The Oxford Illustrated History of English LiteraturePat Rogers Britain possesses a literary heritage virtually unrivaled in the Western world. This lavishly illustrated volume explores the richness, diversity, and continuity of that tradition. Under the general editorship of Pat Rogers, some of Britain's foremost literary scholars trace the history of English literature from its first stirrings in Anglo-Saxon poetry to the present day. The contributors aim to convey to the reader the pleasure and exhilaration of literature, rather than to provide a bare outline of schools and periods of writing. At the heart of the volume towers the figure of Shakespeare, who has a special chapter devoted entirely to himself. The volume also offer detailed treatments of other major writers such as Chaucer, Milton, Donne, Wordsworth, Dickens, Eliot, and Auden, and up-to-date discussions of living authors such as Muriel Spark and Seamus Heaney. More than a mere chronology, this versatile work provides a basic core of information and invaluable supplementary material, including suggestions for further reading, maps, a chronological table of dates, and a detailed index with birth and death dates of individuals listed. It also moves beyond these facts and events to characterize the broad sweep of ideas and the main concerns of British writers over the past thirteen centuries. The illustrations chosen--thirty-five in color and over two hundred in black and white--bring to life the content and concerns of the text. They range in subject from manuscripts and book illustrations to works of art and architecture, portraits, social scenes, landscapes, and caricatures, illuminating not only the literature but also the ideas, preoccupations, and outlooks that fostered it. Rather than simply decorating the text, the illustrations complement and enlarge it. All experts in their chosen areas, the contributors bring to this volume a deep understanding and great enthusiasm and zest for their subject. Collectively, they have woven together the complex strands of English literature into a highly readable narrative |
Contents
TUDOR LITERATURE 14851603 | 59 |
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE | 111 |
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 16031674 | 160 |
RESTORATION AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY | 214 |
THE ROMANTIC PERIOD 17801830 | 274 |
HIGH VICTORIAN LITERATURE 18301880 | 326 |
LATE VICTORIAN TO MODERNIST 18801930 | 379 |
Places of General Literary Interest | 490 |
Chronology | 503 |
| 518 | |
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Common terms and phrases
alliteration appeared became become beginning called century characters Christian comedy contemporary criticism death described dream early Elizabethan England English especially essays experience expression feeling fiction figure followed George gives hand heart Henry hero human ideas imagination important interest Italy John kind King Lady language late later less lines literary literature living London look major meaning medieval mind moral moves narrative nature never novel once opening original past perhaps period plays poems poet poetry political present prose published readers reading religious represented Romantic satire scene seems sense Shakespeare shows social society stage story style success suggest theatre things Thomas thought tradition tragedy true turn verse women writing written wrote young
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Oxford Illustrated History of English Literature History Reference Center Oxford Illustrated Histories Series Oxford paperbacks |
| Editor | Pat Rogers |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint, reissue, revised |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press, 2001 |
| ISBN | 0192854372, 9780192854377 |
| Length | 528 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |