本书以英国文学历史为经，以各个历史阶段的文学流派和代表作家为纬，旨在通过各历史阶段具有代表性的作家作品，以点带面，帮助学习者了解英国文学历史的全貌，掌握英国各历史阶段的文学及代表作家的特点。全书共八个单元，涵盖从中世纪到二战后的英国文学史八个阶段，包括当代文学中的族裔文学。同时，为了节约空间，避免冗余，对于一个作家本书一般只选择一个最具代表性的篇目。

Unit 1 Early and Medieval Literature
1. Beowulf
Background Questions
Selected Reading
Beowulf(excerpt)
Study Questions
2. Geoffrey Chaucer (1343--1400)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
The Canterbury Tales (excerpt)
Study Questions
Unit 2 English Renaissance Literature
1. Christopher Marlowe (1564--1593)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
Doctor Faustus (excerpt)
Study Questions
2. William Shakespeare (1564--1616)
Background Questions
Selected Readings
Hamlet (excerpt)
Study Questions
Sonnet 18
Study Questions
Unit 3 17th Century Literature
1. John Donne (1572--1631)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
The Sun Rising
Study Questions
2. John Milton (1608--1674)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
Paradise Lost (excerpt)
Study Questions
Unit 4 18th Century Literature
1. Neo-Classical poetry
Alexander Pope (1688--1744)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
An Essay on Man(excerpt)
Study Questions
2. Rise of the novel
(1) Daniel Defoe (1660--1731)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
Robinson Crusoe (excerpt)
Study Questions
(2) Henry Fielding (1707--1754)
Background Questions
Selected Reading
The History of Torn Jones, a Foundling (excerpt)
Study Questions
Unit 5 Early 19th Century Literature
1. Romantic poetry
(1) William Blake (1757--1827)
Background Questions
Selected Readings
The Chimney Sweeper (from Songs of Innocence)
……
Unit 6 Victorian Literature
Unit 7 Pre-WWII Literature
Unit 8 Post-WWII Literature