"The fourth edition of this classic beginner's guide to literary studies has been fully updated throughout. Mario Klarer offers a concise and accessible discussion of central issues in English and world literature. Starting with the basics of what constitutes a literary text, the book moves through analysis of major genres, major periods, and key theoretical approaches to literature. It also looks at the practicalities of finding and referencing literature and writing a research paper. The expanded new edition has been updated to include: - A wider range of examples from world literature, cinema, and TV series, including Amanda O'Gorman's 'The Hill We Climb' and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Fleabag' - Additional references to contemporary streaming formats - More recent examples, such as Amanda Gorman's 'The Hill We Climb' - Updates to chapters on postcolonial theory, cultural studies, gender, feminism, and queer theory, and new sections on digital humanities ecocriticism literary translations, and paratexts - Extended explanations for traditional genres, e.g., the epic, drama, and poetry - Updated references to the most recent version of the MLA bibliography with more information on secondary material online, use and citation of digital and social media, and guidelines for citing new media formats The detailed glossary ensures the book is accessible to readers of any level, making this an ideal introduction to literary studies that will be of value and use throughout an entire course"--