Synopsis Literary criticism is the study, evaluation and interpretation of literature.  Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals.  The Western critical tradition vegan with Platos Republic (4th century BC).  A generation later, Aristotle, in his Poetics, developed a set of principles of composition that had a lasting influence.

This book is an essential reference guide for period scholarship because it examines English medieval literature comprehensively by genres in an effort to significantly increase our understanding of textual meaning and historical context.