National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: From Courage to Freedom:frederick Douglass's 1845 Autobiography
In this 3-lesson unit, students will read Douglass's narrative. They will analyze Douglass's vivid first-hand accounts of the lives of slaves and the behavior of slave owners to see how he successfully contrasts reality with romanticism...
Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore
Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore: Articles and Essays: Our Contributors: Edgar Allan Poe
A short literary analysis, published during Poe's lifetime, of select Poe poems, including "Lenore."
Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore
Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore: Articles and Essays: On Edgar Allan Poe
Access articles, published lectures, and related papers on Edgar Allan Poe's contributions to literature. Collection features works that were written during Poe's lifetime as well as more contemporary pieces and includes analysis of both...
Other
On "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Acclaimed literary critic Dana Gioia analyzes Longfellow's classic narrative poem, "Paul Revere's Ride," encouraging readers to see beyond the story into the rationale for the structure and style of the poem.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement:charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wall Paper" Writing Women
A close reading of "The Yellow Wall-paper" employing the analysis of such literary concepts as setting, narrative style, symbol, and characterization. Students will write an essay discussing what the story suggests about middle-class...
SparkNotes
Spark Notes: Mythology by Edith Hamilton
This site offers all you need to read and study Mythology by Edith Hamilton. It includes an overview, a character list, an introduction to classical mythology, the themes, motifs, and symbols, a summary and analysis, the full text, a...
Other
The Madness of Syracusan Antipholus
This essay addresses the madness present within the Shakespearean comedy, "The Comedy of Errors," and how it is reflective of "Elizabethan ideas about both supernatural and natural causes of madness."
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Writing Center: Handouts: Evidence
What kinds of evidence best support the points you make in a paper? Where can you find the evidence you need? This handout answers all these questions and more, including the difference between primary and secondary sources. You'll also...
Penguin Publishing
Penguin Random House: "Raisin in the Sun" Teacher Guide [Pdf]
"Raisin in the Sun" (screenplay) teacher guide includes in-depth introduction and synopsis. Also featured are tips for reading a screenplay. Masterfully explores themes, symbolism, and film techniques. Consists of 16 pages. This is a...
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry:gwendolyn Bennett
This page offers a biography of Gwendolyn Bennet, as well as critical essays on some poems. Includes a picture.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Emily Dickinson (1830 1886)
A collection of critical reviews of 16 of Emily Dickinson's poems. Most poems are analyzed by multiple critics. In addition, there are two biographical sketches, and essays examining her use of the dash and her lack of titles.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
"In this unit, students explore the artistry that helped make Irving our nation's first literary master and ponder the mystery that now haunts every Halloween -- What happened to Ichabod Crane?"
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: "Much Ado About Nothing"
A detailed synopsis and assessment of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing", made specifically for students preparing for the GCSE test. Site includes links to context, plot, character, dramatic effect, themes and language. With sample...
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: "The Merchant of Venice"
An independent review/assessment for students of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice". This site takes students through the details of context, plot, themes, characters, and dramatic effect in the play. Made for students preparing to...
Other
The Poe Decoder: "Fall of the House of Usher"
Site from The Poe Decoder offers a link to the complete text of "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe, along with criticisms and essays about themes, imagery, character analysis and more.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Early English Comedy
Substantive essay on John Heywood's three most famous medieval interludes. Gives summary information, historical background, and literary analysis.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Introduction to Writing About Literature
This is an introduction to writing about literature; it includes a list of learning objectives for writing about literature including finding and using historical sources to discuss the historical context, finding and using literary...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Thinking Skills
In this self-guided course, you will be looking at several pieces of literature in many different forms. This unit will teach you some principles of thinking and learning and how to use basic literary terms in the analysis of literature....
Virginia Tech
Some Observations About Hawthorne's Women
A somewhat Freudian look at Hawthorne's characters, this critical essay includes source references.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Units: 12th Grade: Thematic Unit: Morality
This is a complete teaching unit for 12th Grade Thematic Unit: "Morality." In this unit, 12th graders will read eight texts that speak to the theme of morality. Students will revisit the essential question "How do we evaluate what's...
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American poetry:(h.d.)hilda Doolittle (1886 1961)
The Modern American Poetry site features an essay about H. D.?s (1886-1961 CE) life and career, selected criticism, and links to related sites.
Other
Interacting Texts Directed Activities Related to Texts (Darts)
Want to improve your students' reading skills? This is a good place to find the types of directed activities, using a definition text, reconstruction/analysis activities, and advantages of using DARTs.
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin: Writing Center: How to Write a Review of Literature
This site explores the writing of an analytical essay in terms of a review of literature. The site provides guidelines for students to follow when writing the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. It also offers links to useful...
Shakespeare Online
Shakespeare Online
A wealth of information and analysis of Shakespeare's plays, background, themes, and other topics of interest to those students of Shakespeare. The site also offers the complete texts of all of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, quotations...