LibGuides: French Studies: French Literature

The Library holds a combination of English-language commentary about French literature, English translations of French literature, and French-language materials. You are welcome to search the online catalog or Summon for books of interest (see the Finding Books page of this guide). Or, you may wish to browse the following sections:

French literature - PQ1 - 3999

History and criticism - PQ1 - 771
Collections - PQ1100 - 1297
Modern literature - PQ1600 - 2726
- 1961 - 2000 - PQ2660 - 2686
- 2001 onward - PQ2700 - 2726

See below for a short list of database suggestions containing literary criticism and other relevant articles.

We are happy to consider purchase requests from UMSL affiliates for French-language materials! If you would like to suggest a book, please contact the arts & humanities librarian.

Databases

Project MUSE This link opens in a new window
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Project MUSE's Standard Collection provides full-text access to scholarly journal titles, primarily in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

You can look for material in two ways: "Search" to find a particular topic. By default only available content is shown. "Browse" to peruse all book and journal titles and tables of contents abstracted in MUSE. You can also uncheck the option "Only content I have full access to" when viewing your results to find abstracts of additional material.
If an item is not available through Project MUSE, it may be available in other UMSL collections or through Interlibrary Loan. Click the "Find Full-Text" link to check if the Libraries own a journal full text through another source (online or print). If the item is a book, check the UMSL Library Catalog under the book title or book author.
Literature Criticism Online This link opens in a new window
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Literary Criticism Online is an extensive compilation of scholarly and popular commentary drawn from an extensive collection of broadsheets, pamphlets, encyclopedias, books and periodicals. UMSL has access to the following sections: Contemporary Literary Criticism - [Volume 1 (1973) - present], Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism [Volume 1 (1981) - 259 (2012)] , andTwentieth-Century Literary Criticism - [Volume 1 (1978) - present].
Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online This link opens in a new window
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Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online provides more than 16,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres. DLB Complete Online includes the DLB main series, the DLB Documentary Series, and the DLB Yearbook Series. UMSL owns volumes 1 (1978) - 362 (2011). Gale's new interface offers improved navigation and searching options. Training videos are available.
MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
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Indexes critical materials on modern language, literature, linguistics, and folklore. Covers over 3,000 journals and series, books, working papers and proceedings, and bibliographies.

A related database is the MLA Directory of Periodicals which lists advertising, submission and contact information for over 3,700 journals (but does NOT index the contents of these journals).
Europeana Collections This link opens in a new window
Europeana Collections provides access to over 50 million digitized items – books, music, artworks and more – with sophisticated search and filter tools to help you find what you’re looking for. Also included are thematic collections on art, fashion, music, natural history, photography and World War I with related galleries, blogs and exhibitions.

French Studies

Suggested search terms

By Century

French Literature: a Very Short Introduction

The Cambridge Companion to French Literature

A History of Modern French Literature

The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French

French Global: A New Approach to Literary History

French Literature on Screen

The Cambridge Introduction to Francophone Literature

French Literature: A Cultural History

The Cambridge Companion to the French Novel: From 1800 to the Present

Databases