Literary Criticism Resources Foreign Languages
Created by Doug Ernest. For assistance, contact:Merinda McLure
Liaison Librarian for Foreign Languages & Literatures
Applied Human Sciences Librarian
email | Ph.970.491.7175
Checklists and Readily Accessible Collections Items have been selected for this list because they offer ready access to sources of literary criticism. Brief annotations are provided where the title or contents notes do not adequately explain content or period of literature covered.
I. Universal
A. All periods
B. ModernCritical Survey of Literary Theory. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1987. 4 v. PN45 .C74 1987
Great Foreign Language Writers. Ed. James Vinson & Daniel Kirkpatrick. New York: St. Martins, 1984. PN451 .G74 1984 REF
Haschak, Paul G. Utopian/Dystopian Literature: A Bibliography of Literary Criticism. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1994. PN56 .U8 H37 1994 REF
Literature and its Times: Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events that Influenced Them. Ed. Joyce Moss and George Wilson. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 5 v. PN50 .L574 1997 REF
Magill, Frank Northen. Cyclopedia of World Authors. 3d. ed. 1997. PN451 .M36 1997 REF
Magill, Frank Northen. Magill's Bibliography of Literary Criticism: Selected Sources for the Study of more than 2,500 Outstanding Works of Western Literature. 1979. 4 vols. Z6511 .M25 REF
Masterplots: Plot Stories and Critical Evaluations of the World's Finest Literature. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1996. 12 v. PN44 .M33 1996 REF
Reader's Index to the Twentieth Century Views Literary Criticism Series, Vols. 1-100. 1973. Z6511 .T86 Suppl. REF
Reference Guide to World Literature. 2d ed. New York: St. James Press, 1995. 2 v. PN524 .R44 1995 REF
Weiner, Alan R. and Spencer Means. Literary Criticism Index. 2nd ed. 1994. PN523 .W4 1994 REF
C. Ancient and MedievalContemporary Literary Criticism. 1973- vol. 1- Z1224 .C615 REF
Considers authors of works from 1960 to the present. Complements Twentieth Century Literary Criticism.
Contemporary World Writers. Ed. Tracy Chevalier. Detroit: St. James, 1993. PN771 .C585 1993 REF
Dictionary of Literary Biography. 1978- PS221 .D5 REF
A multi-volume work that provides career biographies tracing the development of authors= canons and the evolution of their reputations. Groups authors by genre, literary period and nationality.
Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century. 1981- 5 vols. PN771 .E5 1981 REF. Suppl. and Index. PN771 .E52 1984 REF
Literature Criticism from 1400-1800. 1984- PN86 .L56
Medieval and modern criticism of authors who wrote between 1400 and 1800.
Magill's Literary Annual. 1977- PN44 .M342 REF (Latest year in REF).
Continues Survey of Contemporary Literature. Contains essay reviews of outstanding books published in the U.S. during the year.
Major 20th-Century Writers: A Selection of Sketches from Contemporary Authors. Ed. Bryan Ryan. Detroit: Gale Research, 1991. 4 v. PN771 .M27 1991 REF
Masterplots II. Nonfiction Series. Ed. Frank N. Magill. 4 vols. 1989. PN44 .M345 1989 REF
Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism. 1982- PN761 .N5
Nineteenth and 20th century criticism of nineteenth century authors.
Pownall, David E. Articles on Twentieth Century Literature: An Annotated Bibliography, 1954-1970. 1973-1980. 7 vols. Z6519 .P66 REF
An expanded edition of "Cumulative Bibliography" from the journal Twentieth Century Literature, vols. 1-16, 1955-1970.
Survey of Contemporary Literature. Ed. Frank Northen Magill. Rev. ed. 12 vols. 1977. PN44 .M34 1977
Updated reprints of 2,300 essay-reviews from Masterplots Annuals, 1954-1976, and Survey of Contemporary Literature Supplement.
