Yale University Library Yale University Library Subject Guides - French Language and Literature

General Literary Encyclopedias

Cassell's Encyclopedia of World Literature. Rev. ed. 3 vols. London: Cassell, 1973.

SML Reference PN41 C37 1973

Volume 1 supplies information on literary movements, problems, genres, motifs and terminology and panoramic articles on various national literatures, including French. Volumes 2 and 3 constitute a dictionary of concise biographies of world authors interspersed with entries on selected anonymous classics (e.g. Aucassin et Nicolette). Most articles are signed and include bibliographies.

Dictionaire des Oeuvres de Tous les Temps et de Tous les Pays: Littérature, Philosophie, Musique, Sciences. 5 vols. Paris: S.E.D.E., 1952-68.

SML Reference AE25 +D53 (LC)

New edition (1994): AE25 D53 (LC) 1994.

An abbreviated and somewhat homlier French version of number 101 below, which omits its sections on intellectual movements and literary characters (but see no. 100 below). Covers oeuvres of all times and places in the fields listed in the subtitle. The works are entered alphabetically by the French forms of their titles. Volume 5, a Dictionnaire des Oeuvres Contemporaines, (SML Reference AE25 +D53A), covers works of authors who died after 1955 and of living authors born before 1910.

Dictionnaire des Personnages Littéraires et Dramatiques de Tous les Temps et de Tous les Pays: Poésie, Théâtre, Roman, Musique. Paris: S.E.D.E., 1960.

SML Reference PN41 D53

New edition (1994): PN41 N688 1994 (LC)

A companion volume to no. 99 above, to which it is connected by numerous cross-references.

Dizionario Lettarario Bompiani delle Opere e Dei Personaggi di Tutti i Tempi e di Tutte le Letterature. 9 vols. Milan: V. Bompiani, 1947-57.

SML Reference PN41 D59

New edition (1983-84): AE25 D49 1983 (LC)

A massive and gorgeously illustrated dictionary of the world's literary works and of selected masterpieces in the sister arts, (painting, music, philosophy, etc.). Entries are alphabetized by the Italian forms of their titles with the original title given in brackets (e.g. Rosso e il Nero [Le Rouge et le Noire]). Volume 1 begins with general articles on major intellectual movements such as Esistenzialismo, Simbolismo, Dadaismo. Volume 8 Personaggi) is a dictionary of literary characters. Volume 9 (Indici) includes chronological tables, an author index, an index of titles in their original languages, and an index of illustrations. A two-volume Appendice published in 1964-66 updates the original set.

Kindlers Literatur Lexikon. 7 vols. Zurich: Kindler Verlag, 1965-72.

SML Reference PN41 K55

An illustrated encyclopedia of literary works of all times and places, arranged alphabetically by their original titles. Entries summarize the genesis, content and significance of each work and provide basic bibliography. Volume 7 contains surveys by specialists of an impressive assortment of national literatures. Includes indexes of authors, anonymous titles, short and variant titles, and titles in German translation.

Comments (0)

Encyclopedias of French Literature

Beaumarchais, Jean-Pierre de. Dictionnaire des littératures de langue française. [Nouv. éd. mise à jour et enrichié]. Paris: Bordas, c1994. 4 v. (xv, 2875 p.) : ill. (some col.) ; 31 cm.
SML Reference PQ41 +B4 1994

A comprehensive work, covering: French literature from medieval to contemporary times, with signed entries on authors, terms and themes, titles for anonymous works and literary reviews; other national literatures; and French literatures outside of France. Entries for major authors are very full, providing discussion of a writer's life and works, chronological tables, synopses and critiques of important works, and bibliographies of primary and secondary works. Numerous illustrations; v. 4 contains an index of works, a chronological table of literary terms, and lists of literary prizes and winners. [Balay BE1149]

Complemented by:

Beaumarchais, Jean-Pierre de. Dictionnaire des oeuvres littéraires de langue française. Paris: Bordas, c1994. 4 v. : ill. (some col.) ; 31 cm.
SML Reference PQ41 +B44 1994

More than 100 specialists contributed to the "works" volumes, covering ca. 3,700 French-language literary works from all centuries. Entries include bibliographic information, plot summary and analysis. Unfortunately, there are no references to the secondary literature. The alphabetical arrangement by is by title, supplemented by an author index. The selection of titles corresponds to the canon. Authors such as Racine and Stendhal are covered comprehensively. About 80 articles are devoted to the works of Balzac. Lesser known authors are represented by their "most original" or "characteristic" works. Marginal works are not excluded. The analyses can be quite detailed and varied. [IFBA/RRE]

Chatenoud-Guillon, Marie France. "Dictionnaire des auteurs de langue française des années 1930 aux années 1980." in no.93a above, v. 2, pp. 701-1209.

