English Literature in Context: A Review of the Second Edition
English Literature in Context is a textbook that provides an essential resource and reference tool for all English literature students. Edited by Paul Poplawski, the second edition was published in 2017 by Cambridge University Press and features a new chapter on postcolonial literature, a substantially expanded chapter on contemporary literature, revised illustrations and over two hundred new references[^1^]. The book is designed to accompany students throughout their degree course, offering a detailed narrative survey of the diverse historical and cultural contexts that have shaped the development of English literature, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day..

The book is divided into eight chronological chapters, each written by a team of expert contributors who are also highly experienced teachers. Each chapter analyses a major historical period, surveying and documenting the cultural contexts that have shaped English literature, and focusing on key texts. The chapters are as follows:

poplawski english literature in context pdf 13
Download Zip https://tinurli.com/2wGGCZ

Medieval English, 500-1500 by Valerie Allen
The Renaissance, 1485-1660 by Andrew Hiscock
The Restoration and Eighteenth Century, 1660-1780 by Lee Morrissey
The Romantic Period, 1780-1832 by Peter J. Kitson
The Victorian Age, 1832-1901 by Maria Frawley
The Twentieth Century, 1901-1939 by Paul Poplawski
The Twentieth Century, 1939-2004 by John Brannigan
Postcolonial Literature by John McLeod

In addition to the narrative survey, each chapter includes a detailed chronology, providing a quick-reference guide to the period; contextual readings of select literary texts; and annotated suggestions for further reading. The book also contains over a hundred illustrations and maps that enhance and summarise vital background material. The book is carefully structured for undergraduate use, with recurring themes across chapters that show how historical periods relate to each other, helping students understand the development of ideas, concepts, and movements. The book also aims to encourage students to do more further reading and use primary sources, explaining context and providing excerpts and specific references to give students the understanding, confidence and motivation needed to fully engage with further reading and primary sources.

English Literature in Context is an invaluable reference for students and teachers alike. It is comprehensive and accessible, covering a wide range of topics and periods with clarity and rigour. It is also up to date and relevant, taking into account the latest scholarship and critical debates. It is a book that not only provides information, but also stimulates debate and enhances understanding of the rich and diverse heritage of English literature.
In this section, I will provide a brief overview of each chapter of the book, highlighting some of the main themes and texts that are discussed.

Chapter 1: Medieval English, 500-1500 by Valerie Allen
This chapter covers the period from the end of Roman Britain to the beginning of the Tudor dynasty, tracing the emergence and development of English literature in its various forms and languages. The chapter explores the cultural, political, religious, and linguistic contexts that shaped medieval literature, such as the Anglo-Saxon invasions, the Norman Conquest, the Crusades, the Black Death, the Hundred Years' War, the Lollard movement, and the Wars of the Roses. The chapter also examines the genres and modes of medieval literature, such as epic, lyric, romance, allegory, drama, chronicle, and hagiography. Some of the key texts that are discussed include Beowulf, The Dream of the Rood, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Battle of Maldon, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, The Bayeux Tapestry, The Domesday Book, The Ancrene Wisse, The Owl and the Nightingale, King Horn, Havelok the Dane, Sir Orfeo, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Piers Plowman, The Canterbury Tales, The Book of Margery Kempe, and Malory's Morte Darthur.

Chapter 2: The Renaissance, 1485-1660 by Andrew Hiscock
This chapter covers the period from the accession of Henry VII to the Restoration of Charles II, exploring the literary and cultural transformations that occurred during the Renaissance or early modern period. The chapter considers the impact of various factors that influenced Renaissance literature, such as humanism, Reformation, exploration, colonization, court culture, patronage, censorship, print culture, and scientific revolution. The chapter also analyses the genres and forms of Renaissance literature, such as sonnet, epic, pastoral, satire, comedy, tragedy, history play, masque,
and prose fiction. Some of the key texts that are discussed include More's Utopia,
Spenser's The Faerie Queene,
Sidney's Astrophil and Stella,
Shakespeare's sonnets and plays,
Marlowe's Doctor Faustus,
Jonson's Volpone,
Donne's Songs and Sonnets,
Herbert's The Temple,
Milton's Paradise Lost,
Bacon's Essays,
Hobbes's Leviathan,
and Cavendish's The Blazing World.
35727fac0c