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Literary Analysis Resources

When searching SCOUT for Literary Criticism or Literary Analysis, remember that one of the ways that critical works are classified and sorted is by author's name, dates of birth and death (sometimes!), and the subheading -- Criticism and Interpretation. Here are some examples:

Austen, Jane, 1775-1817 -- Criticism and interpretation
Homer -- Criticism and interpretation
McEwan, Ian -- Criticism and interpretation
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation

In class we used subject headings to facilitate our research. Why should you care about subject headings?
Subject headings are important because you can use them to find similar information more efficiently. Since they are the way a database or catalog defines a topic, searching by subject can be a more precise way to find the information you are looking for. Also in many search tools subject headings are displayed as links so you can click on them and get more books or articles on that specific topic.

When searching for literary analysis or literary criticism about The Iliad, try these subject headings in SCOUT:

Homer Iliad
Homer -- Technique
Epic poetry, Greek -- History and criticism
Trojan War -- Literature and the war

Below is a list of electronic resources from the USMA catalog (and other sources) you may find helpful for your research. This list is by no means comprehensive. The USMA Library also has print resources which you are more than welcome to use.

Homer's Illiad. : Prolegomena : The Basel commentary
Becoming Achilles : child-sacrifice, war, and misrule in the Iliad and beyond
Homer in performance : rhapsodes, narrators, and characters
The Cambridge companion to Homer 2004
The death and afterlife of Achilles
Ransom, revenge, and heroic identity in the Iliad
Homer, a guide for the perplexed
Sources of Persuasion in the Iliad
Authoring war : the literary representation of war from the Iliad to Iraq
The Iliad : structure, myth, and meaning
ESSAYS ON HOMER'S ILIAD
Series of critical essays over the Iliad written by Ian Johnston from Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, BC (now Vancouver Island University).

Henry IV, Part I

When searching for literary analysis or literary criticism about Henry IV, Part 1 try these subject headings in SCOUT:

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 King Henry IV Part 1

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616–Characters

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 — Political and social views

Shakespeare: the Basics by Sean Mcevoy
ISBN: 9780415682800
Publication Date: 2012-05-16
Now in its third edition Shakespeare: The Basics is an insightful and informative introduction to the work of William Shakespeare. Exploring all aspects of Shakespeare's plays including the language, cultural contexts, and modern interpretations, this text looks at how a range of plays from across the genres have been understood. Updates in this edition include: Ecocritical, queer, presentist and gendered discussions of Shakespeare's work Studies of new performances including Tennant and Tate's Much Ado About Nothing Critical discussions of race and politics in Othello and King Lear Case studies of modern film versions of Shakespeare's works A chronology of Shakespeare's work and contemporary events With fully updated further reading throughout and a wide range of case studies and examples, this text is essential reading for all those studying Shakespeare's work.

Shakespeare Quarterly
Founded in 1950 by the Shakespeare Association of America, Shakespeare Quarterly is a refereed journal committed to publishing articles in the vanguard of Shakespeare studies.
JSTOR Understanding Series: King Henry IV, Part 1
The JSTOR Understanding Series has all of Shakespeare (including his sonnets), but also includes other collections of original works, and it's all presented in a new mobile-friendly design.