Wiley A Companion to the English Novel (Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture)

This collection of authoritative essays represents the latest scholarship on topics relating to the themes, movements, and forms of English fiction, while chronicling its development in Britain from the early 18th century to the present day. Comprises cutting-edge research currently being undertaken in the field, incorporating the most salient critical trends and approaches Explores the history, evolution, genres, and narrative elements of the English novel Considers the advancement of various literary forms – including such genres as realism, romance, Gothic, experimental fiction, and adaptation into film Includes coverage of narration, structure, character, and affect; shifts in critical reception to the English novel; and geographies of contemporary English fiction Features contributions from a variety of distinguished and high-profile literary scholars, along with emerging younger critics Includes a comprehensive scholarly bibliography of critical works on and about the novel to aid further reading and research Review "The Companion series are more than simple student textbooks, telling readers what they already know, but a compendium of authoritative yet accessible essays written by academics, which bring traditional subjects up to date, introduce new perspectives and hopefully stimulate fresh thinking. Each essay includes references for further reading, making this particular Companion instructive and inspirational for both students and general readers." (Reference Reviews 2016) Review “The Companion is more than a useful and up-to-date reference work. It’s a genuinely exciting collection of brand new essays by some of the most important living scholars of the English novel. There is no other single volume from which one can learn so much on the subject.”—James English, University of Pennsylvania “The combined expertise of a team of able contributors and the ingenious planning that allows the English novel to be approached from a variety of perspectives make this a distinctive, and distinctly useful, volume, whether it is dipped into or read right through.”—Derek Attridge, University of York From the Inside Flap A Companion to the English Novel presents a collection of authoritative essays that represent the latest scholarship on topics relating to the themes, movements, and forms of English fiction while chronicling its development in Britain from the early 18th century to the present day. Featuring contributions from several of the field's most renowned experts and emerging scholars, readings offer cutting-edge critical analyses of all aspects of the English Novel. Initial essays explore the roots and distinctive features of the Enlish novel tradition, followef by an examination of the evolution of its various literary forms - including such genres as realism, romance, Gothic, experimental fiction, and novels into film. Further readings deconstruct the novel's core elements, delving into such topics as narration, structure, character, and affect. Others examine shifts in critical reception to the English novel, analyze the geographies of contemporary English fiction, and look to the future. Reflecting the most up-to-date scholarship in a field that has undergone dramatic changes in recent times, A Companion to the English Novel is an indispensable resource to our current understanding of the origins and evolution of the rich literary tradition of fictional works produced in Great Britain over the past two centuries. From the Back Cover A Companion to the English Novel presents a collection of authoritative essays that represent the latest scholarship on topics relating to the themes, movements, and forms of English fiction while chronicling its development in Britain from the early 18th century to the present day. Featuring contributions from several of the field's most renowned experts and emerging scholars, readings offer cutting-edge critical analyses of all aspects of the English Nove