literary research paper topics list

200 Compelling Literary Research Paper Topics to Explore

Literary research holds the key to unlocking the power of knowledge and education. But what makes a research paper truly impactful? It all starts with selecting a fascinating topic. This blog post presents 300 handpicked Literary research paper topics that will ignite your scholarly pursuits. From cutting-edge trends to unexplored territories, these topics promise to fuel your intellectual curiosity and make you write like a professional writing services provider. So, let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Comprehensive Lists of Impressive Literary Research Paper Topics

Be it anything you want to research related to Literary, our comprehensive lists of topics have you covered. So, without further ado, let’s begin with our first list.

American Literature Topics for Research

Picking up a topic from this list will allow you to uncover hidden narratives, analyze iconic works, and more. Here you go with the list.

A Study of Domestic Gothic and Postwar Architectural Culture in Shirley Jackson’s House Trilogy
Anti-racism Resistance in American Literature
Political and ideological agendas are reflected in American Literature
American Literature from a feminist point of View
Leonard Cohen’s Psalms or the demons of Tradition: the Book of Mercy and the Psalms of Leonard Cohen
An Overview of Spanish Literature Written in the United States
Correlations and contrasts between postmodernism and American Literature: A study of their relationship
Poetic Hybridity in American Poetry: existing and Resisting through Its Hybridity
Bram Stoker’s Dracula depicts vampires in what can be considered a realistic fashion
Comparison between Stephanie Meyer’s vampires vs. L.J. Smith’s vampires
How Bram Stoker’s Dracula differs from William Polidori’s The Vampire
Anne Rice vs. Stephanie Meyers: Different Approaches to writing supernatural Literature
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Evolution of the Character with Time in Literature and Movies
Illustrations of Nosferatu, the first vampire character to appear on a screen in Literature
The relation between intertextuality and social space
Depiction of La Lorna and Other Supernatural Elements in American Literature
Contemporary literary figures of Orality: ruptures and Continuity
What is the fascination with supernatural imagery in American Literature and popular culture?
Writings in English about Refugee Camps in Contemporary Literature
Taking a comparative look at contemporary theater stages
Comparing The Crucible with the actual Salem witch trials

Literary Research Paper Topics Related to English Literature

Pick a topic from this list and brace yourself for an awe-inspiring journey, illuminating the profound impacts of English literature on our hearts. Here’s the list.

What is Shakespeare’s contribution to classic English Literature?
Comparison and contrast of Shakespeare and Marlowe
Shakespeare and Marlowe: Busting Myths
Historical and Political Analysis of English Literature during the Middle Ages
The Elizabethan Era and English Literature
An Understanding of Victorian Literature from a Political Perspective
Comparing Edwardian Literature with its predecessors, what makes it unique?
English Literature at its Zenith
Greek Influence on English Literature: The History of English Literature
Comparing women’s Literature to classical English literature in terms of literary and social issues
An Overview of British Fiction from the 19th Century
Women in Classic English Literature: Their Portrayal and Characterization
Arab civilizations influenced Literature in the early English period
A Collective Analysis of English Poetry from the 19th to the 20th Century
The Impact of Modernism on English Poetry
The Social and Political History of Victorian England as Portrayed through English Literature
Literary explorations of British colonial slavery during the 18th and 19th centuries
Adaptation to Postcolonial Cultures, neo-Victorian Culture, and Postcolonial Literature
Literature of the postcolonial period versus Literature of the British period
The history of books and publishing in the 20th-21st Century in British fiction
Emotional expression and perception, semantics, lexical semantics
A History of Ideas and Literature from the 18th Century
An overview of the history of publishing and books
Aspects of Race and Ethnicity, Popular Culture, and Politics
Britain’s Revolutions and the Rise of Socialism: Literature that influenced them
Actors of Shakespeare’s time, the role of the Elizabethan theater
Literature’s contribution to understanding British politics and society today

Postcolonial Literary Research Paper Topics

Dig into stories that question the effects of colonialism and look into issues of identity, resistance, and decolonization. Get inspired by the captivating stories that are reshaping the history of colonialism with these topics.