Twentieth Century Authors: A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature. Ed. Stanley J. Kunitz and Howard Haycraft. 1942. Supplement. 1955. PN771 .K86 REF
Twentieth Century Literary Criticism; Excerpts from Criticism of the Works of Novelists, Poets, Playwrights, Short Story Writers, and Other Creative Writers who Lived Between 1900-1960. 1978- PN771 .G27 REF
Complements Contemporary Literary Criticism.
World Authors. John Wakeman and Vineta Colby, eds. 1975-1996. 1900-1950. (4 vols.)
PN451 .W674 1996 REF. 1950-1970. PN451 .W3 REF. 1970-1975. PN451 .W67 1980 REF. 1975-1980. PN451 .W672 1985 REF. 1980-1985. PN451 .W672 1991 REF. 1985-1990. PN451 .W673 1995REF
A companion volume to Twentieth Century Authors.
D. Social Groups (not restricted by genre or nationality).Ancient Writers: Greece and Rome. Ed. T. James Luce. 2 vols. 1982. PA3002 .A5 1982 REF
Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism. 1988- PA3001 .C52 REF
Greek and Latin Authors, 800 B.C.-A.D. 1000. Ed. Michael Grant. 1980. PA31 .G7 REF
Gwinup, Thomas and Fidelia Dickinson. Greek and Roman Authors: A Checklist of Criticism. 2d ed. 1982. PA3001 .G85 1982
Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults. 8 v. 1989-94. PN1009.A1 B37 1989 REF
Black Literature Criticism: Excerpts from Criticism of the Most Significant Works of Black Authors over the Past 200 Years. 1992. 3 v. PS153 .N5 B556 1992 REF
Black Writers: A Selection of Sketches from Contemporary Authors. Ed. Linda Metzger. 1989. PS153 .N5 B57 1989 REF
Carruth, Gorton. The Young Reader's Companion. PN1008.5 .C373 1993 REF
Feminist Writers. Ed. Pamela Kester-Shelton. Detroit: St. James, 1996. PN451 .F45 1996
Gay & Lesbian Literature: Introduction to Gay Male Literature, Wayne R. Dynes; Introduction to Lesbian Literature, Barbara G. Grier. 2 v. 1994. PN56.H57 G36 1994 REF
Great Women Writers: The Lives and Works of 135 of the World=s Most Important Women Writers, from Antiquity to the Present. Ed. Frank N. Magill. New York: Holt, 1994. PN471 .G74 1994 REF
Hendrickson, Linnea. Children's Literature: A Guide to the Criticism. 1987. Z2014.5 .H46 1987 REF
Masterplots II: Women=s Literature Series. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1995. 6 v. PN471 .M37 1995 REF
Modern Black Writers. Supplement. 1995. PN841 .M58 1995 REF
Modern Women Writers. Comp. Lillian S. Robinson. New York: Continuum, 1996. 4 v. PN471 .M37 1995 REF
Schwartz, Narda Lacey. Articles on Women Writers, 1960-1975: A Bibliography. 1977. Z2013.5 .W6 S37 1977 REF. Vol. 2: 1976-1984. Z2013.5 .W6 S372 1986 REF
Shields, Nancy E. Index to Literary Criticism for Young Adults. PN1009 .A1 S54 1988 REF
Twentieth-Century Children's Writers. 3rd ed. Chicago: St. James, 1989. PN1009.A1 T9 1989 REF
Women writers in German-speaking countries : a bio-bibliographical critical sourcebook. Ed. Elke P. Frederiksen and Elizabeth G. Ametsbichler. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. PT 167 .W66 1998 REF.
