The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (Oxford Paperback Reference) [Paperback]

Chris Baldick (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0192828932 | ISBN-13: 978-0192828934 | Publication Date: June 4, 1992 | Edition: First Oxford University Press Paperback stated

This dictionary provides succinct and often witty explanations of over one thousand potentially troublesome terms encountered in the study of literature, from absurd to zeugma, from the ancient dithyramb to the contemporary dub poetry, from the popular bodice-ripper to the aristocratic masque. While it is fully up to date with the terminologies of deconstruction and other modern schools of literary theory, it also offers extensive coverage of traditional drama, versification, rhetoric, and literary history. Literary schools from Alexandrianism to Transcendentalism are included, along with dozens of terms from languages other than English. Adjectival forms and other derived words are displayed, and simple pronunciation guides are given for over two hundred difficult terms, making this thoroughly cross-referenced dictionary the most helpful of its kind for all readers of literature.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Of the many recent dictionaries of literary terms, Baldick's is the one most likely to satisfy today's student. Rejecting "encyclopaedic completeness," it omits commonly understood general terms that are not specifically literary (e.g., art, culture, etc.). Included instead are "many terms generated by the growth of academic literary theory in recent years." The explanations are clear and succinct, and often employ illustrative examples. An uncommon feature of this work is its pronunciation guide, applied to some 200 of the 1000 terms here defined. In addition to the attention paid to the terminology of classical rhetoric, there is a distinct emphasis on French deconstructionist terms derived from Derrida, Barthes, et al. Baldick's chief rival is Northrop Frye's Harper Handbook to Literature (1985), which is more comprehensive but lacks Baldick's currency. For larger libraries and academic collections.
- Jeffrey R. Luttrell, Youngstown State Univ., Ohio
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Good coverage from the classical to the contemporary."--David G. Hale, State University of New York at Brockport

"Clearly and concisely written. It is the most up-to-date and comprehensive of such 'concise' handbooks."--Robert W. Lewis, University of North Dakota

"Of the many recent dictionaries of literary terms, Baldick's is the one most likely to satisfy today's student....The explanations are clear and succinct, and often employ illustrative examples."--Library Journal (in a starred review)

"This is an excellent "pocket-sized" reference paperback at a reasonable price."--Dr. Robert C. Rice, Christendom College

"This is just what our English majors need. It's up to date, to the point, and inexpensive."--Preston Harper, Albilene Christian University

"Excellent, one of the best on the market, level just right for undergraduates."--Sabine Gross, University of Wisconsin/Madison

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Oxford University Press Paperback stated edition (June 4, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192828932
• ISBN-13: 978-0192828934
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,464,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, but not flawless, resource, November 17, 2000

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Paperback)

"The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms" is an excellent reference work for students of literature or cultural studies, or for anyone who wants to enrich his or her vocabulary with a variety of fascinating terms. Beginning with "the absurd" and ending with "zeugma," Chris Baldick has assembled a marvelous bestiary of literary terms and has provided concise explanations of each one.

Baldick's choices cover a wide range of history, geography, and ideology--from the Senecan tragedy to the campus novel, from the haiku to the Petrarchan sonnet, from Romanticism to Russian Formalism. Particularly useful is his inclusion of many originally non-English terms: "Sturm und Drang," "bricolage," and many more.

Of course, no project of this nature can be exhaustive, particularly when it is crammed into 246 pages. And yet, I wonder at the rationale behind some of Baldick's inclusions and omissions. Why, for example, is there an entry for Homeric, but none for Dickensian? For the Harlem Renaissance, but not for the Black Arts Movement? For Brechtian, but not for Kafkaesque? For logocentrism, but not for phallocentrism? For science fiction, but not for horror? For braggadocio, but not for tragic mulatta?

Nevertheless, this is still one of my favorite reference works. So if you're planning a Festschrift, if you're contemplating a revival of Vorticism, or if you want to spice up your latest jeremiad with some Spoonerisms, check out this book. It will make you feel like a true skald!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Handy desktop reference, esp for novices, June 7, 2003

By 

richardpinneau.com (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Paperback)

This is a quite serviceable dictionary, with 1000-odd entries. At only 250 pages, however, the treatment of complex terms, schools, and issues must often be cursory. This second edition, is however, nicely updated from the 1990 first edition, and presents a more readable typeface on better paper. Being relatively small, it may be the most convenient literary dictionary to keep by your side. For a similar investment, however, you might consider the vastly more thorough 1000-page PENGUIN Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory (4th edn by Cuddon & Preston, 1998, ISBN: 0140513639 ) - possibly out of print as of this writing, but a bargain reference at the used price being asked by some Amz connections [ perhaps Penguin is on verge of releasing a 5th edition? ].

For more *depth* of coverage for important literary concepts and controversies, serious literary students will more appreciate the BEDFORD Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms (Murfin & Ray, 1998). While the Oxford aims more at comprehensiveness in including terms (so that the reader can find "memoir-novel" and "misprision" for example), the Bedford strives for depth of explorations and interrelations of terms (a dictionary that could be considered "authored" as well as edited) - see review at ISBN 0312115601 .

In summary, OXFORD is a *concise* dictionary; PENGUIN is a comprehensive dictionary; BEDFORD is a stimulating exploration and integration of terms and concepts.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tool For English Majors, May 29, 2003

By 

A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "What should ... (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Paperback)

Literary dictionaries are usually tough nuts to crack. By the nature of the book, there is an educated obscurity to most of the terms. "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms" conquers this by displacing the less useful words with very readable definitions of the words the book lists.

For example, 'plurisignation,' a somewhat difficult word to say, sends the reader, sans definition, to 'ambiguity,' which enjoys a more sensible, approachable definition.

Finishing the book is 'zeugma,' which Baldick describes as a figure of speech "by which one word refers to two others in the same sentence." He gives us a taste of William Shakespeare in a sample of a zeugma, "Give them thy fingers, me thy lips to kiss."

It is adequately cross-referenced, and is accessible for browsing without becoming lost in heady terms.

Who should read this? Any college freshman studying literature. This is a solid handbook, and is begging to be used in classrooms, taught letter-by-letter, entry-by-entry. Knowing these terms (about 1,000 in all) will clear up a lot of headaches while reading literary criticism and essays.

I fully recommend "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms" by Chris Baldick.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com