A Study of Heart of The Darkness from an Analytical Perspective
Heart of the Darkness: Conrad’s Treatment of Africans in the Story
Achebe’s stance against the design of Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness vs. Things Fall Apart: Comparisons and Contrasts
A Look at the Treatment of Africans in Things Fall Apart
Concept of native society in Things Fall Apart
A Study of the Indigenous culture of Africa in Light of Things Fall Apart
Postcolonial Literature Compared to British Literature
Literature is written in the French language dealing with postcolonialism
The Analysis of Postcolonial Literature Written in India after the End of Colonialism
Ahmed Ali’s Works as Part of the postcolonial movement: a critical analysis
An Analysis of Twilight in Delhi as a postcolonial novel through the Lens of critical theory
Depiction of the Colonized Races in British Literature
Conrad’s treatment of negros and the accusation of racism
A Critique of Orientalism from the Perspective of Edward Said
Elements of Postcolonialism Twilight in Delhi
The elements belonging to the narrative framework of the postcolonial theory
Understanding Postcolonialism with Edward Said’s Orientalism
An Introduction to Postcolonial Theory: Concepts and Definitions
The Evolution of the Woman within Postcolonial Literature
An Overview of Algerian Postcolonial Literature
British Literature, with its treatment of African nations
Postcolonial and Feminine Resistance in Algerian and Sahrawi States
Postcolonialism: An Effort to search its history
Identity, alterity, and Hybridity in postcolonial states
Introduction to postcolonial theory

Arabic Topics in Literature

Discover the fascinating world of Arabic Literature and explore its cultural heritage, poetic stories, and social dynamics. Here you go with the list.

Literature of the Arab World and its Influence on French Literature
The Influence of Arab Culture on Middle Ages Literature
Hayy Bin Yaqzan is the first novel by modern criteria
A collection of poetry by Shafi’i and historical, literary Analysis
A Study of Religious Literature in Arabian Civilization
Islamic Golden Ages were characterized by more significant progress in theological Literature
Poetry from the Arab world is the foundation of modern global poetry
Literature related to Mahdism in Islam
Arab-Islamic culture is significant in the Literature written in Arabic
The Evolution of Arabic Poetry and Literature
The Poetry of the Arab Diaspora and Nature’s Aesthetics
Ghazali’s literary works and acknowledgment of divine essence
A study of the relationship between Arabic poetry and music and song
Al-Gazzal’s two doors of knowledge through the heart
Iberian expansion as a cause of Islamic culture’s influence on Western Literature
Music and poetry from the pre-Islamic period in Arabic
Arab Literature and social criticism in the modern era
Aristotelian Philosophy and Greek Mythology in Modern Arab Literature
The culture and civilization of the Ottoman Empire were influenced by Arabic poetry and music
Arabic Literature’s Depiction of Morality and Politics
A Study of Arab Literature by Christian Authors
The philosophy of Islam is expressed and explained through Arabic culture
An Introduction to the History and Literature of Islam

Existentialist Literary Research Topics

Dig into the deep thinking, self-examination, and emotions of uncertainty that come with exploring the works of important writers trying to figure out life, independence, and more. Here’s the list.

The post-war emergence of existentialism
War-torn human characters reflect existentialist Literature.
What is the character of Godot in Waiting For Godot? How does Beckett explain what he is saying?
Existentialist Drama into 21st-Century of Western Literature
How does Beckett become an existential absurdist?
Samuel Becket’s Life from a Contemporary Perspective
The Reasons and inspirations behind Sartre’s Existentialism
Waiting For Godot is interpreted in real-time and real life.
Considering Jean-Paul Sartre’s works from different perspectives.
The Existentialist Literature: A Critical Analysis
Horrors of War and Existentialist Literature After and About the Vietnam War
A Comparison of Absurdism and Existentialism in Western Literature
Theater of absurdity representation of existentialism
A 21st-century Take on absurdist theater as a significant part of British Literature
Existentialism: Is it Here to Stay? Getting rid of absurdity in a changing world
Does the search for meaning transcend modern man?
Existentialism in British Literature
“There is infinite hope in the universe, not for us.” How do you see Kafka as an existentialist? How does he differ from the philosophers of his field?

Literary Research Topics Related to Poetry

Check out our great research paper topics and how powerful poems can be!

Pioneers of European Literature in the realm of poetry
Inspiration for John Keats’ poetry by Fanny Brawne
The difference between Keats and his contemporaries
Analyzing John Keats’ Works from a historical perspective
The poetry of social protest in the early Renaissance
What makes the poetry of the Renaissance the most outstanding?
An early role played by Midland poets in the development of English poetry
Literature of the Highlands and its Contribution to English cultural development
The challenges of the development of English poetry
Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English poetry
Poetry as a Pillar of Modern Literature
The Importance of legal vocabulary in a poetic context
Thinking about poetry as a critique from the Renaissance era
The genre and meaning of Auden’s poem
Poetry of Robert Frost: A study
Research on the poetry of William Shakespeare
Wordsworth as a pioneer of modern Literature
Poetry of Alfred Lord Tennyson: A Historical Analysis
A general study of the Poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge
A Look and Study of the Aubreys of Innocence by William Blake
Prose versus poetry in the early Renaissance
Story of Love and Death, by Edgar Allan Poe.
Emily Dickinson is one of America’s most famous poets
Maya Angelo’s struggle for civil rights and using poetry as a vector of fight

Literary Research Topics Related to Novel

Go deep into the story, getting to know the characters and thinking about the themes to unlock the timeless charm of this popular type of writing. Here’s the list.

