how did literary sources help us in knowing about history?

Answer 1

They can show attitudes and opinions. However, what they show might not necessarily be what happened, they have to be looked at as ideas of what was happening or ideals about what should happen. They should be compared to accounts of what happened. Some contain marginalia that shows the readers opinion on what they are reading. They are also limited to those that are literate, normally the upper classes. You could also claim that as the number of books, etc. grows then society must be becoming more literate. It will vary from period to period. I studied reading, writing and speaking in early modern England, and in this period you will find that there is a lot of reference to religion which shows its importance at the time. Additionally, at this time there was not a standard form of English so they show us how that has developed.

It can help us know about lots of things. For example, thoughts written in the margins of books can give hints to the political climate and opinions.

If I can think of anything else I'll post it up.

Answer 2

They can reflect society. The use of language and description can show how people lived: lives, family, employment, legislation and the class system. Many literary sources are biographical or take the form of a diary, which gives an insight into the lives of the mainly middle or upper classes. Lower and working classes had less opportunity to write diaries, or even write, but again the sources will show this.

Answer 3

Much of what we know about the Roman Empire, for example, is from literary sources which puts a gloss on archeology etc. For example, we know much about the 100 years following the Roman invasion of Britannia as Tacitus wrote a book about the exploits of his father-in-law, Agricola. There is much less written about later centuries (or what was written has been lost) so we know far less.