Bloomsbury guide to English literature: The new authority on English literature

by Marion Wynne-Davies and Marion Davies

Book Overview

The essential reference to English literature from Beowulf to The Satanic Verses--now available in trade paperback. The work of more than 50 leading scholars, this A-to-Z guide covers 800 writers and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0747501696
• ISBN13: 9780747501695
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Length: 1066 Pages
• Weight: 3.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great reference and introductory text

The first 300 pages of the guide includes essays that chart the history of literature in Great Britain. These essays cover a fairly wide range of topics, and give some general insight into the Britain's various movements and figures. Some essay titles include: 1. Political history and sociel context (1066-present day)2. Contemporary approaches to literature F.R. Leavis and evaluation Saussure and Structuralism... etc.3. Medieval English literature A context for medeval english literature Medieval english lyrics Narrative poetry... etc11. Enlightenment, Sensibility and Romanticism: poetry 1660-1830The last 700 pages include individual entries for titles, writers, characters and events. Example of entries:Aaron Abbey Theatre, Dublin AbelAbigail Abse, Dannie Absurd, Theatre of theAcrostic Achebe, Chinua ActAn example of an entry:ClerihewA lightweight epigram, usually in four lines of varying length, so called afterits inventor E. Clerihew Bentley. For example: Alfred de Musset called his cat 'pusset' His accent was affected -- That was to be expected.This reference book is great if you, like me, often forget what a particular character or concept is about. The entries include references to other related entries, so all those related ideas are at your fingertips. Presumes sufficient knowledge of English Literature, and is probably only useful to a certain kind of interest in.