Literature ─ An Introduction to Theory and Analysis

What exactly is “literature”? How does it relate to the real world: to politics, to history, to the environment? And how do we find out what a novel means? And whether it is good or bad? This wide-ranging introduction helps students to explore these and many other essential questions in the study of literature, criticism and theory. In a series of accessible chapters, leading international scholars introduce the topic and explore it through case study readings of familiar works from a range of world literary traditions.

In an accessible and easy-to-navigate format, Literature: An Introduction to Theory and Analysis covers such topics as:

·Key definitions – from plot, character and style to genre, trope and author
·Literature's relationship to the world around it – ethics, politics, gender and nature
·Modes of literature and criticism – from books to performance, from creative to critical writing

With annotated reading guides throughout and a glossary of major critical schools to help students when studying, revising and writing essays, this is an essential introduction and reference guide to the study of literature for students at all levels.

Mads Rosendahl Thomsen is Associate Professor in Comparative Literature at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Lasse Home Kjaeldgaard is Professor of Literature at Roskilde University, Denmark.

Lis Moller is Associate Professor in Comparative Literature at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Dan Ringgaard is Associate Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Lilian Munk Rosing is Associate Professor in Comparative Literature at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Peter Simonsen is Professor of European Literature at the University of Southern Denmark.