The most recent dictionary of 20th-century authors writing in French.

Dictionnaire des Lettres Françaises. 5 vols. in 7. Paris: A. Fayard, 1951-72.

SML Reference PQ41 +D53

Signed, scholarly articles on persons, genres, titles, movements, motifs, institutions, and general topics germane to French literary history. Separate volumes are devoted to each major era of French literature through the nineteenth century. Each volume begins with a survey-article on the period covered and a general bibliography, and many of the articles include bibliographies.

Being revised:

Dictionnaire des Lettres Françaises. [Ed. entièrement rev. et mise à jour / sous la direction de Geneviève Hasenohr et Michel Zink. Paris]: Fayard, [1994- . [1] Le Moyen Age -- [3] Le XVIIe siècle -- [4] Le XVIIIe siècle
SML Reference PQ41 D53;1994

Dolbow, Sandra W. Dictionary of modern French literature: from the age of reason through realism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1986.
SML Reference PQ41 D65 1986
Aims to provide an "introduction to the major writers, works, and literary movements that flourished during the 180 years from the dawn of 18th-century French literature through the age of realism, as well as a starting point for further research." --Pref. 1880 is the cutoff date. 300 entries, some quite extensive; short bibliographies conclude each entry, with quite current books and articles cited; cross-references. Appendices give a chronological list in parallel columns of history and literature, and a list of entries by subject matter or chronological period. General index. [Balay BE1155]

Dizionario Critico della Letteratura Francese. 2 vols. Turin: Unione Tipografico-Editirice Torinese, 1972.
SML Reference PQ41 D59
A dictionary of substantial, signed articles by specialists on a wide range of names and topics from all periods of French literature. Entries include useful, and sometimes extensive bibliographies.

French women writers: a bio-bibliographical source book. edited by Eva Martin Sartori and Dorothy Wynne Zimmerman. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991.
SML Reference PQ149 F82 1991
A dictionary with chapters by contributing scholars covering 51 "of the most important women writers in the history of French literature" (Pref.), with an additional chapter on the "trobairitz," women troubadors of the 12th and 13th centuries. For each author includes a section on biography, with an emphasis on her experience as a writer, a discussion of major themes, a survey of criticism, and a bibliography of primary and secondary works. In the case of prolific authors the bibliographies may be selective, with references to the other published bibliographies available. Focuses on belles lettres. Two appendixes: "Situating women writers in French history: a chronology," and a list of authors by birthdate. List of contributors with brief biographical information. Title and subject indexes. [Balay BE1157]

Harvey, Sir Paul. The Oxford Companion to French Literature. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1959.

SML Reference PQ41 H37
An alphabetical array of brief, informative articles on French authors, thinkers, and fictional characters from the middle ages through 1939, and on events, figures, and places of importance to the literary history of those centuries. Includes some longer survey articles on major eras and movements.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of French Literature. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1976.
SML Reference PQ41 C6
An abridged, revised, and updated version of Harvey.

The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French. / edited by Peter France. Oxford; New York : Clarendon Press, 1995.
SML Reference PQ41 F73 1995 & CCL Reference PQ41 F73 1995

Levi, Anthony. Guide to French literature. Chicago: St. James Press, c1992-94.
SML Reference PQ41 +L48 1992
Contents: v.1, Beginnings to 1789; v. 2, 1789 to the present. A substantial and impressive work essential for any library supporting French literature. Entries, often length, are devoted to individuals and literary movements. Those for authors include comprehensive bibliographies of works and selective lists of largely book-length critical studies. The longer essays on authors are divided into sections on their life and works. Title indexes refer to items in the bibliographies; general analytical indexes also locate entries and information in them. [Balay BE1161]: SML Reference PQ41 +B4 1994
A comprehensive work, covering: French literature from medieval to contemporary times, with signed entries on authors, terms and themes, titles for anonymous works and literary reviews; other national literatures; and French literatures outside of France. Entries for major authors are very full, providing discussion of a writer's life and works, chronological tables, synopses and critiques of important works, and bibliographies of primary and secondary works. Numerous illustrations; v. 4 contains an index of works, a chronological table of literary terms, and lists of literary prizes and winners. [Balay BE1149]
Beaumarchais, Jean-Pierre de. Dictionnaire des oeuvres littéraires de langue française. Paris: Bordas, c1994. 4 v. : ill. (some col.) ; 31 cm.: SML Reference PQ41 +B44 1994
More than 100 specialists contributed to the "works" volumes, covering ca. 3,700 French-language literary works from all centuries. Entries include bibliographic information, plot summary and analysis. Unfortunately, there are no references to the secondary literature. The alphabetical arrangement by is by title, supplemented by an author index. The selection of titles corresponds to the canon. Authors such as Racine and Stendhal are covered comprehensively. About 80 articles are devoted to the works of Balzac. Lesser known authors are represented by their "most original" or "characteristic" works. Marginal works are not excluded. The analyses can be quite detailed and varied. [IFBA/RRE]
Chatenoud-Guillon, Marie France. "Dictionnaire des auteurs de langue française des années 1930 aux années 1980." in no.93a above, v. 2, pp. 701-1209. The most recent dictionary of 20th-century authors writing in French.: SML Reference PQ41 +D53

