Literature
With the development of language, the human imagination has found a way to create and communicate through the written word. A literary work can transport us into a fictional, fantastic new world, describe a fleeting feeling, or simply give us a picture of the past through novels, poems, tragedies, epic works, and other genres. Through literature, communication becomes an art, and it can bridge and bond people and cultures of different languages and backgrounds.
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Featured content, August 09, 2024
How did Albert Camus die?
How did Albert Camus die?
Where Does the Concept of a “Grim Reaper” Come From?
Harvester of souls since when?
11 Banned Books Through Time
Some books have been banned for reasons that may surprise you.
8 Influential Abolitionist Texts
Essays and letters that helped break fetters.
children’s literature
Children’s literature, the body of written works and accompanying illustrations produced in order to entertain or instruct...
popular art
Popular art, any dance, literature, music, theatre, or other art form intended to be received and appreciated by ordinary...
literary criticism
Literary criticism, the reasoned consideration of literary works and issues. It applies, as a term, to any argumentation...
author
Author, one who is the source of some form of intellectual or creative work; especially, one who composes a book, article,...
Literature Quizzes
Poets and Poetry (Part Two) Quiz
Do you know which ancient Roman poet wrote Metamorphoses? Who wrote poetry to a woman named Laura? Test the outer...
Japanese Literature: A Pop Quiz
Here’s an extremely short quiz about the long history of Japanese literature. (Hint: It’s mostly about renga.) How...
Literary Terms (Part Three) Quiz
Do you know what figure of speech relies on the words like or as to compare two things? If you do, take...
Another Russian Literature Quiz
Who wrote Dead Souls? Which character is the protagonist in Crime and Punishment? Test what you know about...
Chinese Literature Quiz
How much do you know about the history of Chinese literature? Find out with this quiz.
Ancient Greek Literature Quiz
How well do you know Old Comedy? Who wrote Oedipus the King? Figure out what you know about ancient Greek literature...
Poets of America Quiz
Poetry derived from European traditions dates to the early 17th century in the Americas. How much of that history do you...
Literary Terms and More Quiz
This quiz will test your knowledge of literary terms—and a few other stray facts about writers whose work gave rise to literary...
Quick Quiz: American Playwrights
You need to know three American playwrights and their work to ace this very short quiz. How quickly can you bring the curtain...
Shakespeare and His Plays Quiz
“If quizzes be the food of knowledge, play on...” is something Shakespeare didn’t write. But maybe he should have. If you...
Literature Videos
Literature Subcategories
Folk Literature & Fable
Step into the world of folklore, fables, legends, tall tales, and epics, in which heroes are known to undertake arduous journeys and dragons, fairies, and giants abound. Stories such as these circulated long before systems of writing were developed; ballads, folktales, poems, and the like were transmitted exclusively by word of mouth before written languages took over, and they continue to captivate listeners and readers to this day.
Articles
Fictional Characters
Here you'll find some of your favorite fictional characters from literature, film, television, and the like, whether it's the analytical mastermind Sherlock Holmes and his endearing associate Dr. Watson or the menacing and helmeted Darth Vader, the ill-tempered Donald Duck, or the teenage sleuth Nancy Drew.
Articles
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Robin
fictional character
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Hercule Poirot
fictional character
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Iron Man
fictional character
Journalism
Extra, extra! Although the content and style of journalism and the medium through which it is delivered have varied significantly over the years, journalism has always given us a way to keep up with current events, so that we always have our fingers on the pulse.
Articles
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Hunter S. Thompson
American journalist
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Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
Swedish journalists and authors
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Dorothy Thompson
American journalist and writer
Libraries & Reference Works
Looking to impress your friends with your expansive knowledge of historical events, philosophical concepts, obscure words, and more? We may be biased, but it seems fair enough to say that reference works such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and textbooks have provided such a service for years (in some cases, hundreds or even thousands of years). You can look for them at your local public library, which likely stores books, manuscripts, journals, CDs, movies, and other sources of information and entertainment.
Articles
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Library of Congress
library, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
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Avicenna
Persian philosopher and scientist
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almanac
book
Literatures of the World
Literature knows no geographical bounds; authors can be found in nearly all corners of the globe. Find out more about regional literary styles and forms.
Articles
Literary Criticism
Everyone's a critic. But not all literary criticism involves judging the quality of a text; it can also focus on interpreting the meaning of a work or evaluating an author's place in literary history.
Articles
- literary criticism
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Samuel Johnson
English author
- textual criticism
Literary Terms
Want to be able to distinguish your limericks from your haikus and your paeans from your panegyrics? Dive deep into literary terms and forms.
Articles
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epic
literary genre
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epistolary novel
literature
- literature
Nonfiction
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! Or that's the idea, at least. Nonfiction works center on facts and real events. Although there is some debate about which kinds of literature qualify as nonfiction, the genre typically includes books in the categories of biography, memoir, science, history, self-help, cooking, health and fitness, business, and more.
Articles
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Federalist papers
American political essays
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epitaph
poetic form
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slave narrative
American literature
Novels & Short Stories
novels and short stories have been enchanting and transporting readers for a great many years. There's a little something for everyone: within these two genres of literature, a wealth of types and styles can be found, including historical, epistolary, romantic, Gothic, and realist works, along with many more.
Articles
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame
novel by Hugo
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A Farewell to Arms
novel by Hemingway
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Emma
novel by Austen
Oratory
speech and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, quoted above, are two iconic examples of successful oratory, as are Elizabeth I's speech to the troops at Tilbury and Winston Churchill's first speech as prime minister to the House of Commons.
Articles
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Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
French politician and orator
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Daniel Webster
American politician
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Cicero
Roman statesman, scholar, and writer
Plays
; and the stage is where you'll find performances of works by such famed playwrights as Anton Chekhov, Eugene O'Neill, and the Bard himself, among many others.
Articles
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Henry IV, Part 1
work by Shakespeare
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Pygmalion
play by Shaw
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A Raisin in the Sun
play by Hansberry
Poetry
; sonnets, haikus, nursery rhymes, epics, and more are included.
Articles
- utopian poetry
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metre
prosody
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sonnet
poetic form