Author Description

This thematic introduction to literature including both traditional and contemporary writers, Western and non-Western writers, asks the reader to observe, reflect on, and comment upon the social, political, and cultural aspects of the literature being examined. The literature itself is organized thematically. Within each unit, stories, poems, and plays are arranged in clusters to provoke personal, analytical, and critical responses. Two essays per chapter encourage readers to respond critically to the thematic issues under discussion. This new edition includes two new plays, Euripides' The Trojan Women and Moliere's Tartuff, along with a revised section on "Using Film and Video." Also contains a section on "Using the Internet to Research Literary Sources" as well as an expanded glossary of literary and cultural terms. For those interested in a global and multicultural approach to literature.