Literal interpretation

Literal interpretation of the bible. Of what bible ? Taking a version in Shakespearean English and taking that literally with a 20th C understanding of the same words ? Taking elements of Middle Eastern texts without any understanding of Middle Eastern Culture ? not taking into account who elements were said to - what was written to employers or employees, the very religious or those excluded by the very religious ? taking one "verse" and making it into a one size fits all rule ?
I think 19th and 20th C western church history has a lot to answer for (very over simplified). European evangelicals were in the spear head of lots of wonderful movements including the labour movement, reform of prisons, work laws, child care and investigation of nature and archeology. I include Darwin himself in that, tho Darwin-ism is quite another matter.European theologians had a theoretically really good idea of applying modern archeology etc to the bible - but it wasn't far enough on to be helpful enough yet so they got rather negative (and maybe more than a little pompous). There was a back swing against this in rural North America. A really good idea to believe the Bible - but limited to an archaic translation, out of cultural context, interpreted with inadequate literacy skills - so they got a bit negative (and maybe more than a little pompous) This Fundamentalist movement had wide reaching effects till the Evangelical movement finally split with it in the 1940s. Both my parents were adversely affected by it. It has still left very deep roots in some denominations.