Page
maintained by Corinne Ebbs
Last updated May 31, 2006
Finding
Literary Criticism In The Ely Library Catalog
To find books about an author or specific work:
| Search the Ely
Library Catalog using the author's name as subject.
See our Guide to Searching Ely Library Catalog for more information.
|
| Search Literature
Resource Center for full-text articles of criticism on a
specific author or work of literature. Limited
to WSC community
(Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Literature Resource). This database provides direct access to biographies, bibliographies and critical analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline. Included are selections from Contemporary Authors®, Dictionary of Literary Biography and Contemporary Literary Criticism Select databases. Look for a link for Gale Literary Index in this database. |
| Search MLA
Bibliography (Modern Language Association) for references
to critical articles on authors or on specific works of literature (1963-
Updated Quarterly)
Limited to WSC community
(Internet site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#MLA International).
|
Essay and General Literature Index (1900-1998). On Periodical/Index shelves, 1st Floor, alphabetical order.
|
Literature and Its Times. Ref
PN 50 L574 1997
The subtitle says it all: "profiles of 300 notable literary works and
the historical events that influenced them." The works include Wuthering
Heights, Canterbury Tales, the Crucible, Paradise Lost, and many others.
Each entry includes a short bibliography for further research.
See also: World Literature and Its Times. Ref
PN50 .M625
Twentieth Century Literary Movements Dictionary. Ref
PN597 T94 2000
Find history and people connected to particular literary movements
including Beat Generation, Harlem Renaissance, Jazz Age, Realism, Theater
of the Absurd, and many more. Entries on authors connected to the
movements are also included. Title, Author, and other indexes are
included for easy access.
Encyclopedia of American Literature. Ref PS21
.F33 2002
This set provides brief overviews of literary works from the colonial
and revolutionary era (1607-1814) through the age of romanticism and realism
(1815-1914) to the modern and postmodern period (from 1915 on). It
includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature. Ref PS21 E537 2004
Here find entries on well known American authors as well as articles
on topics such as Vietnam in Poetry and Prose; Imagism and American Poets;
Black Arts Movement; Nature Writing; etc. There are also brief entries
on specific, well known works such as Our Town; Grapes of Wrath; The
Sun Also Rises.
Oxford Companion to American Literature (6th ed.).
Ref PS21 .H3 1995
This and the following volumes Identify authors, give summaries of
works, and define literary schools and movements. A good all-purpose handbook.
The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English (third ed.). Ref
PR85 C29 2006
This contains entries on both British and American authors, as well
as authors in other countries who write primarily in English. Genres, works,
and literary schools are also covered.
Dictionary of Literary Biography. Ref
PS129 D5
This multi-volume work provides biographies and bibliographies. Check
the last volume for an index to the whole set, or use the Gale
Literary Index online. For example, Crane, Stephen 12, 54, 78
(each number represents a volume of the set--each volume is alphabetically
arranged)
American Writers (Ref PS129 A55) & British Writers (Ref
PR85 B688)
Lengthy essays on authors. The last volume has a cumulative index -
Check here to see if an author is listed in this set.
Modern American Literature (2 vols.). Ref
PS 221 M53 1999
Very short excerpts on authors from a variety of both popular and scholarly
sources which can often be tracked down in Ely Library. There is no index
by title, so you must know your author to use this effectively.
American Women Writers. Ref
PS147 A4
Biographical and bibliographical information on well-established women
in literature.
An Encyclopedia of British Women Writers. Ref PR111 E54
1998
Biographical and bibliographical information on well-established British
women authors.
Black Women in America: an historical encyclopedia.
Ref E185.86 B542 1993
Biographical rather than critical information on black women. Many
writers are included here who are not in other sources.
Contemporary Authors and New Revision Series.
Located on tables in Reference Area
Emphasis is on biographical information about authors in many fields
although some critical interpretation is included. Selections from
this are also available in Biography
Resource Center. On the Advanced Search Screen, enter the author's
name in the first dialog box and type "Contemporary Authors" in the second
dialog box, changing to "source" from the drop-down menu next to it.
Short Story Writers. Ed. by Frank N. Magill. REF
PN3373 .S398 1997
102 short story authors are covered in this three volume set. Each
entry includes an illustration of the
author, a list of principle short fiction, achievements, biography,
analysis, and bibliography.
The Undergraduate's Companion to American Writers and Their Web Sites.
REF PS 88 .B67 2001
This book provides lists of sources in print and available on the Internet.
Encyclopedia of the Novel (2 vols.). Ref PN41 .E487
1998
Here find concise, readable entries on authors, selected works, concepts
(e.g. "implied author"), genres (e.g. "historical novel"), regional origins,
and more. Use the index in volume 2.
The English Novel : Twentieth century criticism. Ref
PR821 .E53x
An excellent source for citations to critical periodical articles and
books on selected British authors. It is arranged alphabetically by author
with headings for specific works following each name. A list of abbreviated
periodicals is found in the front and a list of books cited, in the back.
Critical Survey of Long Fiction (8 vols.). Ref
PN3451 .C75 2000
Includes essays on specific aspects of the genre as well as critical
essays on an author's work. Bibliographic information for further research
is included. Author/Title index in volume 8.
Guide to British Prose Fiction Explication : 19th and 20th
century. Ref PR861 .B38 1997
Lists of books and articles are organized by author’s name, then by
general and specific works. A list of abbreviated periodical titles can
be found towards the beginning of this volume.
