90 Outstanding Literary Research Topics and Ideas

Are you seeking compelling literary research topics? No matter whether you are creating a master’s thesis or writing a college essay, the topic you choose for your literary research will make a difference. Usually, literary research focuses on studying certain genres or authors to analyze the usage of language in literary texts. Furthermore, investigating the literature will help you get a better comprehension of the concepts, increase your critical thinking skills, and develop an appreciation for the intricacies.

Generally, for literary research, you can investigate and analyze any topic ranging from classic to contemporary writing. However, the selected topic should be original, relevant, and have a high discussion scope. Especially, to make your study process easier, in this blog, we have presented an exclusive list of literary research paper topics. Additionally, we have explained how to identify the right topic for your literary research. Explore this blog and get amazing ideas for literary research paper writing.

What is Literary Research?

Literary research is the process of studying a specific literary work such as a poem, novel, play, or story. Furthermore, the literary study focuses on analyzing a particular text, comparing different works by the same author, or contrasting different authors’ approaches.

Some popular topics of literary research include symbolism, characterization, themes, plot structure, historical background, point-of-view analysis, and biographical contexts. In addition to assessing the critical reception of an author’s works and looking at any shifts within literary canonization, your literary research paper topics may also center on how an author has been understood or appraised over time. Even, for your literary study, you can examine the connections between literature and other academic fields like politics, economics, sociology, psychology, and philosophy.

Know How to Select a Literary Research Topic

Typically, it might be challenging for you to choose a topic for your literature research paper. But, if you plan properly and give it some serious thought, you will undoubtedly find an ideal topic. To accomplish this, you will have to do the following

• Brainstorm and Gather Ideas: Begin by brainstorming ideas that interest you. Consider the works you have been studying, the authors and genres you like to read, and the topics that are exciting for you.
• Narrow down the Focus: Once you have collected a few literary research topics that pique your interest, analyze and narrow down the list to the one that is both relevant and specific. Never give preference to a topic with no or less research scope.
• Conduct Preliminary Research: Do basic research to see whether the gathered topics are pertinent. This will ensure that you have sufficient material to work with. Figure out whether the topics you have shortlisted are original and feasible to complete the work within the deadline.
• Refine the List: Once you have done your research, make sure your topic is specific and intriguing. Consider the most interesting features and how they may be investigated further.
• Finalize a Topic: Lastly, select the title that best reflects your interests and hobbies for a rewarding research experience. Before confirming the topic, get approval or feedback for the topic from your mentors or instructors. This might help you to improve the quality of your research paper and meet the prescribed guidelines.

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List of the Best Literary Research Topics

The success of your literary research paper highly depends on the topic you choose. Therefore, make sure to analyze and pick the right topic. In case, you are worried about what literary research paper topic to select, make use of the list uploaded below.

The list will provide you with captivating literary research questions that are worth exploring.

Unique Literary Research Paper Topics

If you wish to examine new concepts and get an in-depth knowledge of literature, then for your research work concentrate on unique literary ideas. Listed below are a few rare literary research topics that you can choose to review.

1. Examine the use of metaphor and allegory in Dante’s divine comedy.
2. Take a look at immigration within postmodern British novels.
3. Analyze character and plot structure in Gothic fiction.
4. Examine the influence of superstition in early Romantic texts.
5. Explore the role of politics in 16^th-century literary texts.
6. Research and write about science and technology in 16^th-century literature.
7. Explore the role of courtly love in medieval works.
8. Explain how characters are represented in epic poetry.
9. Examine the influence of philosophy on ancient literature.
10. Analyze the impact of World War II on European authors.
11. Explore the correlation between social identity and language during postcolonial fiction.
12. Discuss the role of English in modern Japanese fiction.
13. Focus on the themes of desire and sexuality in ancient Greek poetry.
14. Take a look at Dystopian settings within modern literature.
15. Examine the role of Vampires in gothic literary texts.

Literary Research Topics for School Students

Listed below are some excellent literary research topics tailored specifically for high school students. If you are a school student, then feel free to pick any interesting idea from the list and develop your literary project.

1. Examine the influence of Renaissance literature on modern writing.
2. Analyze the impact of feudalism on medieval texts.
3. Discuss the role of music and art in classical literature.
4. Examine the impact of folklore on modern poetry.
5. Analyze the effects of pop culture on modern fiction.
6. Explain how nature is represented in modern literature.
7. Explore the themes of the environment in romantic works.
8. Discuss how poverty is represented in Victorian novels.
9. Focus on classic and modern literary criticism.
10. Discuss the significance of technology within cyberpunk genres.

Also read: English Research Topics and Ideas To Deal With

Literary Research Ideas for College Students

For a college-level literary research paper, an in-depth analysis is necessary. So, considering that aspect, a topic should be selected for literature review. If you require a good literature topic with analytical value, then you may find these ideas helpful.

