M. H. Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt. Last year, the Longman Anthology emerged as a new contender in the anthology world of British literature, a direct challenge to the long-established Norton . Now that the Norton has responded with its own seventh edition, comparisons are in order. But the appearance of the Longman Anthology of British Literature forced the Norton editors to reflect and retool, and the result is good news for students, teachers, and the rival publishers. Each anthology has had to assert itself as distinct, and while there is a good deal of overlap in content, the result of the contest is a pair of starting options that could lead to very different kinds of courses.
Crucial differences lie in each anthology's conceptual approach to the material.
Having the choice compels us to consider our priorities for a survey course. Its net is cast broadly in hopes of representing as many opinions and as many groups as possible in its selections. This criterion and the three concerns identified above lead naturally to an emphasis on political issues in the volume's introductory essays and commentaries. Most of the selections are written in English, with a handful of translated Welsh, Gaelic, and Irish materials. Clearly the Longman 's contents answer a perceived need for canonical expansion and inclusivity.