Tags
A tag is a keyword or label that categorizes your question with other, similar questions.
Questions regarding the meaning of certain terms or phrases used in a work of literature. If your question concerns the symbolic significance of something whose surface meaning is clear, use the [symbolism] tag instead. Please add specific tags as well: for the author (if known), the language (if not English), and either the work itself (if long) or the [poetry] or [short-stories] tags for short works.
1358 questions
Questions asking for identification of a literary work (story, novel, poem, play, etc) or author, based on descriptive details provided within the question. Please be thorough and provide ALL of the details that you can remember when using this tag. (For questions seeking the original source of a known quote, use the [quote-source] tag instead.)
927 questions
Questions about poetry in general or about any specific poem. Please use this tag with the appropriate author tag, and, if applicable, a language tag (such as [french-literature].
835 questions
Questions about stories with a fully developed plot, themes, and characters, but significantly shorter and less detailed than a novel.
636 questions
Questions about the workes of William Shakspeare, who writ many a famous plaie and poem. For questions about his plaies, may it please you to add a tag for the plaie (e.g. [hamlet]); for questions about his sonnets, may it please you to add the tag [poetry].
258 questions
Questions relating to the analysis of characters in works of literature: for example, their traits, construction, or other aspects. This tag should be used together with any relevant work, series, or author tags.
258 questions
Questions seeking to identify the source of a quote. If possible, include the exact quote whose origin you're seeking, or describe it as closely as you can. (For questions seeking to identify a entire story or work of literature from some remembered details, use the [identification-request] tag instead.)
235 questions
Questions about historical development within literature: for example, the history of a particular literary theme or idea, or of literature in a particular country or context. For questions about real-world history as it relates to literature, use [historical-context] instead. For questions about publication dates of specific works or editions, use [textual-history].
229 questions
Questions about works of literature which were originally written in the French language, regardless whether they were written or published in France or elsewhere.
222 questions
Questions concerning symbolic features in a work of literature. Both symbols and the things they represent can be either tangible or intangible. Not to be confused with the [motif] tag or [meaning] tag. This tag is not to be used for questions about Symbolism as a movement in (mainly French) literature, unless such questions are about the use of symbols. See the tag wiki for more information.
204 questions
Questions regarding the influence of historical events or notions on a literary work, or about the extent to which works of literature accurately depict historical events, figures, customs, ideas, etcetera.
204 questions
Questions pertaining to terms used in the study of literature, including the names of the genres, tropes, terms used for analysis, and so forth.
171 questions
Questions about works of literature that were originally written in the Russian language, regardless of whether they were written or published in Russia or elsewhere.
158 questions
Questions about the inspiration behind a work of literature, or an object or concept in a work: what it was based on, or where the idea came from.
155 questions
Questions about the literary meaning or significance of the lyrics of a song or the literary devices used in them. Should be used with either the song-writer or the band in lieu of the author tag.
151 questions
Questions about translations of works, including how meanings and word choice differ in different languages, and the impact and reasoning of different translations.
146 questions
Questions about works of literature that were originally written in the German language, regardless of whether they were written or published in Germany or elsewhere.
115 questions
For questions about the history of the manuscripts, printed texts, or orally transmitted versions of a single work; or when and where a work was first published; or specific features of one or more editions; or how editors establish an accurate or authoritative text, etc. Not to be confused with the [publishing] tag, which is about publishing practices generally, or the [historical-context] tag, which is about relevant background information.
114 questions
Questions related to the literary significance or meaning of proper names that appear in literature.
112 questions
Questions about works of literature that were originally written in the Greek language, regardless of whether they were written or published in Greece or elsewhere.
109 questions
Questions about the works of the English author J.R.R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien or his life as a writer. Tolkien is best known for 'The Lord of the Rings', 'The Hobbit', 'The Silmarillion' and the other works making up the Middle-Earth legendarium.
97 questions
Use this when asking about a work that was published as a comic (or a graphic novel), or about the medium as a whole. For questions about Japanese, Korean, or Chinese comics, use the [manga], [manhwa], and [manhua] tags, as appropriate.
93 questions
Questions about a writer's precise selection of words as determined by a number of factors, including denotative and connotative meaning, specificity, level of diction, tone, and audience.
91 questions
Questions specifically about the titles of literary works: their meaning, purpose, reception, significance, etc. Do not use to ask for the title of a work you partially remember; use [identification-request] instead
85 questions
Questions about the works of the English author George Orwell (1903 – 1950) or his life as a writer. Orwell is best known for the novels 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' and 'Animal Farm'.
79 questions
Questions about the works of the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905 – 1982) or her life as a writer. If this question is about one of her books, the book in question should also be tagged.
78 questions
For questions regarding an author's use of various literary techniques and other stylistic elements to allow the reader to better interpret and appreciate the work of literature.
77 questions
Questions regarding literature originally written in Italian, regardless of whether they were written or published in Italy or elsewhere.
72 questions
Questions about the works of the English author Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) or his life as a writer.
72 questions
Questions about the British author C.S. Lewis (1898 – 1963), or any of his works, most famously his fantasy series 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.
72 questions
Questions about literature in Spanish: works of literature which were originally written in the Spanish language, whether from Spain, Latin America, or elsewhere.
71 questions
Questions asking for general, open-ended, interpretation of a text. Use this tag if you want answers that address all and any aspects of the text: its meaning, atmosphere, style, images, structure, references, context, and so on. Best used on short texts only.
71 questions
Questions about the fantasy novel 'The Lord of the Rings' (originally published in three volumes in the years 1954-1955) by J.R.R. Tolkien. Use this tag with the [j-r-r-tolkien] tag.
70 questions
Questions related to literary theory, i.e. the body of frameworks, ideas and methods about how to interpret literature. This tag can be used for questions about literary terms and theories of literature, including the history of such concepts. For questions about existing interpretations and evaluations, use the [literary-criticism] tag.
69 questions
Questions regarding the physical location and time period in which a work of literature takes place.
69 questions
Questions about works of literature that were originally written in the Ukrainian language, regardless of where they were originally published.
67 questions