Peter Barry (poet)

Peter Barry (born 1943) is a British literary critic and poet, known primarily for his accessible and widely used textbook, Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. While recognized primarily as a scholar and theorist, Barry has also published several volumes of poetry.

Barry's academic career has focused on modern literature and literary theory. He is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. His work bridges the gap between complex theoretical concepts and practical application in literary analysis. Beginning Theory has been particularly influential in introducing students to various schools of thought including structuralism, post-structuralism, Marxism, feminism, psychoanalysis, and postcolonialism.

His poetic works, though less widely discussed than his critical writing, explore themes of place, memory, and personal experience. They often engage with the natural world and reflect a keen observation of everyday life. Details about his published poetry collections are scarce in readily available sources, suggesting that his scholarly contributions are significantly more prominent.