Classifications of Literature
Classifications of Literature
1. STRUCTURE
-It is composed of parts or the organization of something
-It sometimes shown in narrative stories (writing), order of occurrence or order of telling / written material on a topic or subject
1.1 FICTION
It is a literary work of imaginative narration, either oral/written
It describes imaginary events and people (fantasy)
Its purpose is to entertain, let the readers think and feel
1.2 NON-FICTION
It is literary work of “real life” narration / exposition based on history and facts, real events and real people
It aims to convey knowledge, facts, theories / concepts of a topic
2. FORM
- It refers to the work of style on how the elements of design are implemented
- It also refers to the arrangement of the elements in a composition
2.1 PROSE
-It is a literary work that is spoken / written which gives information, relate events, express ideas or opinions
-It is a literary medium that corresponds closely to everyday speech pattern
Example: Drama (play) -most everyday writing
Novels (fiction) -the language is typically straightforward without much decoration
Short stories -ideas are concerned in sentences that are arranged into paragraphs
2.2 POETRY
– It is a literary work expressed in verse, measure, rhythm sound and imaginative language that gives emotional response
to an experience, feelings and facts
3. GENRE
FICTION –incorporates fantastical and imaginary ideas from everyday life
-presents human / life in 2 levels:
3.1 OBJECTIVE REALITY- actions / experiences
3.2 SUBJECTIVE REALITY – human apprehension and comprehension
(categorized by either novel or short story)
POETRY- a patterned form of verbal / written expressions of ideas that follows rhythmical terms with sense
-sound and structure elements
ESSAY – a prose composition in a moderate length with exploration, evaluation and explanation of viewpoint about
a particular topic or subject
-mostly are non-fiction (e.g. diary, memoirs, biographies, journals)
DRAMA – a form of prose that is performed in front of an audience
-it presents a story that is delivered entirely in dialogue and action (e.g. Romeo and Juliet)
Folk Songs
Psalms
Corrido
Prose is a division of literature which covers a literary work that is spoken or written within the
common flow of language in sentences and in paragraphs which give information, relate events,
express ideas, or present opinions. Under this division, we have two sub-divisions: the Fiction
and Non-Fiction.
Metrical tale is a narrative poem written in verse. Its characters are ordinary people
concerned with ordinary
events. Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is its best example.
Metrical Romance is a long rambling love story in verse. The themes of most stories are
chivalry or knighthood, romantic love, and religious elements. Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight.
LYRIC POETRY
• Ode is a song of praise for something or someone.
• Elegy is a song of lamentation. Its usual theme is about death of a loved one.
• Simple Lyric includes all lyric poems that do not fall under any of the four types.
English sonnet written in iambic pentameter lines (pattern: babcdcd-efef-gg). It presents and
develops its theme in in the first three quatrains and states a conclusion in the couplet, or the
last two lines.
e.g. Sonnet 24
Now see what good turns eyes for eyes have done:
They draw but what they see, know not the heart.
DRAMATIC POETRY portrays life and character in extreme situations. The characters present
some actions in powerful, emotion packed lines like those of Shakespeare’s plays.
• POETIC PLAYS
Comedy is a type of drama which aims primarily to amuse; hence it ends happily. It started in a
ritual in honor of
Dionysius. Examples of comedies are Birds which ridiculed Athenian democracy; Clouds which
attacked the philosopher Socrates; and Lysistrata which denounced war. Menander is
considered the best of the writers of the new comedy. The word comedy comes from a Greek
term “ komos” which means festivity or revelry.
Tragedy is a type of drama in which the chief characters undergo amorally significant struggle
which ends disastrously. It presents humanity having a sense of dignity and free will. There are
three great tragic writers. Aeschylus wrote 90 plays, out of which only 7 remained. Prometheus
Bound, a well-known work, tells the story of the great Titan Prometheus. He is a superhuman
who stole fire from heaven and gave it to mankind. Sophocles is a “golden age” writer who
produced more than 100 plays. His drama, Antigone, is a model of self- sacrifice. He also
wrote the famous play Oedipus the King. Eurepides had written 92 plays, only 19 of which
existed in full. His tragedies are about real men and women instead of real characters. Aristotle
called him the “the most tragic” because his plays are the most moving. His dramas are often
performed on the modern stage. His best well known dramas are
Melodrama presents sensational actions, sentimental love stories, and extravagant emotions
that usually end up
happily.
Farce is an exaggerated comedy based on humorous situations. The characters use funny lines
or situations that are too ridiculous to be true. The characters seem to be caricatures and the
motives are undignified and absurd.
Masque is a form of court pageantry that flourished in England in the 16th century but was not
revived later. It had a prologue serving to introduce the group of actors who came in a sort of
decorative float.
Historical Play / Histography is a drama based on the lives of outstanding figures in history.
Herodotus and Thucydides are two important historians who flourished during the classical age.
Herodotus is commonly called the “Father of History,” and hid writings contain the first truly
literary use of prose in western literature. His work presents a reverent spirit, giving a certain
air of moral dignity to the entire composition. He is considered as the earliest and the best
historian by scholars. His works describe the war between the Persians and the Greeks – the
struggle for supremacy between Europe and Asia, between civilization and barbarism, freedom
and despotism. Thucydides, they say, is a better historian because of his critical use of sources,
inclusion of documents and laborious research that made his History of Peloponnesian War a
significant influence on later generations of historians. Xenophon was the third historian who
wrote Hellenica. His writings were superficial but he wrote with authority on military matters.
PROSE is written in paragraphs. For example, novels, novelettes, short stories, legends,
contemporary dramas, legends, fables, essays, anecdotes, news, and speeches
(fiction/nonfiction)
A. Fiction
Novelette is a prose narrative that is more elaborate than a short story but can also be read in
one sitting and can produce a single, concentrated effect. Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man
and the Sea” is an example of a
novelette.
Short Story is a short narrative which usually involves one or more major characters, one plot,
and a single conflict.
Legend is a story about the origin of things. The characters are normally fictitious.
Fables have animals and other inanimate things that are gifted with human attributes as
characters.
Fairy Tale is a story that presents folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, giants,
and other unusual creatures. The story usually presents a happy ending.
Folk tales are also called “migratory tales.” A folk tale is a story which consist of one or a
combination of many folklore themes (motifs). They are handed from generation to generation
through word of mouth and spread all over the world.
B. Non- Fiction
Autobiography is a combination of three Greek words “auton” which means self, “bio” means
life, and “graphein” to write. It tells about the author’s own life story.
Essays are classified into formal and informal. They usually express the opinions of the writer
about an event, people, or things. Michel Eyquem de Montaigne is considered the Father of
Modern Essay while other philosophers call him the Father of Modern Skepticism.