Introduction to the Study and Criticism of Medieval and Early Modern French Literature
Introduction
Doing research in French literature can be an enjoyable task. Depending on your subject, you will find useful sources by using the tools described in the following general categories. If you have specific problems using these tools, the reference librarian on duty will be glad to assist you. Always feel free to call or e-mail Karl Fattig (x3027, kfattig@bowdoin.edu) for individual help. Also remember that Karl is available in person at the Reference Desk of Hawthorne-Longfellow Library on Thursday's from 7-10 pm.
The Online Catalog (OPAC)
Phebe, Bowdoin's online library catalog is the primary instrument for accessing the collections of the Bowdoin College libraries. The catalog contains electronic bibliographic records for books, video recordings, CD-ROMs, periodicals and sound recordings. For the government documents collection and manuscript and rare books housed in the Special Collections and Archives suite, specialized indexes must be consulted since the records for those collections are only partially represented in the OPAC.
In the OPAC, you may search for an item by: Author -- including editors, illustrators, translators, and corporate authors; Title -- including periodical titles, as well as series and alternative titles; Subject -- using the Library of Congress Subject Headings; Words in Title -- keyword searching of titles, contents and corporate authors; and additional specialized access points -- Call number, Government Document number, etc. You may Limit your search by such categories as Year of Publication, Material Type (for videorecordings or sound recordings, etc.) or Language.
Most research begins with a subject search. This function is both very powerful and very flexible in an online catalog. The best results are still obtained through use of standardized subject headings found in the Library of Congress Subject Headings books. For example, a subject search using the heading Women -- France reveals many items in our collection, while use of the phrase French women turns up none; the latter is not an "official" subject heading. And there is often inconsistency between specific subject headings in a broad subject. For example, French drama is a valid subject heading. Subject headings are also often subdivided into more specific categories, such as by place or by subtopic. Examples of useful subject headings:
French literature
French literature -- To 1500 -- History and criticism
French literature -- 16th century -- History and criticism
French literature -- 17th century -- History and criticism
French literature -- 18th century -- History and criticism
France -- Intellectual life
Marie, de France, 12th cent.
Moliere, 1622-1673 -- Criticism and interpretation
Voltaire, 1694-1778.
Women and literature -- France
Animals in literature
France -- History
France -- History -- Louis XVI, 1643-1715
Research Strategies
- When you find a relevant source, check the subject headings in the catalog record or any descriptors if the citation is from an index. You may discover other relevant subject headings to enter as search terms.
- Remember to try keyword searching. This search method often turns up different or additional material, especially when the search words are new terminology, jargon or older terms - or terms in French.
- Check for bibliography notes in records for relevant secondary sources and this will often lead you to listings of primary source materials, other secondary sources and authors prominent in the area which you are researching.
- Take time to browse the collection. It will be easier and more productive when you understand the way French literature is organized in the Library of Congress Classification system.
Electronic Indexes
- MLA International Bibliography
Library Gateway 1963-present
- Produced by the Modern Language Association of America, this bibliography consists of records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics and folklore and includes access to scholarly research in over 3,000 journals, relevant monographs, working papers, proceedings, bibliographies and other formats in a variety of languages
- ITER : Gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance
Library Gateway
- A bibliography of approximately 230,000 records indexed from the complete runs of more than 400 scholarly journal titles pertaining to the Middle Ages and Renaissance (400-1700). Also includes approximately 46,000 records encompassing monographs, material published in monographs, and collected essays pertaining to the Middle Ages and Renaissance (400-1700)
- Arts and Humanities Search
Library Gateway
- Arts and Humanities indexes the contents of scholarly periodicals and books in the arts and humanities, published from 1980 to the present. The scope is international.
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Print Indexes & Bibliographies
- Cabeen, David Clark, 1886-1965, editor
A critical bibliography of French literature. - [Syracuse, N.Y.] Syracuse University Press, 1947-.
Main Libr PQ103 .C74 1947 - Multi-volume set, with volumes based on the periods of French literature. Though a bit dated, each volume includes excellent annotated entries, written by emminent scholars in the field. For comprehensive coverage, use with MLA Bibliography, Klapp and the Year's Work.
- MLA international bibliography of books and articles on the modern languages and literatures. Print version.
- 1921/25-1962 (Annual)
New York: Modern Language Association
Per Index - The MLA International Bibliography, produced by the Modern Language Association of America, consists of bibliographic records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics and folklore and includes access to scholarly research in over 3,000 journals, relevant monographs, working papers, proceedings, bibliographies and other formats in a variety of languages.
- Klapp, Otto.
Bibliographie der französischen Literaturwissenschaft. - Frankfurt am Main : B. Klostermann, 1960-.
Main Libr Z2171 .K55 1960- - Indexes books, periodical articles, theses, etc. appearing since 1956. Chapter headings in German and French. Includes subject index.
- The Year's work in modern language studies.
- London : Modern Humanities Research Association, [etc.].
Main Libr PB1 .Y45 1929-30- - Bibliography in essay form, thus a useful evaluative tool-- not as comprehensive as Cabeen. Good for an overview of critical trends.
Dictionaries
- Littré, Emile, 1801-1881
Dictionnaire de la langue française. - Paris : Hachette, 1881-85.
Main Ref PC2625 .L6 1881 - Seven volumes. A useful dictionary for pre-twentieth century works. Lots of quotations, etymologies, usage histories. Updated by Robert.
