Eagleton: Literary Theory, 2nd Edition

Literary Theory

An Introduction

Terry Eagleton

Table of Contents

$18.50 paper
ISBN: 978-0-8166-5447-5
ISBN-10: 0-8166-5447-6

The 25th Anniversary edition of the foundational, best-selling text—with a new preface by the author.

This classic work covers all of the major movements in literary studies in this century. Noted for its clear, engaging style and unpretentious treatment, Literary Theory has become the introduction of choice for anyone interested in learning about the world of contemporary literary thought.

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of Literary Theory’s debut, Terry Eagleton reflects on the state of theory in academia today, the growth of antitheory (itself an interesting theoretical subject), its common—if problematic—place among survey coursework, and theory’s continued relevance to scholarly pursuits. In this contemporary, retrospective moment, as scholars critically analyze the incredibly broad impact of the theoretical movement, Literary Theory remains an essential initiation to the intellectually stimulating world of theoretical analysis.

Praise for the first edition:

"This concise and lucid volume offers a satisfying survey of all the major theories, from structuralism in the 1960s to deconstruction today, that have made academic criticism both intriguing and off-putting to the outsider." —New York Times Book Review

"The best handbook to those arcane ics and isms, both for academy members and for any civilians who, having heard the distant roar of professorial cannons, might wonder what the skirmishing's about." —Voice Literary Supplement

"Literary Theory has the kind of racy readability that one associates more often with English critics who have set their faces resolutely against theory. . . . It's not just a brilliant polemical essay, it's also a remarkable feat of condensation, explication, and synthesis. . . . Stimulating and entertaining." —Sunday Times (London)

"A brilliant, agile performance: urgent and racy, witty and combative, lucid and compelling." —New Statesman

"A concise guide to the most interesting and mystifying trends in the study of literature over the last fifty years." —The Nation

"A remarkable and important book." —American Book Review

Terry Eagleton is Thomas Warton Professor of English at the University of Oxford. His numerous other books include The Rape of Clarissa (1982) and Nationalism, Colonialism, and Literature (with Fredric Jameson and Edward W. Said; 1990). With Drew Milne, he coedited Marxist Literary Theory (1996).

240 pages | 6 x 9 | 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface to the Anniversary Edition
Preface

Introduction: What is Literature
1. The Rise of English
2. Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, Reception Theory
3. Structuralism and Semiotics
4. Post-Structuralism
5. Psychoanalysis
Conclusion: Political Criticism

Afterword
Notes
Bibliography
Index

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Literary Theory An Introduction Terry Eagleton Table of Contents		$18.50 paper ISBN: 978-0-8166-5447-5 ISBN-10: 0-8166-5447-6
The 25th Anniversary edition of the foundational, best-selling text—with a new preface by the author. This classic work covers all of the major movements in literary studies in this century. Noted for its clear, engaging style and unpretentious treatment, Literary Theory has become the introduction of choice for anyone interested in learning about the world of contemporary literary thought. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of Literary Theory’s debut, Terry Eagleton reflects on the state of theory in academia today, the growth of antitheory (itself an interesting theoretical subject), its common—if problematic—place among survey coursework, and theory’s continued relevance to scholarly pursuits. In this contemporary, retrospective moment, as scholars critically analyze the incredibly broad impact of the theoretical movement, Literary Theory remains an essential initiation to the intellectually stimulating world of theoretical analysis. Praise for the first edition: "This concise and lucid volume offers a satisfying survey of all the major theories, from structuralism in the 1960s to deconstruction today, that have made academic criticism both intriguing and off-putting to the outsider." —New York Times Book Review "The best handbook to those arcane ics and isms, both for academy members and for any civilians who, having heard the distant roar of professorial cannons, might wonder what the skirmishing's about." —Voice Literary Supplement "Literary Theory has the kind of racy readability that one associates more often with English critics who have set their faces resolutely against theory. . . . It's not just a brilliant polemical essay, it's also a remarkable feat of condensation, explication, and synthesis. . . . Stimulating and entertaining." —Sunday Times (London) "A brilliant, agile performance: urgent and racy, witty and combative, lucid and compelling." —New Statesman "A concise guide to the most interesting and mystifying trends in the study of literature over the last fifty years." —The Nation "A remarkable and important book." —American Book Review Terry Eagleton is Thomas Warton Professor of English at the University of Oxford. His numerous other books include The Rape of Clarissa (1982) and Nationalism, Colonialism, and Literature (with Fredric Jameson and Edward W. Said; 1990). With Drew Milne, he coedited Marxist Literary Theory (1996). 240 pages \| 6 x 9 \| 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface to the Anniversary Edition Preface Introduction: What is Literature 1. The Rise of English 2. Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, Reception Theory 3. Structuralism and Semiotics 4. Post-Structuralism 5. Psychoanalysis Conclusion: Political Criticism Afterword Notes Bibliography Index