A Study of the Gothic Novel in the British Isles
Publishing Literature the modern novel: conditions and Sources of Innovation
History and Fiction in African-American Women’s Literature
Toni Morrison is one of the pioneers of the American novel
Covenant: An American Novel of South African History
James Michener’s works in novels and different aspects of modern American society
Modern Literature in the Film and TV Industry
Novels of Thomas Hardy, a critical analysis
What is the significance of Jane Austen as a pioneer of English literature? What are your thoughts on this?
A Comparison and Contrast of American dystopian novels
Supernatural novelists of English literature, between William Polidori and Bram Stoker
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is the first supernatural novel in the history of English literature
Children’s Literature written in British territories
Postcolonial novels from a 21st-century perspective
The Vampire Diaries, the pioneering novel for gen-z supernatural fascinations
Anne Rice vs. Stephanie Meyers: what is different and what is similar
Knowledge, Power, and Authority in Contemporary Fantasy
Tensions and Expression in the Modern American Novel
Political Depiction of Christianity in American Novels and Movies

Literary Research Topics Related to Drama

Check out these cool topics to write an amazing research paper your teacher is expecting of you.

Shakespearean Drama from historical practices
Plagiarism allegations about Shakespeare
William Shakespeare vs. Christopher Marlowe: Contrasts and Comparisons
An overview of Shakespeare’s plays and how they formed modern theater and cinema
Waiting For Godot by Beckett, from a directorial and cinematic perspective
Elizabethan vs. Jacobean Drama: What makes them different?
Oscar Wilde as a playwright, from a modern perspective
Shakespeare as a pioneer of the European literature boom
Role of Queen Elizabeth I in the Promotion of English Drama and Theater
Stages of Transformation: at the Crossroads of Theater and abolitionist movements
Role of Drama in European Literature
The Drama of the 21st Century and how it differs from the Classics
Greek tragedy compared to Shakespearean tragedy
Greek Tragedy vs. Classical English Drama
Modern vs. Classical tragedy, essential comparative elements
Was European Literature initially focused on Drama? Why or why not?
The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the most beloved plays. Why?
Oscar Wild as a dramatist
Literature formed Freudianism, a psychoanalytical analysis of the plays that inspired Sigmund Freud
Mourning Becomes Electra and Oedipus Rex, how two tragedies formed the Basis of modern psychology
Literary Analysis of the Supernatural in the Plays of Marlowe
Classic vs. Modern Literature in the Area of Tragedy and Drama
Edward Bond, a playwright of hope or despair?
When does British Literature portray elements of World war
Literary devices used in early British literary works and Renaissance literature
Language diversity in historical novels in the Victorian literature era
European culture depicted in early American Literature
American literature contribution to Studies on Classical Literature
Literary Argument on literary works of the Renaissance in Comparison with Indian Literature

Interesting Literature Topics

These literary research topics can spark your interest, challenge your views, and help you appreciate Literature even more.

Travel writing for college students living the American dream
Use of poetic language and literary devices in Japanese literary works
Social identity in dystopian Literature that World War II inspired
Male and female characters in African American Literature
Literary novels in the genre of young adult literature
Literature paper on Japanese Literature depicting Post World War II modern culture
Literary Analysis of artificial language in Utopian and Dystopian Literature
The modern culture depicted in American and Asian culture
Literary Analysis of Harry Potter and novel writing for university students
Harry Potter is a significant literature contribution opening new doors to literary research.
Comparative Literary Analysis of travel writing vs. literary journalism
Literary Analysis of Travel Writing in Indian Literature
African literary responses to American Literature on world war in the Twentieth Century
How American Literature Differs from Modern Chinese Literature: Form and Evaluate Literature Response on Written Literature

Hopefully, these lists of good topics for research papers have helped you pick a suitable subject and make a real difference in literary research. Remember that a good topic always plays a pivotal role in the paper’s success. If you are still trying to figure out how to proceed with your assignment, count on the professional expertise of our writers .

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