Encyclopedias may provide brief identifications of terms, works of literature or forms, or introductory essays which are a good starting point for a literary research project. Additional encyclopedias may be found in GIL using the keywords "dictionaries" or "encyclopedias" together with keywords for the subject ("Poetry," "French Literature," etc.). Since the term "dictionaries" was used until recently to describe encyclopedias in library catalogs, it is a good idea to use both terms in your keyword search.
REFERENCE PN41 .B4 1987
Benet's reader's encyclopedia. 3rd ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1987.
A single-volume work, covering terms, themes, writers, characters, and literary works. Not restricted solely to literature, it also covers significant scientists, philosophers, etc.
REFERENCE PR19 .B56 W96 1990
The Bloomsbury guide to English literature : the new authority on English literature. Edited by Marion Wynne-Davies. First Prentice Hall paperback ed. New York: Prentice-Hall General Reference, 1990.
An essay section gives cultural and historical background on each period of English literature. A reference section gives brief entries on authors, important works, themes, movements, and topics.
REFERENCE PN471 .B57 1992
The Bloomsbury guide to women's literature. Edited by Claire Buck. New York: Prentice Hall General Reference, 1992.
Covers women's writing from all countries of all periods. An essay section gives literary and cultural background for each period and national literature. A reference section gives brief alphabetically arranged entries on authors, titles and topics.
REFERENCE PR85 .C28 1983
The Cambridge guide to English literature. Edited by Michael Stapleton. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York : Feltham, Middlesex : Rushden, Northants: Cambridge University Press ; Newnes Books ; distributed for them by Hamlyn Pub. Group, 1983.
Covers all English-language literatures, including those from Nigeria and the West Indies, up to 1970. Includes entries on authors, characters, literary forms, terms, and titles of significant works. Many of the title entries give cross-references to their authors.
REFERENCE PN41 .C3 1973
Cassell's encyclopaedia of world literature. Edited by John Buchanan-Brown. Rev. and enl. ed. New York: Morrow, 1973.
Volume 1 includes history and general articles; volumes 2 and 3 give biographical information on individual authors. Many of the articles include brief bibliographies.
REFERENCE PN41 .C83 1998
Cuddon, J. A. and Claire Preston. A dictionary of literary terms and literary theory. 4th ed. Oxford ; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 1998.
A guide to literary terminology in regular use. Terms are drawn from foreign languages and literatures, as well as English, and cover forms of literature, genres, technical literary terms, schools, and movements, concepts and other terms of literary or historical importance.
REFERENCE PS21 .E53 1999
Encyclopedia of American literature. Edited by Steven Serafin and Alfred Bendixen. New York: Continuum, 1999.
Critical essays on major authors from Colonial times to the 1990s and on assorted topics, such as abolitionism, science fiction, and the South. Entries include bibliographies.
REFERENCE PN55 .E53 2002
Gossin, Pamela. Encyclopedia of literature and science. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2002.
Defines literary topics in terms of their relation to science and scientific topics in relation to literature. Includes entries on topics, themes, writers, scientists, and theories.
REFERENCE PS261 .S515 1997
Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. Encyclopedia of Southern literature. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1997.
Articles on motifs, historical eras, writers, important works, and genres of Southern literature. Many minor authors are mentioned in articles on historical periods rather than in entries under their names.
REFERENCE PN771 .E5 1999
Encyclopedia of world literature in the 20th century. Edited by Steven Serafin. 3rd ed. Detroit: St. James Press, 1999.
Includes survey articles on literatures of nations of the world, literary movements and themes, and on the major writers of the twentieth century. All entries include bibliographies.
Harris, Robert. A Glossary of Literary Terms and a Handbook of Rhetorical Devices [Online]. 2002. Available: http://www.virtualsalt.com/litterms.htm. Last Update: January 4, 2002. Date of Visit: April 10, 2008.
Maintained by Robert Harris, a professor of literature, based on his 1980 book. Quick definitions of 60 rhetorical devices, such as alliteration and zeugma, and a glossary of literary terms.
REFERENCE PN41 .H6 1986
Holman, C. Hugh and William Harmon. A handbook to literature. 5th ed. ed. New York : London: Macmillan ; Collier Macmillan, 1986.
Useful for explaining terms, movements, concepts, etc. Also includes an outline of English and American literary history and lists of literary prize-winners.
REFERENCE PN41 .M42 1995
Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of literature. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1995.
Includes entries for authors, literary works, terminology, mythological characters, movements, and prizes. Entries are generally two or three paragraphs in length.
REFERENCE PS153 .N5 O96 1997
The Oxford companion to African American literature. Edited by William L. Andrews, Frances Smith Foster and Trudier Harris. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
Brief entries, many with bibliographies, on African-American authors and their works, African-American culture and important cultural figures.
REFERENCE PS21 .H3 1983
Hart, James David. The Oxford companion to American literature. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983.
Similar to Margaret Drabble's Oxford companion to English literature. Both have brief entries for authors, literary works, fictional characters, allusions, etc.
REFERENCE PR19 .D73 1985
The Oxford companion to English literature. Edited by Margaret Drabble. 5th ed. ed. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1985.
Similar to James Hart's Oxford companion to American literature. Each includes brief entries for authors, literary works, fictional characters, allusions, etc.
REFERENCE PR19 .O94 2000
Drabble, Margaret. The Oxford companion to English literature. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Similar to James Hart's Oxford companion to American literature. Each includes brief entries for authors, literary works, fictional characters, allusions, etc.
REFERENCE PS21 .E537 2004
The Oxford encyclopedia of American literature. Edited by Jay Parini. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Articles on authors, literary movements, significant works, and other topics in American Literature.