- Robert, Paul, 1910-
Dictionnaire alphabetique et analogique de la langue française / Paul Robert - Paris : Le Robert, 1985.
Main Ref PC2625 .R55 1985 - 6 volumes. Updates Littré. Numerous literary references and examples, as well as a strong cross-reference structure
- Robert, Paul, 1910-
Le Petit Robert 2 : dictionnaire universel des noms propres alphabétique et analogique / Paul Robert - Paris : Le Robert, 1989.
Main Ref AG5 .P53 1989 - The second part of the popular abbreviated "Petit Robert" (as opposed to the "Grand Robert" above); this is actually a desk encyclopedia, containing proper names; entries include geographical, historical and biographical information. Similar in scope to the English Columbia Encyclopedia.
- Le dictionnaire universel / d'Antoine Furetière
Main Ref PC2620 .F86 1978 - A dictionarie of the French and English tongues / Randle Cotgrave
Main Ref PC2640.A2 C7 1611a - Dictionnaire de la langue française du seizième siècle / Edmond Huguet
Main Ref PC2650 .H7 - Dictionnaire du français classique (Larousse)
Main Ref PC2650 .D83 1988 - Dictionnaires d'autrefois
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/efts/ARTFL/projects/dicos/ - Specialized dictionaries such as the Huguet, Furetière and Cotgrave are useful to provide modern readers with help understanding older words and connotations. Such dictionaries often include many quotations from contemporary texts. The ARTFL collection searche several older lexicons simultaneously.
Other Reference Works
- Encyclopedia Universalis.
- Paris : Encyclopaedia universalis France, c1994
Main Ref AE25 .E3 1994 - A general encyclopedia, organized very much like the English Encyclopedia Britannica. The Thésaurus-Index provides brief articles and references to longer treatments in the main volumes. Illustrations are mostly black and white.
- Chevalier, Jean, 1906-
A dictionary of symbols - Oxford : Blackwells, 1994
Main Ref GR931 .C4413 1994 - An excellent symbology dictionary. Entries are lengthy and the discussion drawn from a wide range of disciplines including history, religion, anthropology, mythology, and more. .
- France, Peter, 1935-
The New Oxford companion to literature in French - Oxford [England] : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1995.
Main Ref PQ41 .N48 1995 - Comprehensive coverage of the traditional canon, expanded to include entries on popular topics, folk-tales, songs, etc. Includes essays on literary movements, genres, etc.
- Lanson, Gustave, 1857-1934.
Manuel bibliographique de la litterature française moderne XVIe, XVIIe, XVIIIe, et XIXe siecles. - Paris: Hachette, 1921.
Main Ref Z2171 .L22 1921 - One of the more important handbooks, written by an important literary historian. Lanson covers the period from 1500-1900.
- Adam, Antoine, Lerminier, Georges and Edouard Morot-Sir.
Litterature française ... - Paris: Larousse, 1967-68.
Main Libr folio PQ101 .A3 - A standard history of French literature, illustrated, with bibliographical notes and index, in 2 volumes.
- Lagarde, André and Michard, Laurent, editors.
Collection littéraire Lagarde et Michard. - Paris : Bordas, c1985.
Main Libr PQ1109 .L3 1985 - Generally cited as "Lagarde et Michard," this work is a useful synthesis of literary history, critical analysis and bibliography. It is often used by French students to prepare for exams.
- Kelly, Douglas.
Chrétien de Troyes: an analytic bibliography. - London: Grant and Cutler, 1976.
Main Libr Z8169.1 .K44 - An example of an bibliography focused on an individual author. Often works such as this will help you narrow your topic, by giving a more critical evaluation of what has been written about your author's work.
- Holmes, Urban Tigner, 1900-1972.
Chrétien de Troyes. - New York: Twayne Publishers, [1970].
Main Libr PQ1448 .H74 - Part of Twayne's world authors series, this monograph is what is frequently called a "Life and Works", a cross between a full-fledged biography and a critical analysis of the works of an author.
- Sartori, Eva and Zimmerman, Dorothy Wynne, 1925-
French women writers : a bio-bibliographical source book. - New York: Greenwood Press, 1991.
Main Ref PQ149 .F73 1991 - Often specialized monographic bibliographies offer a unique perspective lacking in many chronological works. This excellent reference tool includes bio-bibliographical essays on various French women writers.
Full-Text resources (Ejournals)
Yale French Studies
Connect via JSTOR- Speculum
Connect via JSTOR - MLN: Modern Language Notes
1962-1994: Connect via JSTOR
1995-: Connect via Project Muse - Add Romanic Review... JSTOR
French Forum
2001-: Connect via Project Muse- French Historical Studies
1999-: Connect via Project Muse - The above titles offer access to full-text articles in French on historical and literary subjects. Even though some of the titles are in English, articles may be in French.
Citation guides (notes and bibliographies)
- Gibaldi, Joseph, 1942-
MLA style manual and guide to scholarly publishing. 2nd ed. - New York : Modern Language Association of America, 1998.
Main Libr Reserve 130 c.2 - The MLA style manual is the standard for citation (notes and bibliography) for the humanities. The latest print version is on reserve at H-L. There is an unaffiliated online version that is based on the MLA manual
- Walker, Janice R. and Todd Taylor.
Columbia Guide to Online Style. - New York : Columbia UP, 1998.
Available online - The CGOS includes guidelines for citing electronic resource (including www pages, e-publications, databases) for both the MLA style (humanities) and the Chicago style (social sciences).
