With a new introduction and fully updated pointers to further reading, this second edition of Hans Bertens' bestselling book is a must-have guide to the world of literary theory.Exploring a broad range of topics from Marxist and feminist criticism to post-modernism and new historicism it includes new coverage of:the latest developments in post-colonial and cultural theoryliterature and sexualitythe latest schools of thought, including eco-criticism and post-humanismthe future of literary theory and criticism.Literary Theory: The Basics is an essential purchase for anyone who wants to know what literary theory is and where it is going.