Need to quick look up a literary period, theme, symbol, or term? Try using the following sources for help!
2010 Encyclopaedia Britannica Set by 
A Dictionary of Literary Symbols by 
Dictionary of Literary Terms by 
Henry James: Literary Criticism Vol. 1 (LOA #22) by 
The Oxford Companion to English Literature by 
The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics by 
Twentieth-Century Poetry in English by Reference works -- like encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries -- provide great overviews and background information.
In short, reference works are a great way to begin your research.
Need to look up a name, place, term, or event? The sources below contain many different kinds of encyclopedias and dictionaries and are excellent starting points.
Consists of a collection of core reference materials across numerous subject areas published by Oxford University Press.
Consists of a large collection of reference materials across numerous subject areas.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words— past and present—from across the English-speaking world.
Need to find the earliest references to a word or phrase like "cockleburr"? Need to understand how a word was defined in a particular time period? Then these sources are for you!
The OED is the guide to the meaning, history, pronunciation, and variant spellings of words, both present, and past.
Widely viewed as the American equivalent of the Oxford English Dictionary, DARE represents the full panoply of American regional vocabulary—from Adam’s housecat to Zydeco.
Contains biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the 21st century.
Contains biographies on national and international authors (past and present), including poets, essayists, journalists, and dramatists. Includes the popular series Dictionary of Literary Biography.
Contains biographies on contemporary and international authors, including poets, playwrights, dramatists, and journalists.
Contains biographies on thousands of prominent American men and women, including authors.
Need some context? These are detailed guides to authors, composers, philosophers, genres, various literatures, and other fields of study, providing context and analysis for a thorough introduction.
Contains many introductory essays on major writers, artists, topics, and periods.
Contains introductory essays on world history, plus histories of cultural fields like literature, music and theatre, and even science.
Contains in-depth, topical introductions and reviews of the key issues and major scholarly debates across many different subject areas.
Still trying to wrap your head around a literary theory or theorist? Then this source is for you!
Contains contextual info on critics and theorists, critical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods.
Under our Encyclopædia Britannica (EB) and Merriam-Webster imprimaturs, we provide people all over the world — students, teachers, researchers, and casual learners — with reliable, lively, and relevant school curricula, and trustworthy information on subjects ranging from language and science, history and the arts, and much more.