Q. Where do I find literary criticism in the library?

What is Literary Criticism?

Literary criticism is a type of scholarly article that expresses an opinion on a literary work (plays, novels, short stories, essays and poetry). Often it will include analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of authors and their works.

Library Databases

You can search for literary criticism articles using the Onesearch (the main search box on the library homepage), or in the Literature databases linked below. You can also find these databases by going to the A-Z Database List and selecting "Literary Works" from the "Subjects" drop-down menu at the top of the list.

Search Tips

Use keywords in Onesearch or the linked databases to find literary criticism about the literature you are researching. Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT can help you to combine your keywords. Quotation marks are useful for key phrases like titles or author names.

Here are a few examples of searches you can use in any of the Literature databases:

Washington Irving AND artist
Washington Irving AND "Rip Van Winkle"
"Rip Van Winkle" AND (tradition OR progress)

Additional Resources

Many of our ENGL course readings have subject guides with recommended resources you can use to find copies of the play or novel, literary criticism, and author information. Search for Literary Works by title using our Library Guides search, or select the "Literary Works" dropdown to choose your title from the menu.