A survey of British literature

Intended for students who have passed an introduction to literature, this coursebook offers a survey of British literature from the 16th century to, roughly, 1800. Geared to the actual needs of students in a modular literature course, the book provides practical, “hands-on”, material for the sessions in one semester. It deals with selected literary texts by major canonical writers from the early Renaissance period to the beginning of Romanticism in the late 18th century. Students using the book will • read and prepare literary texts for discussion in class, • learn to handle critical literature by themselves or in groups, • prepare presentations and handouts, • write short papers or term papers, • learn to analyse texts in terms of genre and cultural setting, • deepen their knowledge of literary theory. The structure of the book indicates the fact that it is meant for daily, practical, use in class: Part A contains the course material (including concrete suggestions for dealing with the texts in the individual sessions, short and essential lists of critical literature and a list of topics for papers); Part B offers further bibliographical help, such as critical literature and academic websites to be used for papers; Part C (three modular exams) provides opportunities for students to test their knowledge; and the final Part D consists of a glossary of literary terms, with sections on rhetorical figures and key terms for the analysis of poetry, prose and drama. At the end, a brief survey of the generally accepted periods of British literature rounds off the book.