George Bernard Shaw took to task the dramatic conventions of the late 19th century and dealt with issues that had previously been ignored, such as religion, economics, domestic conflict, and the role of women in society. Shaw's career as a playwright spanned more than 50 years, and his plays 'Major Barbara', 'Pygmalion', and 'Heartbreak House' endure as popular classics. This new edition of critical essays delves into Shaw's literary legacy and features a chronology of his life, a handy bibliography, an index for reference, and an introduction from Yale literary scholar Harold Bloom.
What caused the invention of the Greek alphabet? Who did it, and why? The purpose of this challenging book is to inquire systematically into the historical causes that underlay the radical shift from earlier and less efficient writing systems to the use of alphabetic writing. The author declares his conclusion to be a possibly surprising one--that a single man, perhaps from the island of Euboea, invented the Greek alphabet specifically in order to record the Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer.
The American and British poets of the Victorian period balanced tradition and innovation, paving the way for the stylistic departures of modernism. The poets featured in this title include Alfred, Lord Tennyson; Elizabeth Barrett Browning; Robert Browning; Rudyard Kipling; Christina Rossetti; Gerard Manley Hopkins; and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students studying this period in literature will find this selection of critical essays helpful in understanding these poets and their works. An introductory essay by Harold Bloom, a bibliography, a chronology, and an index add to this volume.
The Companion to Twentieth-Century Literature in English
The Companion to Twentieth-Century Literature in English by Jenny Stringer, John Sutherland
Oxford Companions are known for their authority, comprehensiveness, and browsability--"the best reference books in the language," according to Harper's. Perhaps the most well-known Companion of all has been The Oxford Companion to English Literature, now in its revised fifth edition.
A member of the romantic tradition, T.S. Eliot is considered a central figure in Western literary culture. Best known for his works 'The Waste Land', 'Four Quartets', and 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock', T.S. Eliot is one of the most popular 20th-century poets studied in high school and college English classes today. Eliot's masterful use of classical allusions throughout his works demonstrates the great importance he placed on tradition and its place within literary history. This new edition of critical essays features an introduction by master scholar Harold Bloom, a chronology of Eliot's life, a bibliography of his works, and an index fit for researchers.
