Though geographically a small country, Wales has produced a large body of extraordinary literature in both Welsh and English which deserves broader recognition. The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales provides an introduction to the literature and culture of this fascinating country, covering a time period that ranges from the days of King Arthur to the present-day flowering of Welsh national consciousness. Its nearly three thousand entries treat the principal genres of Welsh literature, the complexities of Welsh poetic art, myth, legend. and folklore, and offer information on literary associations, events, movement, and institutions. The book also features biographies of major figures from all periods of Welsh literary history. -- taken from 1st ed. publisher description.