This guide addresses the need for literary criticism for beginning literary critics.  In this guide, where a title is followed by a call number, then that work may be found in Randall Library's Reference Collection, unless otherwise noted, such as the Book Review Digest, which is in the Index Collection.  If a title is followed by (online), then it may be accessed through Randall Library's "Database and Article Searching" link.  Select the "Database and Article Searching" link from Randall Library's homepage, and the actual link is listed alphabetically.  Some resources may cover more than one genre.  If you cannot find information from the resources listed in a specific genre, you might want to see what other resources are available.
 

NOVELS

TO FIND . . .

a specific novel - All novels are not in one location in Randall Library; they are dispersed throughout the language and literature section, along with works of criticism and biographies.  >Library Catalog--title and/or author search

a novel by subject - Most novels do not have subject headings, that is why you are most likely to identify a novel through a selection guide.    >Fiction Catalog - PN3451 .F52
                           >Book Review Digest (Index) - Z1219.C95
                           >Novelist (online)

a plot summary of a specific novel - Randall Library has Masterplots Complete on CD-ROM.  Ask a librarian at the reference desk to help you.  >Masterplots Complete (CD)

a review of a book - A review of a novel is not as formal as any work that actually criticizes the novel.  Criticism usually appears in scholarly periodicals or in full-length book format.  A review is usually shorter in length.  
        >Book Review Digest (Index) - Z1219.C95
        >Academic Search Elite (online)
        >Humanities Index (print or online)
        >MLA (print or online)

criticism or explication of a novel - To search for criticism of a novel within a book, consult Randall Library's catalog; select "subject," and enter the author of the novel's name (last name first).  Then, search for the subject heading subdivision, "criticism and interpretation."Search the Gale Literary Index to learn which of the books in the Gale series have information on which author(s) and works.

Electronic Resources >Randall Library's catalog >MLA (print or online) >Humanities Index (print or online) >Gale Literary Index (online) >Critical Companions to Popular Contemporary    Writers (online)	Criticism on the Internet Atlantic Monthly Magazine This magazine has published many critical reviews of books since the early 1900s and  they now make the archive of the reviews available on the website.   Cambridge History of English and American Literature   The Internet Public Library Online Literary Criticism

Print Resources >Black Literature Criticism PS153.N5 B556 1992 >Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism   PN681.5 .C57 >Contemporary Literary Criticism  PN771 .C59    >Hispanic Literature Criticism  PQ7081.A1 H573 1994 >Literary Criticism Index  PN523 .W45 1994	>Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800  PN86 .L56 >Magill's Bibliography of Literary Criticism PN523 .M285 1 >Magill's Index to Critical Surveys  PN524.M34 1994 >Native North American Literature  PS508.I5 N38 1994  >Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism  PN761 .N5    >Shakespearean Criticism  PR2965 .S44 >Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism  PN771 .G27
This is only a sample of literary criticism print resources, to find more, please check the Randall Library online catalog or ask a librarian for help.

---

SHORT STORIES

TO FIND . . .

an individual short story - To find a short story in Randall Library's catalog, select "author" and enter the name of the short story's author (last name first).  Then look for a title that indicates a short story collection. You cannot find a short story by title in the catalog because they are usually published in collections and anthologies. 
        >Randall Library's online catalog
        >Short Story Index - PN3321 .S382

a short story by subject - >Short Story Index - PN3321 .S382

a plot summary of a short story - >Masterplots II: Short Story Series  PN3326 .M27 1986 and Suppl

criticism, or explication, of a short story - To search for criticism of a short story within a book, consult Randall Library's catalog; select "subject," and enter the author of the novel's name (last name first).  Then, search for the subject heading subdivision, "criticism and interpretation."  

