This edition of Meredith's satirical novel of manners reprints that of 1897, which incorporated Meredith's revisions to the first edition of 1879.The editor has further emended some errors which escaped Meredith's attention and has provided exceptionally useful notes to the novel.

As background, Meredith's "Essay on Comedy and the Uses of the Comic Spirit" is provided. The critical essays are by Robert D. Mayo,Richard B. Hudson, Jenni Calder, Gillian Beer, John Goode, Charles J.Hill, Michael Sundell, Virginia Woolf, John Lucas, and Robert M.Adams.

Preface

The Text of The Egoist

Textual Notes

Backgrounds

　George Meredith·An Essay on Comedy and the Uses of the Comic Spirit

　George Meredith·The Star Sirius

Criticism

　Robert D. Mayo·The Egoist and the Willow Pattern

　Richard B. Hudson·The Meaning of Egoism in George Meredith's The Egoist

　Jenni Calder·The Insurrection of Women

　Gillian Beer·The Two Masks and the Idea of Comedy

　John Goode·The Egoist: Anatomy or Striptease?

　Charles J. Hill·Theme and Image in The Egoist

　Michael Sundell·The Functions of Flitch in The Egoist

　Virginia Woolf·The Novels of George Meredith

　John Lucas·Meredith's Reputation

　Robert M. Adams·A Counter Kind of Book

Bibliography