Women Writers of Great Britain and Europe. Ed. Katharina M. Wilson, et al. New York: Garland, 1997. PN471 .W565 1997 REF
Writers for Children: Critical Studies of Major Authors Since the Seventeenth Century. Ed. Jane Bingham. 1988. PN1009 .A1 W73 1988
II. By Genre
A. Drama
Adelman, Irving and Rita Dworkin. Modern Drama: A Checklist of Critical Literature on 20th Century Plays. 1967. Z5781 .A35 STORAGE
Coleman, Arthur and Gary R. Tyler. Drama Criticism. 1966- Z1231 .D7 C6
Contents: Vol. 1. A checklist of interpretation since 1940 of English and American plays. Vol. 2. A checklist of interpretation since 1940 of classical and continental plays.
Contemporary Women Dramatists. 1994. PR736 .C58 1994 REF
Critical Survey of Drama: Foreign Language Series. 6 vols. + Suppl. 1986. PN1625 .C74 1986
Drama Criticism. Lawrence J. Trudeau, ed. 1991- PN1601 .D592 REF
Dramatic Criticism Index: A Bibliography of Commentaries on Playwrights from Ibsen to the Avant-garde. Paul Francis Breed and Florence M. Sniderman, eds. 1972. Z5781 .B8 REF
Major Modern Dramatists. 1984-1986. 2 vols. PN1861 .M27 1984 REF
Masterplots II. Drama Series. Ed. Frank N. Magill. 1990. 4 v. PN6112.5 .M37 1990 REF
B. Fiction
1. Novels
2. Short StoryBrower, Keith H. Contemporary Latin American Fiction: An Annotated Bibliography. 1989. PQ7082 .N7 B676 1989 REF
The Continental Novel: A Checklist of Criticism in English 1900-1966, by E.I. Kearney and L.S. Fitzgerld. 1968. Z5916 .K4 REF. A Checklist of Criticism in English, 1967-1980, by Louis S. Fitzgerald. 1983. Z5916 .F57 1983 REF.
Critical Survey of Long Fiction: Foreign Language Series. Frank N. Magill, ed. 1984. 5 vols. PN3451 C74 1984 REF
English Language Criticism on the Foreign Novel. Comp. Harriet Semmes Alexander. 1989. Z5916 .A39 1989 REF. Vol. 1: 1965-1975.
O'Pecko, Michael T. The Twentieth-Century German Novel: A Bibliography of English Language Criticism, 1945-1986. PT772 .O63 1989 REF
Twentieth-Century Crime and Mystery Writers. 3d ed. Ed. Lesley Henderson. 1991. PN3448 .D4 T9 1991 REF
3. Science Fiction and FantasyCritical Survey of Short Fiction. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Rev. ed. 7 vols. 1993. PN3321 .C7 1993 REF
Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Frank N. Magill. 6 vols. 1986. PN3326 .M27 1986 REF
Reference Guide to Short Fiction. 1994. PN3373 .R36 REF
Short Story Criticism. 1988- PN3373 .S386 REF
Twentieth-Century Short Story Explication: Interpretations of Short Fiction Since 1800. Warren S. Walter, comp. 3d ed. 1977-1980. Z5917 .S5 T9 1977 REF
Contents: Vol. 1. Interpretations 1900-1975. Supplement 1. Interpretations 1976-1979. Supplement 2. Interpretations 1979-1981. Supplement 3. Interpretations 1981-1984. Supplement 4. Interpretations 1984-1986. Supplement 5. Interpretations 1987-1988. Index. Z5917 S5 T915 1992 REF. New Series. Supplement 1. 1989-90. Z5917 S5 T92 1989/90 REF. Supplement 2. 1991-92. Z5917 .S5 T92 1991-92 REF. Supplement 3. 1993-94. Z5917 .S5 T92 1993-94 REF.
