Literary Theory

Sample quotes from emails sent by visitors to Mary Klages's successful literary theory web pages on which this book is based: 'Finding your course was a godsend to me...Your lectures are wonderfully clear and make the formerly incomprehensible material understandable'...'You have a wonderful way of making these very difficult obtuse essays easily accessible for our students.'...'Among my colleagues I've never found any one who has created so helpful a course website, or more clear and helpful lectures as you have.' This Guide for the Perplexed provides an advanced introduction to literary theory from basic information and orientation for the uninformed, leading on to more sophisticated readings. It engages directly with the difficulty many students find intimidating, asking 'What is "Literary Theory"?' and offering a clear, concise, accessible guide to the major theories and theorists, including: humanism; structuralism; poststructuralism; psychoanalytic approaches; feminist approaches; queer theory; ideology and discourse; new historicism; race and postcolonialism; postmodernism.