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British Literature Resources
To find resources on British Literature,
- Use a General Search of our collection for books, articles, videos, and more.
- Search specifically for works of literature.
- Search for literary criticism.
- Or try a specialized journal database to find scholarly articles.
Search Tips
When searching, English is usually a better term than British.
Include a genre or theme of interest. For example:
- english romanticism
- english victorian literature
- english novel women
Browse the reference sources below to find author biographies, work summaries, overviews of literature topics, and more.
Websites
- The William Blake ArchiveLook here for digitized copies of William Blake's illuminated books, drawings, engravings, and more, including information about Blake and resources for further research.
- Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA)Find information about Jane Austen and her works, including maps of the novels and film adaptations. Also find some full text of the Austen-focused scholarly journals Persuasions and Persuasions On-Line; for wider access, use MLA International Bibliography.
- The Victorian WebThis site has a wealth of information about Victorian times useful for context when analyzing literature. Topics include religion, philosophy, science, technology, political and social history, gender issues, and much more. You can also find full-text scholarly works.
- Victorian Women Writers ProjectExplore full-text works by British women writers of the 19th century, including anthologies, novels, political pamphlets, religious tracts, children's books, and poetry.
- RaVoN – Romanticism and Victorianism on the NetThis referred journal is devoted to nineteenth-century British literature. You can search it here or use MLA International Bibliography to search it along with hundreds of other scholarly literature journals.
- Scholarly Resources for Victorian ResearchFind resources for researching nineteenth-century Britain, including general guides and discussion groups and blogs.
Print Reference Sources
The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature by Call Number: Reference PR19 .O95 2006 v.1–5This comprehensive set covers British and Irish writers (including novelists, dramatists, and poets), literary themes, terms, institutions, movements, and more, with annotated references for further reading.
The Oxford Companion to English Literature by Call Number: Reference PR19 .O94 2000Find brief entries on British authors, works, characters, theory, and literary influences. A time line at the back lists important works in historical context.
Modern British Women Writers: An A-to-Z Guide by Call Number: Reference PR116 .M63 2002Looking for a twentieth-century British woman writer? This book contains 58 entries, including bios, literary analysis of individual works and bodies of work, and sources for more information.
Nineteenth-Century British Women Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook by Call Number: Reference PR115 .N55 2000Learn about the lives of nineteenth-century British women authors, including descriptions of their major works and contemporaneous critical reception.
Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature by Call Number: Reference PN669 .E53 2000Find information on topics related to medieval literature, including works, authors, historical figures, events, themes, and genres.