Now in its second edtion, this established guide for beginning students of literature has been updated to reflect the latest in teaching and research. Students will discover the full range of literary forms, styles, theories and critical strategies which are essential to the study of literature. Carefully selected examples demonstrate exactly how a different strategies for reading texts can be put to work and applied by students in their own work. All texts discussed are conveniently available in readily available works, the majority of which are also in the Norton Anthology of English Literature.