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AW234x156.qxd 5/6/08 11:16 AM Page 1 . Introduction to Introduction The best introduction to literary study on the market. Jonathan Culler, Cornell University The most un-boring, unnerving, unpretentious textbook I've ever come across. Elizabeth Wright, University of Cambridge It is by far the best and most readable of all such introductions that I know Introduction to of...The treatment of the various topics is masterful, even-handed and informative. I cannot think of a better introduction for undergraduates, to be sure, but for many graduate students too. Literature, Criticism Hayden White, University of California at Santa Cruz Literature, Criticism and I don’t know of any book that could, or does, compete with this one. It is irreplaceable. Richard Rand, University of Alabama Theory [Bennett and Royle have] cracked the problem of how to be introductory and sophisticated, accessible but not patronising. Peter Buse, English Subject Centre Newsletter Third edition Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory provides a completely fresh and original introduction to literary studies. Bennett and Royle approach their subject by way of literary works themselves (a poem by Emily Dickinson, a passage from Shakespeare, a novel by Salman Rushdie), rather than by way of abstract theoretical ideas and isms. In 32 short chapters they focus on a range of familiar-looking terms (character, the author, and voice, narrative) as well as less obvious ones (laughter, pleasure, ghosts, secrets) in order to show why such literary texts are so compelling. This third edition updates and expands on earlier editions, and includes new chapters on: Theory • creative writing • literature and film • war • monsters, mutants and the inhuman Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory avoids what is so frequently tiresome or intimidating about ‘theory’, offering instead an introduction that is consistently entertaining, thought provoking and surprising. Third edition The authors have wide experience of teaching and lecturing on literature and literary theory at universities in Britain, Europe and the United States. Andrew Bennett is Professor of English at the University of Bristol and Nicholas Royle is and Bennett Professor of English at the University of Sussex. Royle Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle Cover © Getty images www.pearson-books.com AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page i . ‘An exceptional book. It is completely different from anything else cur- rently available, refreshing, extremely well-written and original in so many ways...It is just the sort of book I would want my students to read . It is quite the best introductory book that I have ever come across.’ Philip Martin, De Montfort University ‘Fresh, surprising, never boring, and engagingly humorous, while remaining intellectually serious and challenging . This is a terrific book, and I’m very glad that it exists.’ Peggy Kamuf, University of Southern California, Los Angeles ‘This excellent book is very well-written and an outstanding introduc- tion to literary studies. An extremely stimulating introduction.’ Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of London ‘I am convinced that Bennett and Royle have written a pathbreaking work and I suspect that this book – so full of laughter, suspense, secrets and pleasure – will have an appeal beyond a strictly academic audience.’ Alan Shima, University of Gothenberg ‘All the chapters in the volume are illuminating, informative and ori- ginal.’ Robert Mills, King’s College London ‘Bennett and Royle offer a different kind of introduction, which directly involves the reader in the problems and pleasures of thinking about literature – its distinctiveness, its strangeness, its power, its inexhaust- ibility . They succeed brilliantly in encouraging readers who are new to theory to appreciate its importance, enjoy its revelations, and understand some of its conceptual apparatus without diminishing the centrality of literary writing itself. This is a book which students in every introductory course on criticism and theory would benefit from having.’ Derek Attridge, University of York AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page ii . AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page iii . An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page iv . AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page v . An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory Third edition ANDREW BENNETT AND NICHOLAS ROYLE AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page vi . PEARSON EDUCATION LIMITED Edinburgh Gate Harlow CM20 2JE United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1279 623623 Fax: +44 (0)1279 431059 Website: www.pearsoned.co.uk Third edition published in Great Britain in 2004 © International Book Distributors Limited 1995 © Pearson Education Limited 1995, 1999, 2004 The rights of Andrew Bennett (1960– ) and Nicholas Royle (1957– ) to be identified as authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. ISBN 0 582 82295 5 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book can be obtained from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A CIP catalog record for this book can be obtained from the Library of Congress All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the Publishers or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior consent of the Publishers. 10987654321 08 07 06 05 04 Set by 35 in 11/13pt Bulmer MT Printed in Malaysia The Publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests. AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page vii . Contents Acknowledgements ix Preface to the first edition x Preface to the second edition xi Preface to the third edition xii 1 The beginning 1 2 Readers and reading 9 3 The author 18 4 The text and the world 27 5 The uncanny 34 6 Monuments 42 7 Narrative 52 8 Character 60 9 Voice 68 10 Figures and tropes 77 11 Creative writing 85 12 Laughter 93 13 The tragic 103 14 History 113 15 Me 124 16 Ghosts 133 17 Moving pictures 142 18 Sexual difference 152 19 God 161 20 Ideology 171 21 Desire 178 AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page viii . viii Contents 22 Queer 187 23 Suspense 197 24 Racial difference 206 25 The colony 214 26 Mutant 223 27 The performative 233 28 Secrets 240 29 The postmodern 248 30 Pleasure 258 31 War 268 32 The end 280 Glossary 288 Select bibliography of other introductory texts and reference works 297 Literary works discussed 299 Bibliography of critical and theoretical works 304 Index 328 AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page ix . Acknowledgements e are grateful to Michael Ayres for permission to reproduce his poem W‘Bittersweet’ published in Poems, 1987–1992 by Odyssey Poets. In some instances we have been unable to trace the owners of copyright material and we would appreciate any information that would enable us to do so. AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page x . Preface to the first edition his is a new kind of book. It offers new ways of thinking about literature Tand about what is involved in reading critically. It is designed to be clear and accessible to those who are beginning to study literature, as well as to more advanced students. Although written with university students in mind, we dare to hope that it might also be of interest to other readers. Literary theory is an unavoidable part of studying literature and criticism. But theory – especially when it takes the form of ‘isms’ – can often be intimid- ating or else, frankly, boring. We have tried to avoid simply giving potted summaries of isms. Instead we present brief essays on a range of key critical concepts all of which have more or less familiar names. We put these concepts into practice through readings of particular literary texts. Our primary focus, in other words, is on what is powerful, complex and strange about literary works themselves. Our aim is to explain, entertain, stimulate and challenge. The book is divided into twenty-four chapters and looks as if it has a certain order or progression. It begins with ‘The beginning’ and ends with ‘The end’. But it has been put together in such a way that it can also be read starting from any one chapter. ‘The end’, for example, is not a bad place to begin. Each chapter concludes with some suggestions for further reading. There is a glossary of critical and theoretical terms at the back of the book, plus a full bibliography of the texts discussed. AIT_A01.qxd 14/05/2004 14:47 Page xi . Preface to the second edition his new edition of An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory Thas been thoroughly revised and, we hope, improved. We have revised all existing chapters, updated and expanded the further reading sections, the glossary and the bibliography, and also added four new chapters: ‘Monuments’, ‘Ghosts’, ‘Queer’ and ‘The colony’. These additional chapters reflect the importance of certain new or emerging areas of literary studies, such as queer theory, postcolonial theory, debates about ‘the canon’ and spec- trality. We also hope, however, that the new chapters may complement and reinforce what we believe was already distinctive about the first edition of this book, namely its preoccupation with literature and the literary as such. Our foremost desire has been to explore and analyze the strange, protean forms and effects of the literary and of literature as an institution.

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