Key Concepts in Literary Theory

Download

Key Concepts in Literary Theory

by Julian Wolfreys, Ruth Robbins, Kenneth Womack (Authors)

Key Concepts in Literary Theory provides authoritative and precise definitions of the most significant terms and concepts currently used in psychoanalytic, poststructuralist, Marxist, feminist, and postcolonial literary studies. The volume also presents clear discussions of the main areas of literary, critical, and cultural theory, supported by bibliographies and a chronology of major thinkers. Accompanying the chronology are short biographies of major works by each critic or theorist.
This revised edition of this comprehensive reference includes definition for more than seventy new terms and concepts, from Absurdism and Aga Saga to Writerly texts and Zeugma; a broader selection of classical rhetorical terms; an expanded chronology with a wider historical and cultural range, from Immanuel Kant to G.W.F. Hegel and bell hooks; and richer bibliographies including key texts by major critics.

Mircea Eliade - Cosmos and History. The Myth of the Eternal Return

Download

Cosmos and History. The Myth of the Eternal Return

By Mircea Eliade

The manuscript that was began in May, 1945, was headed Cosmos and History. It was only later that author changed its title to Archetypes and Repetition. But finally, at the suggestion of the French publisher, he made Archetypes and Repetition the subtitle, and the book was published in 1949 as The Myth of the Eternal Return (Le Mythe de reternel retour). This has sometimes given rise to misunderstandings. For one thing, the archaic ideology of ritual repetition, which was the central subject of my study, does not always imply the "myth of the eternal return." And then too, such a title could lead the reader to suppose that the book was principally concerned with the celebrated Greek myth or with its modern reinterpretation by Nietzsche, which is by no means the case.
The essential theme of investigation bears on the image of himself formed by the man of the archaic societies and on the place that he assumes in the Cosmos.The chief difference between the man of the archaic and traditional societies and the man of the modern societies with their strong imprint of Judaeo-Christianity lies in the fact that the former feels himself indissolubly connected with the Cosmos and the cosmic rhythms, whereas the latter insists that he is connected only with History.
This essay appeared in French in 1949 as Le Mythe de Veternel retour: archetypes et repetition (Paris, Librairie Gallimard). English translations have revised and enlarged the text and have included in the footnotes references to certain studies published within the last few years.

This founding work of the history of religions, first published in English in 1954

Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture

Download

Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture (Encyclopedias of Contemporary Culture (Routledge)) by Peter Childs

In over 970 alphabetically arranged entries, this single-volume encyclopedia examines both high and popular culture in the UK, and encompasses everything British--from architecture to pubs to film to internet to the monarchy. This unique encyclopedia casts its net over the whole range of British contemporary life. Entries range from short biographical synopses of the careers of key individuals to longer overview articles exploring the main issues within contemporary cultural debates. Bringing together subjects rarely found in one volume, the Encyclopedia defines "culture" in its broadest sense, with entries including:
Asian Press; BBC; Black Theatre; Michael Caine; Carnaby Street; Channel 4; Jasper Conran; Daniel Day-Lewis; Drink in Britain; FA Cup; Fantasy Football; Fashion (90s); Food; Football; Gay and Lesbian Culture; Glenda Jackson; Stanley Kubrick; Labour Party; Lucian Freud; Monarchy; Musicals; Notting Hill Carnival; Nick Park; Pop Art; Dennis Potter; Raves; The Rushdie Affair; and much more. The comprehensive system of cross-referencing and thematic contents list help readers to identify entries from particular fields. Students, travelers, journalists and general readers will find this an invaluable reference source on contemporary British life.

The Cambridge Companion to Herman Melville

Download

The Cambridge Companion to Herman Melville (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

by Robert S. Levine (Editor)

The Cambridge Companion to Herman Melville is intended to provide a critical introduction to Melville's work. The essays have been specially commissioned for this volume, and provide a comprehensive overview of Melville's career. All of Melville's novels are discussed, as well as most of his poetry and short fiction. Written at a level both challenging and accessible, the volume provides fresh perspectives on an American author whose work continues to fascinate readers and stimulate new study.

A Companion to the British and Irish Novel 1945 - 2000

Download

A Companion to the British and Irish Novel 1945 - 2000 (Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture)

by Brian W. Shaffer (Editor)

A Companion to the British and Irish Novel 1945-2000 serves as an extended introduction and reference guide to the British and Irish novel between the close of World War II and the turn of the millennium. The Companion embraces the full range of this rich and heterogeneous subject, covering: specific British and Irish novels and novelists ranging from Samuel Beckett to Salman Rushdie; particular subgenres such as the feminist novel and the postcolonial novel; overarching cultural, political, and literary trends such as screen adaptations and the literary prize phenomenon. All the essays are informed by current critical and theoretical debates, but are designed to be accessible to non-specialists. The volume as a whole gives readers a sense of the vitality with which the contemporary novel continues to be discussed.

A Concise Companion to Shakespeare and the Text

Download

A Concise Companion to Shakespeare and the Text (Concise Companions to Literature and Culture)

by Andrew Murphy (Editor)

Among the very first English secular texts to be edited, the long history of adapting Shakespearersquo;s works has positioned them as a catalyst for theories of editing and textuality. A Concise Companion to Shakespeare and the Text introduces the manuscripts, editing practices, and publishing history of Shakespearersquo;s plays, and examines their influence on bibliographic studies as a whole. Written by leading scholars in the field, this comprehensive text examines the history of Shakespearersquo;s works in their subsequent editions, as well as the theories and practicalities of working with the texts. The first single-volume book to provide an accessible and authoritative introduction to Shakespearean bibliographic studies, this succinct text is an excellent resource for both students and faculty.

The Cambridge Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald

Download

The Cambridge Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

by Ruth Prigozy (Editor)

Specially-commissioned essays by major Fitzgerald scholars present a clear and comprehensive assessment of F. Scott Fitzgerald. No aspect of his career is overlooked, from his first novel published in 1920, through his more than 170 short stories, to his last unfinished Hollywood novel. Contributions present the reader with an accessible picture of the background of American social and cultural change in the early decades of the twentieth century. The volume offers readers a full account of Fitzgerald's work as well as suggestions for further reading.