Studying English Literature

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Studying English Literatureoffers a link between pre-degree study and undergraduate study by introducing students to:
- the history of English literature from the Renaissance to the present;
- the key literary genres (poetry, prose, and drama);
- a range of techniques, tools and terms useful in the analysis of literature;
- critical and theoretical approaches to literature.

It is designed to improve close critical reading skills and evidence-based discussion; encourage reflection on texts' themes, issues and historical contexts; and demonstrate how criticism and literary theories enable richer and more nuanced interpretations.
This one-stop resource for beginning students combines a historical survey of English literature with a practical introduction to the main forms of literary writing. Case studies of key texts offer practical demonstrations of the tools and approaches discussed. Guided further reading and a glossary of terms used provide further support for the student. Introducing a wide range of literary writing, this is an indispensable guide for any student beginning their study of English Literature, providing the tools, techniques, approaches and terminology needed to succeed at university.

Reviews

This is an excellent introduction to studying English at university. It encourages students to be active, independent learners, helping them to develop the close reading and critical thinking skills necessary for a successful English degree. It's written in a fun, easy-to-follow style, with up-to-date suggestions for ways of understanding different literary periods and much helpful advice. -- Professor Sharon Ruston, Chair in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture, University of Salford, UK
Studying English Literature contains literary and social history and a glossary of terms, balances thoughtful generalizations with careful case studies, and explains how best to use literary theory and secondary criticism (and how not to use it). This excellent guide will be consulted often by undergraduates studying literature, if they are wise.' - Merritt Moseley, Professor of Literature and Language, The University of North Carolina at Asheville, USA
The study is very approachable... A glossary, a bibliography, an index and a list of websites provide additional, helpful and up-to-date material... It provides guidelines and orientation, and constantly encourages students to formulate their own responses and to reach their own conclusions. -- Archiv

Author Bio

Ashley Chantler is Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Chester, UK. David Higgins is Associate Professor in English Literature at the University of Leeds, UK. He has published widely on Romantic-period literature, including the books Romantic Genius and the Literary Magazine (2005) and Romantic Englishness: Local, National, and Global Selves, 1780-1850 (2014).