Introduction To Literature

WHAT IS LITERATURE???

The quest to discover a definition for “literature” is a road that is much travelled, though the point of arrival, if ever reached, is seldom satisfactory.  Most attempted definitions are broad and vague, and they inevitably change over time.  In fact, the only thing that is certain about defining literature is that the definition will change.  Concepts of what is literature change over time as well.  What may be considered ordinary and not worthy of comment in one time period may be considered literary genius in another.  Initial reviews of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights in 1847 were less than spectacular, however, Wuthering Heights is now considered one of the greatest literary achievements of all time.  The same can be said for Herman Melville's Moby-Dick (1851).

Generally, most people have their own ideas of what literature is.  When enrolling in a literary course at university, you expect that everything on the reading list will be “literature”.  Similarly, you might expect everything by a known author to be literature, even though the quality of that author's work may vary from publication to publication.  Perhaps you get an idea just from looking at the cover design on a book whether it is “literary” or “pulp”.  Literature then, is a form of demarcation, however fuzzy, based on the premise that all texts are not created equal.  Some have or are given more value than others.

What Is a Genre?

Ever have a friend suggest a movie to go see, but you responded, 'I'm not in the mood for that?' What did you mean? Was it a scary movie and you were in the mood to laugh? Was it a sad movie, but you wanted some action? If so, then you already know about genres.

A genre is a broad term that translates from the French to mean 'kind' or 'type.' In entertainment, this can translate to horror, romance, science fiction, etc. In general, these types differ for all sorts of reasons, from the actions in their plots to the feelings they elicit from the audience. However, in literature, there are some more defined genres. It is important to know which genre a piece of work falls into because the reader will already have certain expectations before he even begins to read.

Genre, in broad terms, refers to any works that share certain characteristics. If enough characteristics are in common, then the pieces are said to be in the same genre. In literature, there are four main genres to help the reader focus their expectations for the piece, though these genres can be broken down even further.

Types & Characteristics of Genres: Prose

Once you know what poetry is, it’s easy to define prose. Prose can be defined as any kind of written text that isn’t poetry (which means drama, discussed below, is technically a type of prose). The most typical varieties of prose are novels and short stories, while other types include letters, diaries, journals, and non-fiction (also discussed below). Prose is written in complete sentences and organized in paragraphs. Instead of focusing on sound, which is what poetry does, prose tends to focus on plot and characters.

Prose is the type of literature read most often in English classrooms. Any novel or short story falls into this category, from Jane Eyre to Twilight and from “A Sound of Thunder" to “The Crucible." Like poetry, prose is broken down into a large number of other sub-genres. Some of these genres revolve around the structure of the text, such as novellas, biographies, and memoirs, and others are based on the subject matter, like romances, fantasies, and mysteries.

Types & Characteristics of Genres: Poetry

A main literary genre is poetry. All poems share specific characteristics. For example, poetry is written in lines and stanzas instead of sentences and paragraphs. Some poems follow strict rules as to the number and length of lines and stanzas, whereas many poems are much more free-flowing.
Most poetry is abundant in figurative language. Using devices like a simile, metaphor, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, alliteration, rhyme, and much more, poetry can claim an emphasis on imagination, emotions, and heartfelt ideas.
Poetry is usually shorter than the other genres, but some poems are classified as epic poetry, which is long narrative poetry chronicling heroic deeds and serious subject matter. For example, John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost focuses on Satan's fall from grace and his following pursuit of revenge.

Types & Characteristics of Genres: Fiction

Poetry, however, is not the only genre that can utilize figurative language. Similarly, fiction, which is any work written in prose that is not real, can also use elaborate figurative language. However, fiction is much more structured than poetry. It must be written in sentences and paragraphs with all the proper punctuation and grammar, which makes it prose. Usually, fiction is broken up into chapters, as well.
Since it is based on the imagination, the subject matter in fiction works can be nearly anything. Fiction can take place in the present day, the future, or the past. It can incorporate the most fantastical ideas or follow an everyday life. Some examples of works of fiction are legends, folk tales, fairy tales, short stories, and any novels. For example, the popular Hunger Games and Divergent trilogies are fiction which occurs in a post-apocalyptic future.

Types & Characteristics of Genres: Nonfiction

A third broad literary genre is nonfiction. If fiction is fake, then nonfiction is the opposite: it comes from real life. Works of nonfiction are all based in real-world experiences. When you read the newspaper, you are reading nonfiction. Other examples include journals, diaries, biographies, autobiographies, and essays.
Nonfiction can also use figurative language; however, it is not as abundant as in poetry and even fiction. Figurative language in this genre generally comes through common phrases which are well-known and used on a daily basis by many. These pieces are written in prose, like fiction, and sometimes even in chapters.
For example, the popular book Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl is broken up into her specific diary entries. This book is simply a published diary written by a teenage Jewish girl who hid from the Germans in World War II. The diary was found after the girl perished, and her family published it without changing the written words. What Anne wrote was real. It was her life, and a great example of nonfiction.

Types & Characteristics of Genres: Drama

The final literary genre is drama. This genre includes all plays or anything meant to be performed. In this way, one can argue that all scripted television shows and movies are a part of drama: they are written with the intention of being performed for an audience. The great playwright Shakespeare himself wrote for that same reason. All of Shakespeare's plays, the Ancient Greek plays, and any modern day musicals and shows are examples of drama.

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“MY CONCLUSION”

Literature is very difficult to offer a precise definition of Literature,but we shall give a working definition of it in line with what we shall be studying. Literature can be defined as ‘pieces of writing that are valued as works of art,such as:

1.Poetry is the first major literary genre. All types of poetry share specific characteristics. In fact, poetry is a form of text that follows a meter and rhythm with each lines and syllables.

2.Drama is a form of text that is performed in front of an audience. It is also called a play. Its written text contains dialogues, and stage directions. This genre has further categories such as comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy etc.

 3.Prose is a kind of written text different from poetry in that it has complete sentences organized into paragraphs. Unlike poetry, prose focuses on characters and plot than focusing on sounds. It includes short stories and novels, while fiction and non-fiction are its sub genres. Prose is further categorized into essays, speeches, sermons and interpretations.