This comprehensive collection offers a complete introduction to one of the most popular literary forms of the Victorian period, its key authors and works, its major themes, and its lasting legacy. * Places key authors and novels in their cultural and historical context * Includes studies of major topics such as race, gender, melodrama, theatre, poetry, realism in fiction, and connections to other art forms * Contributions from top international scholars approach an important literary genre from a range of perspectives * Offers both a pre and post-history of the genre to situate it in the larger tradition of Victorian publishing and literature * Incorporates coverage of traditional research and cutting-edge contemporary scholarship