From folk ballads to film scripts, this new five-volume encyclopedia covers the entire history of British literature from the seventh century to the present. In five hundred substantial essays written by major scholars, the Encyclopedia includes biographies of nearly four hundred individual authors and a hundred topical essays with detailed analyses of significant themes, movements, genres, and institutions. Featuring over two hundred illustrations, it is fully cross-referenced with a comprehensive index and annotated bibliographies following each article. The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature is available for a very special price until 31st March 2006.