Major Characters in American Fiction. Ref PS374.C43 M35
1994
This work serves to recreate the lives of fictional characters in both
major and minor novels. Not all characters are represented, but those
with considerable coverage in the works in which they appear have a concise,
half page of who they are and what they did. Don't look for criticism
here.
Back to top
Twentieth-Century Short Story Explications. Ref
PN3373 W33x 1977
A checklist of criticism published 1900-1975. Covers major American
and British authors, with limited coverage of non-English speaking countries.
Full citations of the books used are listed in back of book under the critic’s
name. Journal abbreviations are also in back of book. Contains an index
to authors.
Critical Survey of Short Fiction. Ed. by Frank N. Magill.
Ref PN3321 .C7
There are three major subdivisions in this seven volume set: Essays;
Authors; and Current Authors. The first includes material on geographic
regions, ethnic groups, historical roots of the genre, etc. The Author
section contains summaries of criticism alphabetically arranged by author,
and the Current Author subdivision includes articles written almost entirely
by the authors themselves. Articles include bibliographies and index.
Poetry Criticism. Ref PN1010 .P499
Excerpts from criticism of the works of the most significant and widely
studied poets of world literature. Brief biographical information included.
Multi-volume set. Use Gale
Literary Index online for quick referral to the correct volume.
Guide to American Poetry Explication.
Ref PS 201 .R66 1989
Guide to British Poetry Explication.
Ref PR 311 .M34
These volumes serve as indexes to critical articles and book chapters
on specific poems. Arranged alphabetically by poet and then by poem title.
Abbreviated listings of critical works are listed under each poem title.
Use the back of the book to identify the full title of the books and journals
cited.
Poetry Explication.
Ref PR502 K8x 1980
A checklist of interpretations since 1925 of British and American poems
past and present. This volume is organized by author and then by individual
work. Under the name of a poem find citations to periodical articles and
book chapters. Refer to the front of the book for a list of abbreviations.
Back to top
American drama criticism : Interpretations, 1890-1977 (2nd ed.).
Ref PS332 .A5
Find extensive lists of citations to articles and books including reviews
and longer criticism. Search for your author, and then a subheading for
a specific work. Indexes for titles, playwrights and critics are found
in the back of each volume.
Critical survey of drama (7 vols.).
Ref PN2035 .C7
This set contains articles on playwrights (alphabetically arranged)
and their works as well as a volume of essays on types of drama through
time and in different regions of the world. Author / Title index
in volume 6.
Dramatic Criticism Index.
Ref PN1861 .B8x
A bibliography of commentaries on playwrights from Ibsen to the avant-garde.
Use this to locate articles and books on your playwright and plays. Provides
specific page numbers in general works which may be available in Ely Library.
Check the Online Ely Library Catalog.
Cambridge History of American Theatre. Ref
PN2221 .C37
Look here for history on all dimensions of American Theatre including
theatre building, playwriting, directors, performers, and designers.
Divided mostly by name, lengthy articles are supplemented by extensive
timelines, bibliographies, and indices.
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama (2nd ed.). Ref
PN 1625 .M3 1984
This five volume set contains brief entries on specific authors, plays,
and genres which provide a good overview of dramatic literature from Greek
drama through 20th Century works. See index in volume five.
LitFinder
Limited to WSC community
(Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#LitFinder)
Access to more than 30,000 full text poems, essays, stories, plays,
and speeches, plus references to anthologies and sources for 100,000 other
works. Searchable indexes of titles, first lines, last lines, and authors.
Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Anthologies.
Ref PN1022 C63 2002
Use the indexes located at the end of this volume to locate poems by
title, first line, author, or subject.
Index to Plays in Periodicals, 1977-1987.
Ref PN1721 .K43 1990
Index to Plays in Collections (1900 and 1985).
Ref PN1655 .O8 1988
Use these volumes to locate specific plays in either journals (periodicals)
or book anthologies (collections). Look up the first in a Current Periodicals
List and the second in the Ely Library Catalog.
Sample Subject
Headings for LITERARY CRITICISM
Use in the Ely Library
Catalog and Periodical Indexes (see notes above).
Always watch for appropriate subheadings.
Caution: Use these representative
headings as a starting point only!
| General |
|
| American Literature | Allegory |
| (Author's/Poet’s/Dramatist’s Name) – Criticism and Interpretation | Authors, English |
| (Author's/Poet’s/Dramatist’s Name) - Style [or technique] | Feminism and Literature |
| English Literature – 19th Century | Heroes in Literature |
| Plots (Drama, novel, etc.) | |
| Women in Literature | Women Authors |
Sample Subject Headings for FICTION (including NOVELS & SHORT STORIES)
| Afro-Americans – Fiction | Authors Fiction - History and Criticism |
| American Fiction - 20th Century | English Fiction |
| Fiction – 19th Century | Short Stories, American - Afro-American |
| Science Fiction | Short Stories, English – History and Criticism |
Sample Subject Headings for POETRY
| Afro-Americans - Poetry | |
| American Poetry - 20th Century | Children's Poetry |
| English Poetry - Early Modern, 1500-1700 | Epic Poetry - History and Criticism |
| Poetry, Medieval - History and Criticism | Love Poetry |
| Poetry, Ancient - History and Criticism | Sonnets |
| Poets, English - 19th Century – History and Criticism | Women Poets |
Sample Subject Headings for PLAYS, DRAMA, and THEATER
| American Drama | Afro-American Theater |
| Historical Drama | Drama in Education |
| Children’s Plays | Dramatic Criticism |
| Greek Drama | Drama - Explication |
| Theater – United States [or England, France, etc.] | English Drama |
| Historical Drama | Spanish Drama |
| Plays | Playwriting |