Skip to Main Content
Michigan State University

Medieval West - Reference Sources: Guides to the Literature - Language and Literature

This is a guide to reference sources on the medieval West: guides to the literature, periodical indexes, encyclopedias/dictionaries, atlases/maps, biography, book length bibliographies. Last updated 06-13-2023

Guides to the Literature - Language and Literature

Booher and Gunn, Literary Research and the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Eras, Strategies and Sources  Main PR 166 .B64 2020

Guide to scholarly research in medieval English lit. from 450-1500.  Explores primary and secondary sources.  Format is bibliographical essay chapters with citations for the sources at the end of the chapter.  Has chapters on the following:  General literary research guides.  Library catalogs.  Print and online bibliographies, indexes, annual reviews.  Scholarly journals and monograph series.  Manuscripts. Genres.  Dictionaries, lexicons, thesauri, etymologies, paleographies, and text mining tools.  Online resources. Has an appendix of additional reference materials in art, history, music, philosophy, religion, science, social science and theater.  Authors are librarians with advanced degrees in Biblical studies and philosophy.

Harner, Literary Research Guide, an Annotated Listing of Reference Sources in English Literary Studies.  Main Z 2011 .H34 2008.   Within the chapter on English literature there are sections for Old English literature and Middle English literature. These include references to works on history, short reference works, bibliographies, guides to primary works, guides to criticism, works on the two languages, works on manuscripts, and works on the genres poetry, prose, drama and theater. A very detailed book, with many suggestions for updates and alternatives to literary reference works listed in this research guide.

Bracken, Reference Works in British and American Literature, Main PR 83 .B74 1998. Alphabetical by author, provides annotated citations to bibliographies on the author, dictionaries, handbooks, and encyclopedias on the author, indexes and concordances, and journals and yearbooks, to the extent that these exist.

Reference Guide to English Literature, Main PR 106 f.S7 1991 v. 1-3. Essay on English literature to 1558. Then arrangement is similar to Bracken, above. Alphabetical by author. Entries have biographical sketches, list of works by the author, bibliography of additional readings on the authors, and a 300-1500 word critical essay on the author's work. V. 3 has individual essays on 600 of the most important English literary works, by title.

Marcuse, A Reference Guide for English Studies, Main PR 56 f.M37 1990. See the chapter on medieval literature beginning on p. 307.

DeMiller, Linguistics, a Guide to the Reference Literature, Main P 121 .D45 2000. See part 3, Languages, Indo-European, English, pp. 250-267, Classical, pp. 268-269, Romance, pp. 269-285, and Celtic, pp. 286-287.

Levi, Guide to French Literature, Beginnings to 1789, Main PQ 41 f.L48 1994. Arranged by author. Entries provide a biography and discussion of the author's works, concluding with a list of publications, and bibliography on the author. Also some entries for topics.

Bassan, Spinelli, Sullivan, French Language and Literature, an Annotated Bibliography, Main PC 2171 .B3 1989. See especially chapters 14 and 15 on medieval and 16th-century literature, pp. 149-209.

Osburn, Research and Reference Guide to French Studies, Main Z 2175 .A2 O8 1981. See section on medieval period, pp. 48-75. Bibliographic guide, regional studies, language, poetry, romance theater, miscellaneous genres, influences and sources, background, individuals and works.

Beugnot, Manuel Bibliographique des Etudes Litteraires, les Bases de l'Histoire Litteraire, les Voies Nouvelles d'Analyse Critique, Main, Z 6511 .B48 1982.

Ijsewign, Companion to Neo-Latin Studies, Main, PA 8020 .I37 1990 pt. 1-2. Survey and bibliography of Latin-language works written 1300-1900. Country by country history of Neo-Latin literature. Chapters conclude with selective list of bibliographies, general works, cultural and literary histories, studies of genres, anthologies, journals. Indexed by person, place, literary subjects, other subjects, manuscripts.

Medieval Latin, an Introduction and Bibliographical Guide, Main, PA 2802 .M43 1996

Catalogs of English Medieval Manuscripts in the M.S.U. Libraries

This is an unannotated guide to catalogs of English medieval manuscripts in the M.S.U. Libraries' collections; it covers general catalogs, catalogs of mss in individuals' libraries, those in the British Library/Museum, those in English religious institutions, in the University of Aberdeen, Cambridge University, University of London, University of Manchester, Oxford University, Yale University, and in law libraries, private libraries, other national libraries, and government publications.