Trexler Library Study Guide
LITERARY CRITICISM
INDEXES
Abstracts of English Studies Index Area
Covers American as well as British literature.
The advantage of this work over other indexes
and bibliographies is that it provides brief
summaries of most of the articles it indexes.
Essay and General Literature Index
Index Area
This is an author/subject index to essays in
collections, and is useful for research in
foreign literature as well as British and
American. Full bibliographic information on
the collections indexed can be found in back of
each volume. Be sure to read the brief
prefatory note in front of any volume, which
tells you how to use this index.
Humanities Index Index Area 1974-1997
You may prefer to use this index instead of the
other bibliographies listed below because it is
more detailed in its indexing of literary
criticism. (Use the Book Review Index, located
in the back of each issue, to find critical
reviews of current literary works.)
BOOK REVIEWS
Book reviews, especially those found in
scholarly journals, are useful for finding
criticism of works of lesser-known authors,
and also for recent works of authors with
established literary reputations. To find out
how to locate book reviews, check the Study
Guide Finding Book Reviews.
LIBRARY CATALOG
To locate books in our library dealing with a
particular literary work, e.g., Grapes of Wrath
enter the title in the catalog first as a subject
search and then as a keyword search. Another
approach is to enter the author's name as
a subject search, e.g., Steinbeck, John. Then
scan through the titles called up to see which
may provide the information you need.
GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHIES
Literary Criticism Index REF PN 523 .W44
When you are not sure which bibliography to
consult for specific literary criticism, check
this index. It is an index to most bibliographies
of literary criticism on British and American
literature, including those listed here.
MLA International Bibliography Index
area. Also available on MLA CD-ROM.
Each annual edition consists of three volumes
bound in one. British and American literature
is in volume one, each in a separate section.
These sections begin with general works, and
are then subdivided by century (from
earliest times to present). Each century's
subdivision again begins with general works,
followed by works about individual authors.
Articles, books and dissertations are indexed,
dating from 1921 to the present. Abbreviations
of periodicals indexed can be found in front of
each issue.
New Cambridge Bibliography of English
Language and Literature REF P80 .N45
Covers authors who lived between 600 and
1970. Especially useful for locating pretwentieth century literary criticism. Because of
the unique arrangement of this work, begin
your search by looking up a writer's name in
the index. This will refer you to the volume
and column, (not page) number where
information can be found. Under each authors
name are two bibliographies: "1" lists works
by author; "2" lists critical works.
Supplemented by the following.
FICTION CRITICISM
American Novel REF PS 371 .G4
In this work find references to criticism
published between 1900 and 1968 on all
significant American writers who lived
between 1789 and the mid 1960’s.
Articles on American Literature 1950-1967
Articles on American Literature 1968-1975
REF PS 58 .A77
These combined works list criticism written
between 1950 and 1975 dealing with American
literature of all times. Arrangement is
alphabetical by author. In back of each volume
there are articles on various topics such as
ethnic groups, humor, literary history and
criticism, poetry, and regionalism.
Contemporary Novel REF PS 371 .A34
Lists criticism found in books from 1945-1969
and magazines from 1945-1966, dealing with
both American and British novelists who have
published since 1945.
Critical Survey of Long Fiction
SHORT STORY EXPLICATION
American Short-Fiction Criticism
1959-1977 REF PS 374 .S5 W43
Lists criticism published in magazines between
1959 and 1977, dealing with American writers
of all times. In front is a list of general studies
(mostly books) on the short story.
Critical Survey of Short Fiction
REF PN 3373 .C7 2001
This seven-volume set is arranged in an author
essay format. Each essay includes authors’
background information and achievements,
critical analysis of primary works and an
annotated bibliography. The last volume
focuses on the theory, history, and various
forms of short fiction.
REF PN3451. C75 2000
This eight-volume work provides 401 essays
on authors from around the world. Each essay
covers biographical information, a
bibliography of writings, and a critical analysis
of the author’s works. “The eighth volume
contains a glossary of literary terms, a
chronology and a listing of authors by
geographic area, genre, time period, and
writing style.”
English Novel Explication REF PR 821 .P26
Provides references to criticism published
between 1958 and the present on 19th and 20th
century British novelists. Be sure to consult the
supplements as well as the base volume.
Twentieth-Century Short Story Explication
REF PN 3373 .W35
Lists criticism appearing since 1900 in books
and periodicals of short stories published after
1800. Covers all modern literature.
POETRY EXPLICATIONS
Poetry Explication REF PR 500.5 .K8
"A checklist of interpretation (found in books
and magazines), published between 1925 and
1980, of British and American poems, past and
present." This is work is supplemented by the
following two publications.
S.G. #13 - 6/01
Guide to American Poetry Explication
REF PS 303 .R66
A checklist of interpretation found in books
and magazines published between 1925 and
1989, of American poetry from colonial times
to the present.
Guide to British Poetry Explication
REF PR 591 .M34
A checklist of interpretation found in books
and magazines published between 1925 and
1990 of British poetry from early times to the
present.
DRAMA CRITICISM
American Drama Criticism
REF PS 332 .P3
Provides a listing of criticism published
between 1890 and 1990 mainly of plays
produced during that same period.
There is also an index to play titles.
Drama Criticism
REF PN 1707 .C65
Volume 1 covers American and British
playwrights (Shakespeare is in back). Volume
2 covers European and classical playwrights.
European Drama Criticism
REF PN 1721 .P2
A companion volume to American Drama
Criticism. Provides a listing of criticism
published between 1900 and 1975 of
representative European plays from all periods.