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 as well as film and television series. Starting with the basics of what constitutes a literary text, the book moves through an analysis of major genres, important periods, and key theoretical approaches to literature and film. It also looks at the practicalities of finding and referencing secondary sources when writing a research paper.

The expanded new edition has been updated to include:

• a wider range of examples from world literature, cinema, and television series
• additional references to contemporary streaming formats
• updated chapters on postcolonial theory, cultural studies, gender theory, feminism, and queer theory
• new sections on digital humanities, ecocriticism, literary translations, and paratexts
• extended explanations of traditional genres, e.g., the epic, drama, and poetry
• a completely revised chapter on the most recent MLA guidelines with rules for citing new media formats

The detailed glossary ensures that the book is accessible to readers of any level, making this an ideal self-study guide or a course book for Introduction to Literature classes.

Mario Klarer is Professor of American Studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. His recent research interests focus on Mediterranean piracy and slavery. His publications include Barbary Captives (Columbia UP, 2022) and A Short Literary History of the United States (Routledge, 2014).