French Language and Literature

Generally speaking, French literature refers to literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French.

Literature written in the French language by citizens of other nations such as Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, etc. is referred to as francophone literature.

For more information on French history, including primary sources, please refer to the France section of the Western Europe History library guide.

Other Related Resources

Dictionaries are most often collections of words in one or more specific languages, usually arranged in alphabetical order, providing information like word meanings, usage, etymology, and, when they contain more than one language, translations. Encyclopedias are collections of information on terms, figures, eras, locations also arranged alphabetically, and, alongside definitions of terms, they also include more in-depth general information on a topic. Encyclopedias can be general or subject-specific. Grammars describe the whole system and structure of a language or of languages in general. 

Reference resources like Handbooks, Guides, and Manuals provide subject-specific, sometimes technical information to aid in understanding important aspects of the discipline or subject that they treat. Finding Aids are useful for finding information within libraries, archives, or specific collections. 

Biographies provides a description of a person's life,  detailing the basic facts like birth and death, education, family background, etc. but also portraying the individual subject's experience of those life events.