'The best introduction to literary study on the market' Jonathan Culler, Cornell University"The most un-boring, unnerving, unpretentious textbook I've ever come across' Elizabeth Wright, University of Cambridge'It is by far the bext and most readable of all such introductions that I know of...The treatment of the various topics is masterful, even-handed, and informative. I cannot think of a better introduction for undergraduates, to be sure, but for many graduate students too.' Hayden White, University of California at Santa CruzI don't know of any book that could, or does, compete with this one. It is irreplaceable' Richard Rand, University of Alabama(Bennett and Royle have) cracked the problem of how to be introductory and sophisticated, accessible but not patronising.' Peter Buse, English Subject Centre NewsletterAn Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory provides a completely fresh and original introduction to literary studies. Bennett Royle approach their subject by way of literary works themselves (a poem by Emily Dickinson, a passage from Shakespeare, a novel by Salman Rushdie), rather than by way of abstract theoretical ideas and isms. In thirty-two short chapters they focus on a range of familiar-looking terms (character, the author, voice, narrative) as well as less obvious ones (laughter, pleasure, ghosts, secrets) in order to show why such literary texts are so compelling. This third edition updates and expands on earlier editions, and includes new chapters on: creative writing literature and film war monsters, mutants and the inhumanAn Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory avoids what is so frequently tiresome or intimidating about 'theory', offering instead an introduction that is consistently entertaining, thought provoking and surprising. The AuthorsThe authors have wide experience of teaching and lecturing on literature and literary theory at universities in Britain, Europe and the United States. Andrew Bennett is Professor of English at the University of Bristol and Nicholas Royle is Professor English at the University of Sussex.

Table of Contents

1 The beginning 2 Readers and reading 3 The author 4 The text and the world 5 The uncanny 6 Monuments 7 Narrative 8 Character 9 Voice 10 Figures and tropes 11 Creative writing 12 Laughter 13 The tragic 14 History 15 Me 16 Ghosts 17 Moving pictures 18 Sexual difference 19 God 20 Ideology 21 Desire 22 Queer 23 Suspense 24 Racial difference 25 The colony 26 Mutant 27 The performative 28 Secrets 29 The postmodern 30 Pleasure 31 War 32 The end Glossary Select bibliography of other introductory texts and reference works Literary works discussed Bibliography of critical and theoretical works

Author Biography

The authors have wide experience of teaching literature and literary theory at universities in Britain, Finland and Denmark. Andrew Bennett is currently Professor of English at the University of Bristol. He has also authored: 'Romantic Poets and the Culture of Posterity' (CUP) and 'Katherine Mansfield' (Northcote House, 2003). Nicholas Royle is currently Professor of English at the University of Sussex. He is the author of: 'The Uncanny: An Introduction' (MUP) and 'Jacques Derrida' in the Routledge Critical Thinkers Series.