Guide to English literature

About this book

What this work sets out to offer is a guide to the history and traditions of English Literature, a contour-map of the literary scene. It attempts, that is, to draw up an ordered account of literature that is concerned, first and foremost, with value for the present, and this is a direct encouragement to people to read for themselves. Each volume sets out to present the reader with four kinds of related material: (i) An account of the social context of literature in each period. (ii) A literary survey of the period. (iii) Detailed studies of some of the chief writers and works in the period. (iv) An appendix of essential facts for reference purposes. The volumes in the Guide are 1. THE AGE OF CHAUCER 2. THE AGE OF SHAKESPEARE 3. FROM DONNE TO MARVELL 4. FROM DRYDEN TO JOHNSON 5. FROM BLAKE TO BYRON 6. FROM DICKENS TO HARDY 7. THE MODERN AGE