York Notes Companions: The Long 18th Century

The Long Eighteenth Century, Literature 1660­1790

The York Notes Companion to the Long Eighteenth Century traces the development of literature in English from the poets and playwrights of the Restoration through to the great eighteenth-century novelists and satirists.  Examining the cultural and intellectual contexts that shaped the work of writers from Dryden to Defoe, such as trade, colonial expansion, slavery, and print culture, the Companion offers close readings of texts, and guides students through the key literary theories and debates that inform the study of the literature of this period.  Connecting texts with their historical and scholarly contexts, this is essential reading for any student of eighteenth century literature. 

Each York Notes Companion provides:

• Analysis  of key texts and debates  
• Extended  commentaries for further in-depth analysis of individual texts  
• Exploration  of historical, social and cultural contexts
• Annotations clarifying literary terms and events in history
• Modern  theoretical perspectives in practice  
• Timelines  and annotated further reading

Penny Pritchard is a Lecturer in English Literature and Language at the University of Hertfordshire.