Signed, scholarly articles on persons, genres, titles, movements, motifs, institutions, and general topics germane to French literary history. Separate volumes are devoted to each major era of French literature through the nineteenth century. Each volume begins with a survey-article on the period covered and a general bibliography, and many of the articles include bibliographies. Being revised:
Dictionnaire des Lettres Françaises. [Ed. entièrement rev. et mise à jour / sous la direction de Geneviève Hasenohr et Michel Zink. Paris]: Fayard, [1994- . [1] Le Moyen Age -- [3] Le XVIIe siècle -- [4] Le XVIIIe siècle: SML Reference PQ41 D53;1994

Dolbow, Sandra W. Dictionary of modern French literature: from the age of reason through realism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1986.: SML Reference PQ41 D65 1986
Aims to provide an "introduction to the major writers, works, and literary movements that flourished during the 180 years from the dawn of 18th-century French literature through the age of realism, as well as a starting point for further research." --Pref. 1880 is the cutoff date. 300 entries, some quite extensive; short bibliographies conclude each entry, with quite current books and articles cited; cross-references. Appendices give a chronological list in parallel columns of history and literature, and a list of entries by subject matter or chronological period. General index. [Balay BE1155]
Dizionario Critico della Letteratura Francese. 2 vols. Turin: Unione Tipografico-Editirice Torinese, 1972.: SML Reference PQ41 D59
A dictionary of substantial, signed articles by specialists on a wide range of names and topics from all periods of French literature. Entries include useful, and sometimes extensive bibliographies.
French women writers: a bio-bibliographical source book. edited by Eva Martin Sartori and Dorothy Wynne Zimmerman. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991.: SML Reference PQ149 F82 1991
A dictionary with chapters by contributing scholars covering 51 "of the most important women writers in the history of French literature" (Pref.), with an additional chapter on the "trobairitz," women troubadors of the 12th and 13th centuries. For each author includes a section on biography, with an emphasis on her experience as a writer, a discussion of major themes, a survey of criticism, and a bibliography of primary and secondary works. In the case of prolific authors the bibliographies may be selective, with references to the other published bibliographies available. Focuses on belles lettres. Two appendixes: "Situating women writers in French history: a chronology," and a list of authors by birthdate. List of contributors with brief biographical information. Title and subject indexes. [Balay BE1157]: SML Reference PQ41 H37
An alphabetical array of brief, informative articles on French authors, thinkers, and fictional characters from the middle ages through 1939, and on events, figures, and places of importance to the literary history of those centuries. Includes some longer survey articles on major eras and movements.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of French Literature. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1976.: SML Reference PQ41 C6
An abridged, revised, and updated version of Harvey.: SML Reference PQ41 F73 1995 & CCL Reference PQ41 F73 1995

Levi, Anthony. Guide to French literature. Chicago: St. James Press, c1992-94.: SML Reference PQ41 +L48 1992
Contents: v.1, Beginnings to 1789; v. 2, 1789 to the present. A substantial and impressive work essential for any library supporting French literature. Entries, often length, are devoted to individuals and literary movements. Those for authors include comprehensive bibliographies of works and selective lists of largely book-length critical studies. The longer essays on authors are divided into sections on their life and works. Title indexes refer to items in the bibliographies; general analytical indexes also locate entries and information in them. [Balay BE1161]

Comments (0)

Subject Specialist

Jeffry Larson

Contact Info:
Office
Research Services and Collections
226 SML
130 Wall Street (side entrance)
120 High Street (front entrance)
Sterling Memorial Library, Yale University,
P.O. Box 208240, New Haven, CT 06520-8240
Send Email

Links:
Profile & Guides

Subjects:
Romance Languages and Literatures, Linguistics, Classics

Description

Loading content... please wait

Your Name:
Your Email:
Post Subject:
Post Text:

Your Name:
Your Email:
Post Subject:
Post Text:

Your Name:
Your Email:
Post Subject:
Post Text:

French Language and Literature

General Literary Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias of French Literature

Subject Specialist

Description

More Information