Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory: Fourth 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.

Using it for one of my classes

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.

Excelente libro!

This expanded and revised 4th edition(2017) is an accessible and intellectually stimulating guide to literary and cultural theory. After a brief illuminating introduction there are 15 chapters on: 'Theory before 'theory''; 'Structuralism'; 'Post-structuralism and deconstruction'; 'Postmodernism'; 'Psychoanalytic criticism'; 'Feminist criticism'; 'Queer theory'; 'Marxist criticism'; 'New historicism and cultural materialism'; 'Postcolonial criticism'; 'Stylistics'; 'Narratology'; 'Ecocriticism'; 'Literary theory - a history in ten events' & ''Theory after 'theory''. The book concludes with appendices and a useful further reading list. Peter Barry's 'Beginning Theory' is a clearly written and wide-ranging introduction to an often abstruse subject which should appeal to the general reader as well as students of literary and cultural studies.

Me ayuda en historia de la literatura

A finely printed reference book.Same book... you can get this book for Rs300..but that that is a cheap reprint a cheap reprint with missing pages...buy this one from Manchester publishers is excellent..

Barry managed to write a comprehensive book explaining all key literary theories and criticisms in an easy and understandable way. Every chapter provides background informations, a brief summary, examples of how to apply a certain theory to a literary text and additional bibliographies for further readings. Highly recommend it to every one studying English literature especially at the beginning of your studies since it provides a fantastic overview. Unfortunately, I only found it in my masters but still think it‘s useful.