"Key Concepts in Literary Theory provides the student of literature with clearly presented and authoritative definitions of some of the most significant and often difficult to grasp terms and concepts currently used in the study of literary theory. It brings together terms from many areas of literary theory, including cultural studies, psychoanalysis, poststructuralism, marxist and feminist literary studies, postcolonialism, and other areas of identity politics with which literary studies concerns itself." In addition, the volume provides accessible discussions of the main areas of literary, critical and cultural study, supported by bibliographies and a chronology of major critics whose work has informed critical studies of literature today, also accompanied by bibliographies.