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.
Browse Subcategories
Featured content, June 08, 2025
8 Creepy Critters in the Work of Edgar Allan Poe
Behold the menagerie of the master of horror.
Diagnosing 9 of Charles Dickens’s Most Famous Characters
Dickens had a knack for expertly portraying human diseases.
Why Do We Say “A Pair of Pants”?
Well, there are more than a pair of answers.
What did Sir Walter Scott write?
What did Sir Walter Scott write?
folk literature
Folk literature, the lore (traditional knowledge and beliefs) of cultures having no written language. It is transmitted by...
Western literature
Western literature, history of literatures in the languages of the Indo-European family, along with a small number of other...
novel
Novel, an invented prose narrative of considerable length and a certain complexity that deals imaginatively with human experience,...
Arabic literature
Arabic literature, the body of written works produced in the Arabic language. The tradition of Arabic literature stretches...
Literature Quizzes
Languages & Alphabets
Parlez-vous français? ¿Habla usted español? See how M-U-C-H you know about your A-B-Cs in other languages.
The Literary World (Authors & Poets)
Roses are red, violets are blue, this poem is bad, but our quiz will challenge you!
The Literary World (Characters Quiz)
The March sisters, Beowulf, and even Tweedledee and Tweedledum are just some of the most enduring characters ever created....
The Literary World
Hey, bookworm! In between reads, try this novel idea: a quiz on all things literature.
Word Nerd: Fact or Fiction?
You love words. You adore alliteration. And you chortle at the thought of nailing this quiz.
Literary Favorites: Fact or Fiction?
Love literature? This quiz sorts out the truth about beloved authors and stories, old and new.
Parlez-Vous Français? And Other Languages
What language is spoken in Mexico? Which South American nation speaks Portuguese? Test your knowledge of languages around...
Foreign Language Club
What is the official language of China? What is the prinicipal language of Bangladesh? Test your comprehension of languages...
Official Languages: Fact or Fiction?
Is Spanish the official language of Andorra? Is Portugese the official language of Brazil? Sort fact from fiction, and test...
William Shakespeare: The Prose and the Playwright
Where is Shakespeare buried? Who says "Alas, poor Yorick"? See if your answers are "to be" or "not to be" in this quiz about...
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
- heroic poetry
-
Jean de La Fontaine
French poet
-
vampire
legendary creature
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
-
Black Panther
fictional character
-
Doctor Strange
fictional character
-
Spider-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
-
Seymour Hersh
American journalist
-
Tim Russert
American journalist
-
Edward R. Murrow
American journalist
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
-
Newberry Library
library, Chicago, Illinois, United States
-
James D. Dana
American geologist and mineralogist
-
Claude Bernard
French scientist
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
-
Edward Said
American professor and literary critic
-
Harold Bloom
American literary critic and author
-
Charles Baudelaire
French author
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
-
novel
literature
- nonfictional prose
-
tragedy
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
- journalism
-
The Feminine Mystique
work by Friedan
-
The Diary of a Young Girl
work by Frank
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
-
Dracula
novel by Stoker
-
The Castle of Otranto
novel by Walpole
-
novel
literature
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
-
Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
French politician and orator
-
Daniel Webster
American politician
-
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
-
Hamlet
work by Shakespeare
-
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
play by Albee
-
Henry IV, Part 1
work by Shakespeare
Poetry
; sonnets, haikus, nursery rhymes, epics, and more are included.
Articles
-
rondeau
poetry and music
-
ballade
poetry and song
- light verse
