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Preface

• Eagleton pinpoints the beginning of literary theory to the publication of Viktor Shklovsky's 1917 essay, "Art as Device."

• Despite the proliferation of literary theory within academia, Eagleton notes that the field remains unknown to most readers and students.
• Eagleton discusses the hostility towards theory that some people have, and that it is often due to the face that they are not aware that they are subscribing to a certain theory themselves.

• Eagleton states that the purpose of his book is to present literary theory in comprehensive way to someone without a background in the field.
• Eagleton discusses how the book attempts to show the connection between literary theory and politics. All literary theories are subject and permeated by political and social ideologies.

• It is the connection between the world of literature and the world of politics that gives theory an importance.

• Eagleton points out that over the past...

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