In this classic beginner's guide to English literature, Mario Klarer offers a concise and accessible discussion of central issues in the study of literary texts, looking at definitions of key terms such as literature and text the genres of fiction, poetry, drama, and film periods and classifications of literature theoretical approaches to texts the use of secondary resources guidelines for writing research essays The new and expanded edition is fully updated to include: a wider range of textual examples from world literature additional references to contemporary cinema, a section on comparative literature an extended survey of literary periods and genres recent changes in MLA guidelines information on state-of-the-art citation management software the use and abuse of online resources. The book also features suggestions for further reading as well as an extensive glossary of key terms.