The Oxford Anthology of English Literature

It's got everything you could ask for from an anthology of English literature, with excellent footnotes and introductory materials. A real treasure trove for students of the Victorian era. Comprehensive index.

...and surely we wouldn't want to find ourselves inadequately prepared for graduate study.

Victorian literature is vast, for the era it covers was long and complex. This collection of Victorian prose and poetry distinguishes itself with its range. Features a fine bibliography and is well indexed. Also recommended: the companion book, Victorian Literature: Modern Essays in Criticism, edited by Austin Wright, a Galaxy book GB 52. (Try zshops.) Victorian literature received careful and respectful study in the Twenties and Thirties. These anthologies show the fruit of that labor. Highly recommended.