Skip to Main Content
Literature Encyclopedias (Online)
Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction
It 'provides detailed analysis of the lives and writings of major contributors to the literary sub genre of mystery and detective fiction. Also includes essays that explore the history and nature of the mystery and detective genre and examine the fiction of ethnic writers and writers from other parts of the world.' (from ebook homepage).
Encyclopedia of the Novel
The history and development of the novel as a genre is the subject of this comprehensive, scholarly work. Its 650 essays are arranged alphabetically and focus on classic novels, great novel writers, types of novels, novels identified with particular countries or regions, technical and formal aspects of novels, theory, influence, and novel criticism. All of the entries are signed and have been contributed by specialists, and conclude with brief bibliographies, lists of works, and further reading.
Kindlers Literatur Lexikon
Comprehensive German language encyclopedia of world literature.
Literary Encyclopedia
"An expanding global literary reference work written by over 2000 specialists from universities around the world, and currently provides more than 5100 authoritative profiles of authors, works and literary and historical topics..."
New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics (1993)
1993 edition, provides 'a comprehensive reference for those interested in the history of poetry or in any aspect of the technique or criticism of poetry. Provides surveys of national poetries; descriptions of poetic forms and genres; detailed explanations of the devices of prosody and rhetoric; and overviews of all major schools of poetry ancient and modern, Western and Eastern.' (from ebook homepage)
Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature
'...provides comprehensive coverage of literature from the Abbey Theatre to Israel Zangwill, covering the entire history of literature in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in the major literary languages (Anglo-Saxon, English, Welsh, Scots, Irish, and Latin). It includes substantial accounts of individual authors (e.g., Spenser, Pope, Austen) and detailed histories of particular themes, movements, genres, and institutions, whose impact upon the writing or the reading of literature was significant (e.g., The Stationers' Company, the sonnet, the ‘School of Night, ’ or the Sublime).' (from database homepage)
Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature
"...comprehensively documents and interprets the books read by children throughout the world. With a global perspective that pays attention to significant international trends and the multicultural expansion of the field, it includes brief biographies of every major author and illustrator. Also included are feature essays on all genres of children's literature, individual works, and prominent trends and themes, as well as general essays on the traditions of children's literature in many countries throughout the world." (from database homepage)
Literature Encyclopedias (Print)
Encyclopedia of Renaissance Literature
Comprehensive guide to the literary works, writers, and concepts of the period spanning the years 1500 to 1700. This wide-ranging encyclopedia examines the literature not only of Europe but also of Africa, China, India, Japan, the Islamic world, the Jewish Diaspora, the New World, and elsewhere.
Encyclopedia of Russian & Slavic Myth and Legend
Even though East is still east and West has always been west, the twain do meet in the traditional tales of the Russian and Slavic peoples, who straddle the boundary between Asia and Europe. In this first comprehensive English-language guide to the myths and legends of Russian and Slavic cultures, readers will discover how these imaginative storytellers wove together not just East and West but also pagan beliefs and Christian themes.
In their tales, dragons fight priests, saints encounter nymphs, and witches enter the kingdom of heaven. More that 900 entries are arranged in an accessible A-to-Z format and include extensive historical, geographical, and biographical background information. Students, scholars, and anyone interested in exploring the rich cultural heritage of the Slavic peoples will find this handsomely illustrated volume indispensable.
Encyclopedia of the Novel (1998)
The history and development of the novel as a genre is the subject of this comprehensive, scholarly work. Its 650 essays are arranged alphabetically and focus on classic novels, great novel writers, types of novels, novels identified with particular countries or regions, technical and formal aspects of novels, theory, influence, and novel criticism. All of the entries are signed and have been contributed by specialists, and conclude with brief bibliographies, lists of works, and further reading.
Harper Handbook to Literature (1997)
Arranged in alphabetical order, this Handbook aims to satisfy curiosity about terms such as syzygy or zeugma, concepts such as structuralism or phenomenology, and literary genres and movements such as Drama or Goliardic verse. Over 100 items are new to this edition, including Queer Theory, Reader-Response Theory, Cultural Studies, Anxiety of Influence, Logocentrism, Orientalism, and Saussurean Linguistics, to name only a few. Entries generally range from a few words to summary essays with bibliographies for further study, and cross-references lead from definitions to larger concepts.