This set of 37 volumes is a revival of the original Critical Idiom series. First published between 1969 and 1979, the volumes in this series provide concise and accessible introductions to a range of critical terms which are key to the study of literature. This set will be a valuable resource for students working with complex literary terminology.
By John D. Jump
January 17, 2019
First published in 1974, this book provides a helpful overview to the ode. After introducing the reader to classical odes, it goes on to trace the development of two major types: the Pindaric ode and the Horatian ode. The book concludes with a study of odes from the nineteenth and ...
By Harry Sieber
January 17, 2019
First published in 1977, this book studies the picaresque as a literary genre. It begins by discriminating between the literature of roguery and the picaresque in particular before discussing the origins of the genre in Spain and tracing its development into Europe. The book concludes with a brief ...
By Ian Reid
January 17, 2019
First published in 1977, this book examines the short story, which is one of the most widely read of all modern genres. The study begins by examining some preliminary problems of definition before going on to trace the emergence of what is usually meant by ‘the modern short story’ and examine the ...
By Clifford Leech
January 17, 2019
First published in 1969, this work examines the genre of Tragedy from its origins in ancient Greece, to the modern day. Beginning with an overview of the meaning of tragedy in Europe through the ages, it goes on to explore common aspects of tragedies such as the tragic hero, the chorus and unities,...
By Peter Dixon
January 16, 2019
First published in 1971, this book provides a historical account of the fortunes of Rhetoric. Beginning with a study of classical rhetorical theory and practice, it goes on to explore the impact of rhetoric on English literature and the renunciation of rhetoric from the late 17th century. The book ...
By Gillian Beer
January 16, 2019
First published in 1970, this work provides an overview of the Romance from the medieval period to the 20th century and tracks how the genre has changed with time, including its interaction with other forms of literature such as gothic novels, realism and science fiction. It explores a myriad of ...
By John Fuller
January 16, 2019
First published in 1972, this book examines the sonnet, one of the most complex yet accessible of verse forms. It traces its history, concentrating primarily on its technical development, and fully explains the differences between the Italian and English sonnet. The study looks at several different...
By G. S. Fraser
July 04, 2018
First published in 1970, this work outlines the principles of English prosody in a way that will enable the reader to recognise and scan any piece of English verse. It illustrates the close relationship between English speech patterns and verse patterns, and the primary importance of the phenomenon...
By Peter V. Marinelli
July 11, 2018
First published in 1971, this book explores the theme of the pastoral in literature and the way in which it adapts itself to various forms. It examines some of the ways in which it has manifested itself, such as ‘the golden age’, ‘Arcadia’, ‘Sparta’ and childhood, whilst also identifying the ...
By Alan Bold
July 20, 2017
First published in 1979, this work presents the history of the ballad, including its origin, style, content and preservation. It explores how ballads have adapted and changed over time, particularly with the rise of mass literacy and printing and the decline in the oral tradition, and in doing so, ...
By David L. Hirst
July 10, 2017
First published in 1979, this book traces comedy of manners from the 1660s to the then present — a scope beyond the traditional focus on the Restoration and early twentieth century. It uncovers an underestimated subversive potential and socially critical force in this particularly English dramatic ...
By D. C. Muecke
July 10, 2017
First published in 1970 and revised in 1982, this work provides a critical overview of the concept of irony in literary criticism. After establishing the relationship of the ironical and the non-ironical, it summarises the history of the concept of irony, before isolating and discussing its basic ...