venner’s new book, The Lost Voices of Pompeii, employs a methodology known as critical fabulation to reconstruct the lives of marginalized individuals during the 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Coined by Saidiya Hartman, critical fabulation uses historical evidence to speculate on gaps in records, restoring agency and emotional depth to voiceless figures like enslaved people. Venner challenges common misconceptions about Pompeii, clarifying that the eruption lasted over 24 hours, allowing most residents to escape, and noting the city was already damaged by prior earthquakes. By focusing on sensory experiences and plausible scenarios rather than just physical ruins, the work shifts historical analysis from mere event reconstruction to understanding lived human experiences. This approach is gaining acceptance in academia as historians seek to move beyond dominant narratives and explore the complex realities of those historically flattened by traditional records. The book follows seven specific figures, illustrating how speculative yet grounded storytelling can illuminate the past.
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