C. PoetryClareson, Thomas D. Science Fiction Criticism: An Annotated Checklist. 1972. Z5917 .S36 C55
Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of the Major Authors from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day. Ed. E. F. Bleiler. 1982. PS374 .S35 S36 REF
Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror. Ed. E. F. Bleiler. 2 vols. 1985. PN3435 .S96 1985
Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature. Ed. Frank N. Magill. 5 vols. 1983. PN56 .F34 S97 1983
Survey of Science Fiction Literature. Ed. Frank N. Magill. 1979. 5 vols. PN3448 .S45 S8
III. National LiteraturesColeman, Kathleen. Guide to French Poetry Explication. PQ401 .C65 1993 REF
Critical Survey of Poetry: Foreign Language Series. 5 vols. 1984. PN41 .C7 1984 REF
Masterplots II. Poetry series. Ed. Frank N.Magill. 1992. 6 v. PN44 .M346 1992 REF
Poetry Criticism. 1991- PS303 .P63 REF
IV. Students not finding what they need in these volumes, or those needing more comprehensive coverage of the subject, should refer to the following sources:African Writers. Ed. C. Brian Cox. New York: Scribner's, 1997. 2 vols. PL8010 .A453 1997 REF
. An Encyclopedia of Continental Women Writers. 1991. PN481 .E5 1991 REF
Encyclopedia of Latin American Literature. Ed. Verity Smith. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997. PQ7081 .A1 E53 1997 REF
European Authors, 1000-1900: A Biographical Dictionary of European Literature. Ed. Stanley J. Kunitz and Vineta Colby. 1967. PN451 .K8 REF
European Writers. Ed. William T. H. Jackson and George Stade. 14 vols. 1983-89. PN501 .E9 1983 REF
Hispanic Literature Criticism. 1994. 2 v. PQ7081 .A1 H57 REF
Italian Women Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Sourcebook. Ed. Rinaldina Russell. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1994. PQ4063 .I88 1994 REF
Langdon, Agnes Domandi. Modern German Literature. (Library of Literary Criticism). 1972. 2 vols. PT401 .D6
Latin American Writers. Ed. Carlos A. Sole. 3 vols. 1989. PQ7081 .A1 L37 1989 REF
Levi, Anthony. Guide to French literature. 1992-c1994. 2 v. PQ226 .L48 1992 REF
Modern French Literature. Ed. Debra Popkin and Michael Popkin. (Library of Literary Criticism). 1977. 2 vols. PQ306 .M57 REF
Modern Latin American Literature. Eds. David William Foster and Virginia Ramos Foster. (Library of Literary Criticism). 1975. 2 vols. PQ7081 .F63 1975
Modern Romance Literatures. Eds. Dorothy Nyren Curley and Arthur Curley. 1967. PN813 .C8
Modern Slavic Literature. Ed. Mihailovich, Vasa D. (Library of Literary Criticism). 1972-76. 2 vols. PG501 .M518
Contents: Vol. 1. Russian Literature. Vol. 2. Bulgarian, Czechoslovak, Polish, Ukranian, Yugoslav literatures.
Spanish American Women Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Source Book. Ed. Diane E. Marting. New York: Greenwood, 1990. PQ7081 .A1 S63 1990 REF
Spanish Women Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Source Book. Ed. Linda Gould Levine, et al. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1993. PQ6055 .S63 1993 REF
Foreign Language and Literature ResourcesEssay and General Literature Index. 1900- AI3 .E752 REF
Indexes essays in collections and anthologies, many of them literary.
Expanded Academic Index. Searchable on IAC (Searchbank)--on Library's home page "Online Databases"
Humanities Index. 1974- AI3 .I495 REF; also available for electronic searching on FirstSearch as "Humanities Abstracts"
Indexes articles in humanities journals, many of them on literary criticism.
MLA International Bibliography of Books and Articles on the Modern Languages and Literatures. 1921-1993. Z6519 .M53. Also available on Compact Disk for computer searching, 1981- .
The most comprehensive bibliography available listing articles in journals and collections of literary criticism
The Year's Work in Modern Language Studies. 1929- PB1 .Y45
Essay reviews of the publications of the year that critique non-English literatures.