This volume offers a comprehensive introduction to some of the most influential and celebrated writers in the English literary tradition. From Chaucer to Browning, the editors provide detailed biographical sketches of each author, followed by critical assessments of their major works and their place in literary history. Drawing on a range of scholarly perspectives, the essays in this collection offer insights into the social, cultural, and artistic contexts of English literature over the centuries. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.