This paper identifies some problems Chinese universities have when they offer English literature as a compulsory course to advanced level English majors. One constructive approach is discussed, and some suggestions on improving literature teaching are put forward.

This textbook is a sixth reader. Selections are taken from English and American literature, and when possible, conform to the original works. Many selections have elocutionary value. In making up the Selections for Reading, great care and deliberation have been exercised. Upwards of one hundred leading authors are represented, and thus a wide…

This textbook is designed to present to its readers a few examples from the work of the English novelist Charles Dickens and to develop in them a profound interest in his varied writings. Preceding each selection is a note on the book from which the extract has been taken. With some abridgments, the author's diction has been carefully followed. In…

The discussion questions and essay prompts in this collection were compiled from contributions made by participants in the 1991 Arizona Shakespeare-Milton Institute. After an introduction which presents some general guidelines for teachers and students, the collection addresses the following works: "As You Like It"; "The…

Designed for young adults, this book on Jane Austen's novels is one of an anthology series providing accessible resources for students researching great literary lives and works. Contributing writers' essays in the book are taken from a wide variety of sources and are edited to accommodate the reading and comprehension levels of young adults; each…

This textbook is a reader that aims to interest the youthful mind, furnish scope for effective reading, and facilitate study of literature and the history of literature. Many pieces are suitable for declamation.

Immediately popular when published over a century and a half ago, the novel "Jane Eyre" has continued to find appreciative audiences ever since. This student casebook offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Charlotte Bronte's landmark novel. While the casebook gives literary analysis, it also contextualizes the novel in…

More than 100 years after being written, "Great Expectations" is still one of the most widely studied works of fiction. This casebook of historical documents, collateral readings and essays brings to life both Charles Dickens' masterpiece and the social issues surrounding his work. The interdisciplinary approach in the casebook offers…

A seemingly simple tale of schoolboys marooned on an island, the novel "Lord of the Flies" is an enigmatic and provocative piece of literature. This casebook probes the many layers of meaning in the novel, examining its literary, philosophical, historical, scientific, and religious significance. The casebook integrates analysis and…

Intended as an accessible resource for students researching "The Canterbury Tales," this collection of essays about Geoffrey Chaucer's (d. 1400) classic work contains an in-depth biography of the author and writings from a wide variety of sources. The essays are edited to accommodate the reading and comprehension levels of young adults;…

Intended as an accessible resource for students researching William Shakespeare's (1564-1616) "Comedies," this collection of essays about the great playwright contains an in-depth biography and writings taken from a wide variety of sources. The essays are edited to accommodate the reading and comprehension levels of young adults; each…

Intended as an accessible resource for students researching William Shakespeare's (1564-1616) poetry, this collection of essays about Shakespeare's sonnets contains an in-depth biography of Shakespeare and writings from a wide variety of sources. The essays are edited to accommodate the reading and comprehension levels of young adults; each essay…

"Animal Farm" is a political allegory of the USSR written in the form of a fable. Its stinging moral warning against the abuse of power is demonstrated in this casebook through a wide variety of historical, political, and literary documents that are directly applicable to George Orwell's novel. Included in the casebook are passages from…

Charles Dickens' novel, "A Tale of Two Cities," does not waste a word in telling a touching, suspenseful tale set against the background of one of the bloodiest events in history, the French Revolution. This casebook's collection of historical documents, collateral readings, and commentary will promote interdisciplinary study of the…

Although "Othello" has been one of William Shakespeare's most popular plays, its performance history has been marked with risk and tension because of the play's focus on racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality. The controversies surrounding conflicting attitudes toward race and religion, love and marriage, and war and the…