Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader

First published in 1986 with a second edition in 1996, Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader constitutes one of the classic texts of second–into–third–wave feminist literary studies. Both a history and a survey of the varied positions within feminist literary theory, the Reader includes extracts from all the major critics, critical approaches and theoretical positions in contemporary feminist literary studies. The third edition of the Reader is divided into seven sections: Finding a Female Tradition; Women and Literary Production; Gender and Genre; Towards Definitions of Feminist Writing; Writing, Reading and Difference; Locating the Subject; and a new section, Writing Glocal , which covers feminism s dialogue with postcolonial, global and spatial studies. Each section has an introduction, which contextualizes the material and guides the reader, and extensive notes with recommendations for further reading. Fully revised, updated and supplemented, this new edition of Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader is one of the most comprehensive, single–volume introductions to a vital and diverse field.

Preface.

Acknowledgements.

1. Finding a Female Tradition.

2. Women and Literary Production.

3. Gender and Genre.

4. Towards Definitions of Feminist Writing.

5. Writing, Reading and Difference.

6. Locating the Subject.

7. Writing the Glocal.

Bibliography of Extracts.

Index.

Mary Eagleton is Professor of Contemporary Women s Writing at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. She has published extensively in the field of feminist literary theory and contemporary women s writing, including Feminist Literary Criticism (1991), Working With Feminist Criticism (Wiley–Blackwell, 1996), A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory (Wiley–Blackwell, 2003) and Figuring the Woman Author in Contemporary Fiction (2005). She is founding Co–editor of the journal, Contemporary Women s Writing .

Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader is an indispensable guide, companion and handbook for students and teachers of women s literature. No other anthology offers so many bite–sized tasters of work on gendered authorship, literary production, critical reception, sexuality and genre from romantic fiction to travel writing. Mary Eagleton s clear and informative introductions contextualize the debates represented by each extract, suggest connections between them and point to further reading. This third edition maintains and develops the irreplaceable breadth of the previous editions with several new pieces on such areas as autobiography, science fiction and border talk. The extra section, Writing Glocal , investigates dynamically evolving dialogues between feminism and postcolonialism, diaspora narratives and transculturalism. Whether you read from start to finish or choose to sample selectively, this rich collection will expand your knowledge and understanding of feminist thought, both as an historical discipline and as an excitingly relevant and progressive set of ideas.
Jane Dowson, De Montfort University