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The essays in this collection address a variety of topics under the general heading of "gender issues"-gender and writing, reading, and representation, sexual options and roles, generic models and stereotypes, sexual ambivalence, or the politics of gender. All the essays examine in one way or another the role of gender and sexuality in fictional texts. The emphasis throughout is on the interface of gender and modernity, as seen through a variety of British and American literary works and films. Most of the contributions assume a feminist perspective on the issues discussed, each adopting a specific critical approach to its subject. The reader will therefore find a wide variety of critical stances, ranging from structuralism or psychoanalysis to cultural semiotics and political criticism. The contributions are arranged according to the main object of the analysis undertaken. Most of them combine theoretical discussion and practical analysis; in the first section, however, theoretical issues are more prominent. Sections 2 and 3 comprise essays on fiction and film respectively, arranged chronologically according to the publication/issue date of the work under study.With regard to the composition of the volume itself, thanks must be given to all those who provided encouragement and support, both individuals and institutions . A special mention, therefore, is due to the University of Zaragoza and the American Embassy, which provided financial support for the preparation of the volume. We want to thank as well those colleagues who dedicated time and effort assisting the editors by reading and re-reading the papers or doing paperwork: