Profiles of Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events That Inluenced Them (World Literature and Its Times, Volume 4)

In each of the volumes under review, a time line presents historical events in Britain and Ireland during the period, with the related literary works listed at the time of their publication. Among the writers covered in volume 4 are Seamus Heaney, Kazuo Ishiguro, Iris Murdoch, Salman Rushdie, Muriel Spark, and Tom Stoppard. Arranged alphabetically by title and written in a style that is accessible for high-school students and above, each entry generally follows a standard format, with background information on the author; a discussion of the events at the time in which the literary work is set; a synopsis of the work, with discussion of its historical, social, and political themes; a summary of events at the time the work was written; and a short bibliography of related books. All terms and events are well explained and related to the piece of literature. The represented works tend to be each author's best known or most often studied by students. They are also the works that fit the themes being discussed in the volume. Although Charles Dickens' novels cover many topics, Great Expectations is discussed because it illustrates the themes of political reform and the treatment of convicts. Masterplots: 1801 Plot Stories and Critical Evaluations of the World's Finest Literature (Salem, 1996) gives plot summaries of many of the same works, but it does not analyze the works in historical context. The various other literary series by Gale concentrate on criticism of either works or authors. The World Literature and Its Times. series tries to show students the connections between the political and social climate of the times and how the authors used the themes of the day in their works. By emphasizing the context of literature, it offers a unique perspective and a fresh approach and will be a valuable set in larger school, public, and academic libraries.

!!!No Mirrors below, please! Follow Rules!