"What is literature?" asks the now legendary introductory chapter of this volume. Sharp and critically confident, Eagleton introduces the first theoretical questions about literature. In the subsequent chapters, the author clearly explains the foundations and methods of the central approaches to literary theory. The 5th edition of this successful book includes a new preface by Eagleton on the literary theoretical developments of the past 25 years. It serves as an approachable guide to a complex subject—without fear or difficulty in understanding.