Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory: Fourth edition 4th Edition

Great intro to a notoriously confusing set of intellectual traditions. If you are hoping to eventually do critical scholarship in race or feminism, you will find this an excellent resource orienting you to the lay of the land.

Purchased for a literary theory course beginning in Fall 2021. Based on the Introduction and Chapter 1, I’m excited for the course and believe this book is a great introduction for those who have not studied theory but have an interest.

I received an MA in English and a JD in the 1970s. Since my retirement, I have been trying to find out what happened while I was busy outside academe. This textbook, written by a British professor for undergraduate students majoring in English, describes exactly how Theory has transformed a discipline once concerned primarily with aesthetics has become (in my words) a subspeciality of political science. I did not get much out of a literary criticism course in graduate school in 1973. Although the author is my contemporaty, I wish I had had a teacher as lucid as Peter Barry.

This text, in its 4th Ed., remains a highly readable and engaging overview of major critical theories to date that are commonly used in literary analysis. Additionally, Barry provides a bibliography for each chapter and a good index as well. This text would be an affordable and welcome accompaniment for an undergrad literature course incorporating literary theory into its discourse.

I bought it for classes. The book is a classic, a great introduction to literary theory.The book is in good condition. It’s a nice purchase.

Used this book for a writing project.

I hadn't been able to purchase this at the start of the college year so the fact it arrived just before Term 2 began was really helpful for revising.

Using it for one of my classes