Using Gale Literature

Start with Gale Literature for introductory information on authors and literary texts. 

Start with Topic & Work Overviews, Reviews & News, and Primary Sources for Interviews to: 

• Learn about an author and their cultural, historical, and personal influences
• Gather ideas on important themes and stylistic elements of a literary work
• Get an overview of and introduction to critical approaches to a written text

Note that none of these are scholarly. You can return to find scholarly literary criticism later. 

• The image below shows a search for information about The Yellow Wallpaper by the author Charlotte Perkins Gilman. 

To Find a Topic and Work Overview

1. Type in author, title, and/or keyword. Note that it may work better to type the author's surname, then first name.

2. Limit to Topic & Work Overviews. 

3. Scroll through the results. Look for the topic & work overview that includes a critical summary and overviews of key themes, style, and historical & biographical contexts.

(click on images to enlarge)

Additional Reference Sources

Highlighted Series

The reference series American History through Literature offers particularly insightful background articles that contextualize literature, history, ideas, and authors.

The Literature of War deals with a topic that goes beyond the literary perspective to provide the historical, cultural and social context of works that focus on armed conflict throughout the world and time. It highlights the realities of war, its impact on society, and how it affects our understanding of it. Volume 1. Approaches -- Volume 2. Experiences -- Volume 3. Impacts.