Written in concise and clear language, this book offers an historical overview of literary criticism and theory throughout the twentieth century along with a close analysis of some of the most important and commonly taught texts from the period. <br><ul><br><li>Provides an accessible introduction to modern literary theory and criticism <br><li>Places various modes of criticism within their historical and intellectual contexts <br><li>Offers close readings of some of the major critical texts of the period <br><li>Explores the works of a diverse group of 20th-century writers, including Babbitt, Woolf, Bakhtin, Heidegger, Lacan, Derrida, Judith Butler, Zizek, Nussbaum, Negri and Hardt <br><li>Covers formalism, psychoanalysis, structuralism, deconstruction, Marxism, feminism, reader-response criticism, historicism, gender studies, cultural studies, and film theory</li></ul>