Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory

Gregory Castle's "Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory" is based on the premise that the best way for literature students to learn about theory is to offer them a number of contexts in which to study it. Castle provides a brief history of literary theory in the twentieth century as well as a series of alphabetically organized entries on key figures, from Adorno to i ek, giving students a sense of the wide range of thinkers who have contributed to literary theory. At the center of the Guide are detailed descriptions of the major movements of literary theory, from cultural studies to feminism to postcolonialism, which gives students a sense of its scope and diversity. The book also provides a number of exemplary readings of literary texts, including "Jane Eyre", "Heart of Darkness", "Ulysses", "Mrs Dalloway" and "Midnight's Children". Each of these texts is interpreted using several theoretical approaches, demonstrating different ways of performing literary analysis. The Guide also includes an in-depth glossary and helpful suggestions for reading with theory.