Writing during the fraught post World War Two period, Raymond Williams found his voice as a novelist, playwright and television commentator as well as a literary and cultural theorist. Greatly concerned with notions of class, Williams sought to expand the traditional literary canon and understand literature through a complex relation of social forces and ideology, rather than isolated, individual readings.

Emphasising the significance of Raymond Williams in a variety of fields, Sean Matthews' analysis includes:

• an overview of his work and influences
• the impact of the media on his theories
• explanations of the significance of culture and society on his work.

Illustrating the argument with examples from literature, television and the media, this concise guide is essential for any student of literature, media, social or cultural studies.