1. Focus on the gender role representations in Shakespearean tragedies.
2. Discuss the role of religion in Southern American literature.
3. Evaluate how social media influences the literary language.
4. Examine the correlation between science and literary imagination.
5. Focus on alienation themes within modern fiction.
6. Discuss the role of fantasy in horror fiction.
7. Describe the influence of symbolism on French modernist poetry.
8. Explain the social hierarchy within Victorian novels.
9. Discuss the role of English in colonial Indian literature.
10. Explain how women are represented in Romantic narratives.

World Literature Research Paper Topics

World literature research paper topics allow students to study literary works across the globe, including those produced in English, Spanish, and other languages. The following is a collection of original world literature research topics that you may consider for your project.

1. Research and write about symbolism in Arabic literature.
2. Examine the cultural identity themes in Japanese drama.
3. Discuss how social class is represented in Indian novels.
4. Focus on the power and politics in Spanish plays.
5. Explore the themes of nationalism within modern Russian fiction.
6. Discuss about the gender representation in French literature.
7. Analyze the impact of globalization on Middle Eastern fiction.
8. Explain how the conflict was portrayed by African literature.
9. Discuss the role of religion within literary works from Latin America.
10. Evaluate the role of folklore within Chinese fiction.

Also read: Best Essay Topics and Ideas for Students to Get Started

Research Ideas on American Literature

In the research papers on American Literature, you may explore the works of both early and later American writers and poets. Find here, a collection of American literature ideas for your research paper.

1. Take a look at racism in 20^th-century American novels.
2. Discuss the themes of identity in postmodern American fiction.
3. Explain how social class is represented in early American drama.
4. Focus on the emergence of gothic horror in American fiction.
5. Examine the themes of morality in Post-World War II American fiction.
6. Analyze the impact of transcendentalism on American writing.
7. Explore the role of religion in 19^th-century American novels.
8. Explain the thoughts of the American poets on slavery and its abolition.
9. Explore the themes of identity in postmodern American fiction.
10. Focus on the representation of war and conflict by modern American playwrights.
11. Conduct a comparative analysis of Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Miller’s “Death of a Salesman”.
12. Examine the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on American Literature.
13. Critically analyze feminist themes in 19th-century American Literature.
14. Describe the role of nature in American Literature.
15. Explore the representation of immigrant experiences in 20th-century American Literature.

British Literature Research Topics

To prepare research papers on British literature, you may consider any topic related to the works of early to modern British writers. The following are some exciting British literary topics on which you can compose your research paper.

1. Examine the influence of British authors on modern literature.
2. Analyze the impact of industrialization on 20^th-century British novels.
3. Examine the effects of censorship on British authors during the 20^th -century.
4. Interpret classic British literary works.
5. Examine the effect of colonialism on British literary works during the 18^th
6. Discuss how technology is represented in 21^st-century British novels.
7. Represent historical events in British works throughout time.
8. Discuss how social class is represented in 19^th-century British fiction.
9. Focus on gender representation during medieval British literature.
10. Discuss how mental health is represented in modern British poetry.
11. Explore the role of magic in British Literature.
12. Take a look at the representation of colonialism in British Literature.
13. Critically examine the impact of World War I on British Literature.
14. Write about feminist utopianism in British literature.
15. Examine the influence of British folklore on literature.

Also read: Get to Know the Common English Techniques with Examples

Modernist Literary Research Ideas

Modern literature emerged from the early twentieth century to the end of World War II. It distinguishes itself by rejecting established standards and emphasizing form exploration. If you are seeking literary ideas for research papers about modernism, then explore the following

1. Focus on social inequality in 21^st-century novels.
2. Examine the impact of modernism on classical literature.
3. Discuss how mental health was represented in modern British novels.
4. Explore the influence of education on modernist narratives.
5. Discuss how global conflict is represented in modern fiction.
6. Take a look at wealth and power in early modernist texts.
7. Examine the influence of psychoanalysis on modernist literature.
8. Focus on the representation of urbanization in modern literary texts.
9. Explore multicultural themes in modern literary works.
10. Evaluate the influence of modernism on current literature.
11. How did Modernist writers like Woolf and E.M. Forster represent the experiences of women and marginalized groups in their works?
12. In what ways did Modernist literature reflect and shape the cultural and intellectual movements of the time, such as Futurism and Surrealism?
13. Explain how Modernist writers represented the decline of the Empire and the rise of globalization in their works.
14. What role did the concept of “fragmentation” play in Modernist literature, particularly in the works of Eliot and Pound?
15. Discuss how Modernist writers engaged with fascist ideologies.

The Bottom Line

All the topics recommended above will be helpful for you in composing a brilliant literary research paper. Literature is a broad discipline that contains a wide range of topics. So, you will never run a shortage of literary research paper topics. To limit your focus and identify a perfect topic for your literary research, consider examining literary movements, reading vividly, and thinking about your area of interest. Once you have spotted a good topic, conduct in-depth research on it and then compose a detailed academic paper according to your university’s guidelines.