LibGuides: English, Literature &amp; Poetry: ENG 231

ENG 231 - American Literature I

Welcome to the ENG 231 research guide! This course covers selected works in American literature from its beginnings to 1865. Emphasis is placed on historical background, cultural context, and literary analysis of selected prose, poetry, and drama. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze and interpret literary works in their historical and cultural contexts.

Recommended Databases for Research on Authors and Published Works

African American Poetry | ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Poems from 1750-1900 including Lucy Terry Prince, Phillis Wheatley, Jupiter Hammon, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and more.
American Poetry | ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Over 40,000 poems by more than 200 American poets from the Colonial Period to the early twentieth century
Gale Literature Resource Center | Gale This link opens in a new window
Locate information on authors, works, as well as hot terms and topics in the world of literature.
Literature | ProQuest Learning This link opens in a new window
Full-text works of poetry, prose and drama, and secondary sources such as author biographies, literary criticisms, essays, reviews and interviews. Designed with schools and public libraries in mind.

Locate Literary Criticism at RCC

American Literature Resources on the Web

Encyclopedia Britannica
American literature was shaped by the history of this country. For almost a century and a half, America was merely a group of colonies scattered along the eastern seaboard of the North American continent—colonies from which a few hardy souls tentatively ventured westward.

MLA Format Citation Style

MLA Format Citation Machine
Select the type of source (book, article, newspaper, website, etc.) and then enter the requested source information. This website creates the citation for you.
MLA Vidcast Series
Purdue University has created short videos to show you how to create MLA-style margins, spacing, citations, works cited pages, etc.
Purdue Owl MLA Formatting and Style Guide
This cite will help users better understand how to cite sources using MLA eighth edition, including the list of works cited and in-text citations.