Critical Companion to Tennessee Williams includes entries on all of Tennessee Williams's major and most minor works; places and events related to his works; major figures in his life; his literary influences; and issues in Williams scholarship and criticism.

Best known as the author of "Gulliver's Travels", Jonathan Swift is one of literature's great satirists. Born and educated in Ireland, Swift became a politician and clergyman in England, where he wrote essays, pamphlets, poems, and fiction that addressed the political issues and social conditions of his time. In "Gulliver's Travels", he introduced the allegorical settings of Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and the island of the Houyhnhnms, as well as the term "Yahoos," in a playful but dark satirical reflection on mankind. His other works include "A Modest Proposal", "A Tale of a Tub", "The...

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, has long been regarded as the quintessential American writer. Twain's best-known works include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Prince and the Pauper. Always a source of entertainment for readers of all interests, the works of Mark Twain are well-written masterpieces as well as important documents of social history. More than 1,250 entries in Critical Companion to Mark Twain provide analyses and detailed synopses of all Twain's books and stories, examinations of Twain's characters, discussions of...

"Critical Companion to Emily Dickinson" is an encyclopedic guide to the life and works of Emily Dickinson, one of the most famous and widely studied American poets of the 19th century. Known for her wit and preference for seclusion from the outside world, Dickinson rarely left her home in Amherst, Mass., preferring instead to write quietly from the confines of her bedroom. This new title contains close readings and critical analyses of more than 150 of Dickinson's best-known poems, including "Because I could not stop for Death," "I felt a funeral, in my Brain," "I died for Beauty - but was...

"The Scarlet Letter", "The House of the Seven Gables", "Young Goodman Brown," and "Rappaccini's Daughter" are staples of high school English classes across the country. Nathaniel Hawthorne's works and characters have left a lasting impression on writers, scholars, and readers around the world. "Critical Companion to Nathaniel Hawthorne" offers critical entries on Hawthorne's novels, short stories, travel writing, criticism, and other works, as well as portraits of characters, including Hester Prynne and Roger Chillingworth. This comprehensive reference also provides entries on Hawthorne's...

The Irish poet William Butler Yeats is often considered the premier English-language poet of the 20th century, but he was also an important playwright, folklorist, critic, and politician. Yeatss works vary from complex and highly symbolic to short and straightforward, making him popular in both high school and college literary classes. His most famous poemsincluding "The Second Coming," "Easter 1916," and "Among School Children"are among the best known in the world. This heavily illustrated new volume is essential for high school and college students interested in this prolific poet.

Known for his favorite themes of New England and nature, Robert Frost may well be the most famous American poet of the 20th century. His classic works include the poems "The Road Not Taken," "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," "The Death of the Hired Man," and many more. "Critical Companion to Robert Frost" is an encyclopedic guide to the life and works of this great American poet. This accessible volume combines extensive critical analysis with in-depth information on Frost's life, providing a one-stop resource for students. Coverage includes: a concise but thorough biography of Frost;...

Geoffrey Chaucer has delighted readers through the ages with stories replete with humanity, grace, and strength. His tales bring to life the England of his own day, with all its color and vibrancy. "Critical Companion to Chaucer" is the place to turn for a complete understanding of the work and life of this literary pioneer. This book contains all the text of the acclaimed "Chaucer A to Z", reorganized into a student-friendly format. Material new to this edition includes an expanded biography of Chaucer, expanded critical assessments of his major works, further reading lists, and more than 40...

Arthur Miller, best known for his works "The Crucible and Death of a Salesman", is one of America's most important dramatists. "Critical Companion to Arthur Miller" provides a reliable, up-to-date, and encyclopedic source of information on Miller for high school and college-level students, teachers, and the general public. This accessible volume covers his entire canon, including plays, screenplays, fiction, short stories, and poetry, as well as many of his important essays and critical pieces. Also included are detailed entries on literary, theatrical, and personal figures important to...

Toni Morrison, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, is perhaps the most important living American author today, and certainly one of the most popular in college and high school courses. Her novels, including "Sula", "Song of Solomon", "Beloved", and "Paradise", have won almost every major award available to them. In addition, her influence as a critic, book editor, and mentor to other writers has been incalculable. "Critical Companion to Toni Morrison" examines Morrison's life and writing, featuring critical analyses of her work and themes, as well as entries on related topics and...