Key Concepts in Victorian Literature is a lively, clear and accessible resource for anyone interested in Victorian literature. It contains major facts, ideas and contemporary literary theories, and is packed with close and detailed readings of a variety of novels, poems and plays. Structured into three, easy-to-use sections, the book guides readers through all the major concepts, themes and issues which characterize Victorian literature. It offers an overview of the historical and cultural context in which this literature was produced, and introduces readers to all of the significant critical and theoretical perspectives which underpin modern research into the period.