Print Resources >Magill's Bibliography of Literary Criticism   PN523 .M285 1979 >Literary Criticism Index  PN523 .W45 1994 >Magill's Index to Critical Surveys  PN524.M34 1994 >Twentieth-Century Short Story Explication   PN3373 .W3362	>Black Literature Criticism  PS153.N5 B556 1992 >Contemporary Literary Criticism  PN771 .C59    >Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism  PN761 .N5 >Reference Guide to Short Fiction PN3373 .R36 >Short Story Criticism PN3321 .S5 >Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism  PN771 .G2
This is only a sample of literary criticism print resources, to find more, please check the Randall Library online catalog or ask a librarian for help.

---

DRAMA

TO FIND . . .

an individual play - Sometimes plays are published individually; many times they appear in periodicals or anthologies.
         >Randall Library's Catalog
         >Play Index - PN1655 .P52
         >Chicorel Theatre Index - PN1655 .C555
         >The Drama Scholars' Index to Plays and Film Scripts - PN1655 .S25
         >Drury's Guide to Best Plays - PN1655 .D78 1978 
         >Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections - PN1655 .O67 1976
         >Index to Plays in Periodicals - PN1721 .K45 1979 and 1990

a monologue - >Actors Guide to Monologues - PN2080.G78 1974 
                      >The Ultimate Scene and Monologue Sourcebook - PN2080 .H66 1994 

a one-act play - >An Index to One-Act Plays - PN1655 .L83 1924

a plot summary of a particular play - >Masterplots II: Drama Series - PN6112.5.M37 1990

a review of a particular performance of a play - >A Guide to Critical Reviews - PN2266 .S2

an article that criticizes, or explicates, a play - 

Electronic Resources >MLA (print or online) >Humanities Index (print or online) >Academic Search Elite (online)	Print Resources >Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism - PN681.5 .C57 >Contemporary Literary Criticism - PN 771 .C59 >Critical Survey of Drama - PN1625 .C75 1994 >Drama Criticism - PN1601 .D59 >Literature Criticism From 1400-1800 - PN86 .L56 >Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism - PN761 .N5 >Shakespearean Criticism - PR2965 .S44 >Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism  PN771 .G
	This is only a sample of literary criticism print resources, to find more, please check the Randall Library online catalog or ask a librarian for help.

biographical information on playwrights, actors and others involved in theater -
>Contemporary Dramatist - PN1625 .V5 1993 
>Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television - PN2285 .C58

---

POETRY

TO FIND . . .

an individual poem >Randall Library's Catalog, by author- 

>Internet Resources:    20th Century African-American Poetry     20th Century American Poetry     Academy of American Poets     African-American Poetry     American Poetry     English Poetry     The Faber Poetry Library     Internet Poetry Archive     Poetry Archives    Representative Poetry	Print Resources: >Columbia Grangers' Index to African American Poetry   PS153.N5 C64 1999 >Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Anthologies -   PN1022 .H39 1997  >The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Collected   and Selected Works - PN1022 .C63 1996  >The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry - PN1022 .H39  >The Columbia Granger's guide to Poetry Anthologies -   PN1111 .K37 1991
	This is only a sample of literary criticism print resources, to find more, please check the Randall Library online catalog or ask a librarian for help.

a poem by subject - >Columbia Grangers' Index to African American Poetry - PS153.N5 C64 1999 
                              >Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Anthologies - PN1022 .H39 1997 
                              >The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Collected and Selected Works - PN1022.C63 1996 
                              >The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry - PN1022 .H39 
                              >The Columbia Granger's Guide to Poetry Anthologies - PN1111 .K37 1991 

a summary of a poem - >Masterplots II. Poetry Series - PN1110.5.M37 1992

an article that criticizes, or explicates, a poem -  

>MLA (online or print) >Humanities Index (online or print) >Academic Search Elite (online) >American & British Poetry - PS303 .A45 1984 >Critical Survey of Poetry - PN 1021 .C6 1992 >Guide to American Poetry Explication - PS221 .L46

>Literary Criticism Index PN523 .W45 1994 >Magill's Bibliography of Literary Criticism -    PN523 .M285 1979 >Magill Index to Critical Surveys - PN524 .M34 1994 >Poetry Criticism - PN 1010 .P499 >Poetry Explication - PR502 .K86 1980

Last Update: December 12, 2005

Return to Top