Meaning, Features and Major Genres of Literature for SS 1

Genres of Literature

Performance Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. identify the three main genres of literature;
2. explain the distinctive features of prose, poetry, and drama;
3. analyze short extracts to determine their genres.

Meaning of Genre

A genre is a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a particular style, form, or content.

In literature, genre refers to the major categories into which literary works are grouped based on their form, style, and subject matter. Understanding literary genres helps in appreciating the unique ways stories are told, emotions are expressed, and ideas are presented.

Major Genres of Literature

Literary works are broadly classified into three major genres. These main genres are:

1. Prose
2. Poetry
3. Drama

Each genre has its own distinct characteristics that set it apart from the others.

Prose

Prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It applies a natural flow of speech and ordinary grammatical structure rather than a rhythmic structure like in traditional poetry.

Distinctive Features of Prose

The key features that distinguish prose include:

1. Narrative Form: Prose typically tells a story or conveys information in a straightforward, continuous manner.
2. Written in Sentences: It uses complete sentences that follow standard grammatical rules.
3. Organised into Paragraphs: Sentences are grouped into paragraphs, which are blocks of text that deal with a single idea or a part of the narrative.
4. Structured into Chapters: Longer prose works are often divided into chapters to organise the narrative into manageable sections.
5. Everyday Language: Prose often uses language similar to everyday speech, making it accessible and easy to follow.

Types of Prose

Prose can be further divided into various types, depending on its length and complexity. Common types of prose include:

1. Short Story: A brief work of fiction, usually focusing on a single plot, setting, and a small number of characters. It can often be read in one sitting.
2. Novella: A work of fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. It typically has a more complex plot than a short story but is less extensive than a novel.
3. Novel: A long work of narrative fiction, usually published as a book. Novels feature complex plots, multiple characters, and often explore themes in great depth.

Observe the following extract from a prose work:

The extract above is clearly prose because it tells a story using complete sentences arranged into paragraphs. There is no specific rhythm or line breaks that would suggest poetry, nor are there stage directions or character names that would indicate drama.

Poetry

Poetry is a literary art form that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language—such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre—to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.

Distinctive Features of Poetry

The key features that distinguish poetry include:

1. Written in Lines: Poetry is typically arranged in lines, which may or may not form complete sentences. The line breaks are often deliberate and contribute to the poem’s meaning or rhythm.
2. Uses Metre: Metre refers to the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. It creates a musical quality.
3. Organised into Stanzas: Lines are often grouped into stanzas, which are like paragraphs in prose but are based on a recurring pattern of rhythm and rhyme.
4. Employs Rhymes: Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines, adding to the musicality and structure of a poem.
5. Uses Poetic Devices: Poetry frequently employs figurative language and sound devices such as metaphor, simile, personification, alliteration, assonance, and imagery to create vivid effects and deeper meanings.

Types of Poetry

Poetry encompasses a wide range of forms and styles. Common types of poetry include:

1. Sonnet: A 14-line poem, usually written in iambic pentameter, with a specific rhyme scheme. There are two main types: Shakespearean (or English) and Petrarchan (or Italian).
2. Elegy: A mournful, melancholic, or plaintive poem, especially a lament for the dead or a funeral song.
3. Epic: A long narrative poem, typically derived from ancient oral tradition, telling of heroic deeds and adventures of legendary or historical figures.
4. Dirge: A funeral song or lament for the dead, often shorter and more informal than an elegy.

Observe the following extract from a poem:

This extract is poetry because it is arranged in distinct lines, grouped into a stanza, and uses rhyme (ball/tall, call/fall) at the end of the lines. The deliberate line breaks and rhythmic quality are characteristic of poetry.

Drama

Drama is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance. It is one of the literary genres that is meant to be performed on a stage before an audience.

Distinctive Features of Drama

The key features that distinguish drama include:

1. Acts: A major division in a play, similar to chapters in a novel. Plays are typically divided into several acts.
2. Scenes: Smaller divisions within an act, usually indicating a change in setting, time, or the entrance/exit of major characters.
3. Stage Directions: Instructions written into the script of a play, indicating stage actions, movements of performers, or production requirements. These are usually enclosed in parentheses or italics.
4. Dialogue: The conversation between two or more characters. Dialogue is the primary means through which the story is told and characters are developed in a play.
5. Character Names: The name of the character speaking is usually indicated before their dialogue.

Types of Drama

Drama can be categorised based on its tone and outcome. Common types of drama include:

1. Comedy: A type of drama intended to amuse and entertain. Comedies often have a lighthearted tone, humorous situations, and typically end happily.
2. Tragedy: A type of drama that portrays serious events and typically ends with the downfall or death of the main character, often due to a tragic flaw or fate.
3. Tragicomedy: A play that combines elements of both tragedy and comedy. It often deals with serious subjects but may have a happy ending or include humorous moments that lighten the mood.

Observe the following extract from a play:

This extract is drama because it features character names (CHIDI, AMINA) followed by their spoken lines (dialogue), and includes stage directions (e.g., “(Entering, looking worried)”, “(Smiling)”) that guide the performance. These elements are specific to plays.

Analyzing Literary Extracts to Determine Genres

To determine the genre of a literary extract, carefully examine its structural and stylistic features. Follow these steps:

1. Look at the Layout:
   1. Are the words arranged in continuous sentences and paragraphs? This suggests prose.
   2. Are the words arranged in short lines, possibly grouped into stanzas? This suggests poetry.
   3. Are there character names, dialogue, and stage directions? This suggests drama.
2. Check for Rhyme and Rhythm:
   1. Does the extract have a noticeable rhythm or pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables?
   2. Are there rhyming words, especially at the end of lines? The presence of these strongly indicates poetry.
3. Identify Narrative Style:
   1. Is a story being told directly by a narrator? This is common in prose.
   2. Is the story unfolding through characters speaking to each other? This is the hallmark of drama.
   3. Is the language more focused on evoking emotion or imagery through figurative language rather than direct storytelling? This is typical of poetry.
4. Look for Specific Conventions:
   1. Are there any stage directions (e.g., “(He exits)”, “(She laughs softly)”)? These are unique to drama.
   2. Are there divisions like “Act I, Scene 2”? These are also unique to drama.
   3. Does the language use many metaphors, similes, or other figures of speech in a concentrated way? This is often a feature of poetry.

By systematically checking for these distinctive features, you can accurately identify whether an extract is prose, poetry, or drama.