The Oxford illustrated history of English literature

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Britain boasts a literary heritage unmatched in the Western world, explored in this lavishly illustrated volume. Under the editorship of Pat Rogers, leading literary scholars trace the evolution of English literature from its early Anglo-Saxon poetry to contemporary works. The contributors focus on conveying the joy of literature rather than merely outlining schools and periods. Central to the narrative is Shakespeare, featured in a dedicated chapter, alongside in-depth discussions of major writers like Chaucer, Milton, Donne, Wordsworth, Dickens, Eliot, and Auden, as well as contemporary authors such as Muriel Spark and Seamus Heaney. This work goes beyond a simple chronology, offering a core of essential information, including reading suggestions, maps, a chronological table, and a detailed index with birth and death dates. It characterizes the overarching ideas and concerns of British writers over thirteen centuries. The illustrations—thirty-five in color and over two hundred in black and white—enhance the text, depicting manuscripts, book illustrations, art, architecture, portraits, social scenes, landscapes, and caricatures. These visuals illuminate the literature and the cultural context that shaped it. The contributors, experts in their fields, infuse the narrative with enthusiasm, weaving together the complex strands of English literature into an engaging account.