Eagleton contends that the study of English literature became a way for the rising middle class to assert its cultural authority and challenge the dominant position of classical literature and languages. He also highlights the role of key figures such as Matthew Arnold, F.R. Leavis, and I.A. Richards in shaping the discipline and establishing English studies as a respected field of academic inquiry.

In The Rise of English , Eagleton examines the emergence of English as a distinct academic discipline in the 19th and 20th centuries. He argues that the rise of English studies was closely tied to the development of modern capitalism, the expansion of education, and the growth of a middle class seeking cultural legitimation.

Terry Eagleton's The R ise of English is a thought-provoking and insightful book that explores the evolution of English as a literary and linguistic discipline. First published in 1983, the book has been widely acclaimed for its nuanced and provocative analysis of the development of English studies in the context of social, cultural, and historical changes.