Here are seven suggestions for English Literature GRE preparation. I followed these steps myself, with excellent results. Before studying, I ranked in the 40th percentile with my first practice test. After studying, I scored in the 89th percentile on my actual GRE. To read my article on FineTuning, "How to Master the Literature GRE," click here. Close the window to return to this webpage.
1.
Most importantly, be sure to practice taking an actual literature GRE!
Click here for more information on books containing literature GRE tests.
2. Familiarize yourself with English history, literary periods, and a timeline of major works.
- Click here for my timeline.
- You may also find the Norton Anthologies helpful in this regard. The anthologies contain an introduction to each period, as well as brief timelines.
3. Learn literary terms for poetry, figurative language, and criticism.
- Click here for a list of terms.
- Click here for an overview of critical approaches to literature.
- I also highly recommend the purchase of Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature, both in preparation for the GRE and as a handy reference throughout your years of English study.
4. Familiarize yourself with Greek and Roman mythology.
- As a reference, I suggest The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, which you can purchase for a reasonable price. Or try Edith Hamilton's Mythology.
- You might also want to view my concise catalogue of mythology.
5. Read summaries of major literary works.
Masterplots is a particularly valuable, multivolume series that has two to three page summaries of virtually all of the great works of literature. If you've repeatedly heard of a book, but you don't know its plot, be sure to read it here. This collection is hard to come by and expensive, so you may want to try your local library. If you can manage to secure a set, however, it may prove to be worth the investment over the years to come.
6. Read some of the actual texts of the most famous writers to familiarize yourself with their styles.
The Norton Anthologies of English Literature contain selections spanning all of English literary history.
7. Pay special attention to 20th century authors, female writers, and minorities. In recent years, the GRE's emphasis on such writers has increased dramatically.
8. Although the GRE's emphasis on the Bible has declined in recent years, there will likely be some questions that relate to the Bible, because it has had such an enormous influence on English literature. Become familiar with the major characters and stories in the Bible. If you've never read the Bible, you can learn about the essential characters and stories by reading Genesis, Exodus, I and II Samuel, Matthew, and Acts. If you have time, also read Judges, Ruth, Esther, and Jonah. My Bible Study aids contain some helpful overviews of some of the books, though this is probably more detail than you will require. Make sure you are able to identify a Bible translation by the "sound" of a passage. Note that the Wycliffe will "sound" Chaucerian, the King James will "sound" Shakesperian, and the NIV, RSV, etc. will sound modern.
To visit my GRE bookshelf, click here and go to the second page of the shelf.
For self-scoring literature quizzes written by the webmaster, click here.
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Last Revised: Sunday June 05, 2005 08:00 AM -0400