'In our era, criticism is not merely a library of secondary aids to the understanding and appreciation of literary texts, but also a rapidly expanding body of knowledge in its own right.' David Lodge

This anthology uses extracts from the works of the leading thinkers in the field of literary criticism to introduce the main ideas at the centre of today’s literary and cultural debates. Each extract begins with an introduction that places the writing in context and ends with suggestions for further reading that will help students research the subject further.

The new edition has been thoroughly updated and expanded to reflect the latest developments in the field, so there is now more coverage of post-colonialism, Queer theory and Ecocritical perspectives. There are improved references to web and electronic sources and a glossary of key terms to help students understand the subject.