This new series explores the contextual study of texts by concentrating on key periods, topics, themes, and comparisons in literature, rather than on individual authors or texts, thus emphasizing the need to understand writing and writers within their literary, historical, and social contexts. Cambridge Contexts in Literature can be used for directed classroom teaching and for self-study. A variety of activities and questions, the use of study aids such as chronologies and glossaries, and the inclusion of anthology sections exemplify issues and provide extensive background support to the topics studied.