The Blackwell guide to literary theory - Gregory Castle

More than eighty years ago, the English literary critic, I. A. Richards, spoke of a chaos of critical theories, an assessment that would not be wide of the mark in the early years of the twenty–first century. This innovative guidebook introduces readers to the sometimes forbiddingly arcane world of literary theory, focusing on its fundamental concepts, and the most prominent and influential theoretical figures and movements. The Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory :
Explores the rise of literary theory from the late nineteenth century to the dawning of the twenty–first
Outlines the major movements of literary theory, among them Deconstruction, Marxist theory, New Historicism, and Reader–Response theory
Includes alphabetically organized biographies of key figures, from Adorno to
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Offers a number of exemplary theoretical readings of literary texts, including Jane Eyre, Heart of Darkness, Ulysses, To the Lighthouse, and Midnight's Children
Features an in–depth glossary of complex theoretical terms, and useful suggestions for further reading.