The study of English literature begins in high school and continues in college. Courses begin with a general survey, then get more specific with studies on authors and works from various literary periods. The Internet has a wealth of resources students can access to help them gain a better understanding of what they are studying in class. These websites will also be useful to anyone interested in learning more about the authors of famous works of English literature.

Read literature online. Many classic works of English literature are available online in full-length form. Literature.org has unabridged versions of texts from more than thirty authors and is continually being updated. These websites make mobile studying easier.

Utilize textbook support sites. The Norton Anthology Of English Literature is used in colleges around the country. Its companion website provides supplemental resources that include summaries' quizzes and audio readings of selected works. This is useful when reading "Beowulf" or Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales". They contain old and middle English words that can be hard to pronounce for modern readers.

Access online study guides. Bibliomania has free study guides available on all major English authors. Study guides include selections from their most famous works, critical essays about these works and detailed notes about the author's lives.

Study with other online learners. Luminarium is a website dedicated exclusively to English literature and its authors. The site includes a discussion board on which people can make comments and ask each other questions to get insight on others' opinions and ideas.