French 209: Introduction to the Study and Criticism of Medieval and Early Modern French Literature
Introduction
The purpose of this guide is to identify library resources that will help you with your assignments in this class. 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 me (x3027, kfattig@bowdoin.edu) for individual assistance. I am also available online via chat services such as AIM (screen name: cherlubin) and ICQ (151164662). Feel free to IM me.
Research Strategies
- Plan your research. Remember you'll need time not only to FIND sources, but to read them and decide if/how to use them.
- 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 our Library.
Finding Books
The Bowdoin College Library Catalog, is the first stop for finding books in Bowdoin's collections. The catalog also includes videos and DVD's, and music CD's, among other types of material.
The most important searches in the catalog are: Author -- includes editors, illustrators, translators; Title-- not titles of articles or poems, but titles of novels, plays, poetry collections; Subject -- using the Library of Congress Subject Headings; and Word -- keyword searching for when your other searches don't find what you're looking for. Remember that you may Limit your search by Year of Publication, Material Type (for videos or cd's, etc.) or Language.
Most research begins with a subject search. You'll get the best results by using the standardized subject headings found in the Library of Congress Subject Headings books. For example, a subject search for Women -- France finds many items, while the phrase French women turns up none; the latter is not an "official" subject heading. And these official subject headings aren't always consistent. For example, French drama is is correct.
Still, subject searches are extremely useful because these subject headings are 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
To find books that are not held at Bowdoin, search NExpress and MaineCat (you can do this from within a failed search in the library catalog) - you may then request materials using your name and campus ID. Still not finding the book you're looking for? Search WorldCat, and use "Check Availability @ Bowdoin" to fill out an ILL form. Another option is to search Google Books.
Finding Articles in Journals
1. Online Databases
- 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
- 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.
- WorldCat
Library Gateway
- WorldCat is a combined catalog of all of the libraries in the United States and Canada. If you don't find what you need at Bowdoin or in NExpress, check here. Includes all formats, including some web-based resources.
2. Full-Text resources (Ejournals)
The following titles offer access to full-text articles in French on historical, cultural and literary subjects. Even though some of the titles are in English, articles may be in French.
- Early Music
- French Historical Studies
- Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies
- Modern Language Notes (archive)
- MLN: Modern Language Notes (current)
Renaissance Quarterly - 1948-1966, 1967-present- Studies in the Renaissance
3. 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
- Robert, Paul, 1910-
Dictionnaire alphabetique et analogique de la langue française / Paul Robert - Main Ref PC2625 .R55 1985
- 6 volumes. Comparable to Oxford English Dictionary, in some ways. Numerous literary references and examples, as well as a strong cross-reference structure
- 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 searches 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.
- Buregess, Glyn S.
Marie de France : an analytical bibliography. - London. : Grant and Cutler, 1977-1986.
Main Ref Z8550.314 .B87 - 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.
- 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.
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. The Library maintains an online guide to style manuals including a section for humanities researchers.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Writers' Workshop - MLA.
- New York : Columbia UP, 1998.
Available online- The Writers' Workshop of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign has compiled a useful summary of the citations section of the MLA Style manual.
Web Resources
- Gallica, bibliothèque numérique de la Bibliothèque nationale de France
- http://gallica.bnf.fr/
- The Digital Library of the French National Library. Search broadly. Includes images, full-text, etc.
- H-France
- http://www.h-france.net/
- The web presence of the Society for French Historical Studies. Scholarly discussion of French historical matters.
- SIEFAR
- http://www.siefar.org/
- The web presence of the Société Internationale pour l'Étude des Femmes de l'Ancien Régime . Numerous links to online resources for those interested in early modern women's studies in French and English.
- ABU - La bibliothèque universelle
- published by the Association des Bibliophiles Universels
http://abu.cnam.fr/- Compiled by the French equivalent of Project Gutenberg; not a large database, and the quality is variable, still useful.
This page created and maintained by Karl Fattig. Last update: September 3, 2008.
