Critical Analysis
An informed analysis and evaluation of a work can often help you
better understand a novel. Use the following databases to locate
quality essays and character analysis published in academic journals
and books.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO)
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Published essays and book reviews
Bloom’s Literary Reference Online
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Digitized version of the Bloom’s critical analysis series, author information, and plot summaries
Doerr Library Catalog (Destiny)
Access: Library’s Homepage
Locate published books of criticism owned by the Library
JSTOR
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Articles published in scholarly journals over the past 100 years
Literary Reference Center (EBSCO)
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Published essays, author information, and book reviews
Shakespeare Criticism
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Book Reviews
While not the same as a critical essay of a novel, a good book review
can provide a detailed analysis of a book and shed light on how a
book was received at the time of publication.. The New York Times
Book Review, Atlantic Monthly, and the Christian Science Monitor
all include lengthy book reviews. Access book reviews using the
following databases.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO)
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Analyzing
Shakespeare’s
Plays
Using Secondary
Resources
Background Information and Literary Terms
Annotated Shakespeare
R 822.3 SH1
Literary Movements for Students
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature or as a Print
Resources at R 809.9 LITg
Learn about the characteristics that define a literary movement
and the authors who best represent it.
Literature and Its Times & World Literature and Its Times
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Information on the historical setting of important novels
Magill Surveys
Access: Print Resource at R 820.9 ENG (English)
Oxford Reference Online
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Search across a collection of over 100 digitized reference
books. Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, Oxford Companion to American Literature, and Oxford Companion to
English Literature are just a few of the full-text titles available.
World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Author Information
Learning more about the life of an author can shed light on an
author’s writing. Use the following resources to locate biographical information about famous authors.
New Century Shakespeare Handbook
Access: Print Resource at R 822.3 C54
British Writers
Access: Print Resource at R 810.8.9 AME (multivolume
work)
New Complete Concordance to the Dramatic Works of
Shakespeare
Access: Print Resource at 822.8 B28
Bloom’s Literary Reference Online
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
New Pelican Guide to English Literature: The Age of Shakespeare
Access: Print Resource at R 820.9 NEW
Novels for Students
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Author information, plot summaries, important themes, and an
introductory piece of literary criticism
Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
One of the most comprehensive dictionaries of the English Language.
Doerr Library Catalog (Destiny)
Access: Library Homepage
Encyclopedia of World Biography
Access: Research Portal/English and Literature
Shakespeare for Students
Access: Research Portal/ English and Literature or as a
Print Resource at R 822.3 SHA
William Shakespeare: His World — His Work —
His Influence
Access: Print Resource at R 822.3 WIL