Classification and Definition of

Literary Types

A. Poetry

I.
Narrative poetry
- Tells a story in richly imaginative and rythmical
language

A.Epic
is a long narrative poem divided into
distinct parts and episodes bound together
by a common relationship to some great
hero, action, and time.

Two types of Epic

A. Folk or Popular Epic (Beowulf and Nibelungelaid)
- does not have a known author but evolved gradually from
the people ancient traditions.
B. Literary Epics
- it has a distinct author
ex. Paradise Lost by Milton

B. Metrical Romance
is a long, rambling love story in verse. Ideals of chivalry,
romantic love, religious elements predominated is most
characterized by the middle ages.
C. Ballad
is a short narrative poem intended to be sung. Types can
either be folk or literary.

C. Metrical Tale
is to poetry what the short story is
to prose. It deals with emotions or
phrase of life and its story is told in a
simple, straightforward, and realistic
manner.

II. Lyric Poetry

expresses personal thoughts and feelings.
A. Ode
is rather extended poem usually complicated in
meter and stanza forms, and always deals with serious theme such
as immortality.
It is said tobe most majestic of lyric type.
Ex. The poet of the athlete ancient tome, Pindar of Greece.

B. Elegy
is generally a poem of a subjective and meditative nature.
Strictly, it is a poem that can be distinguished by its subject
DEATH. It contains the personal grief for a loved one or a loss
affecting the public.
C. Song
is a short lyric poem intended to be sung; it has that
particular melodious quality required by singing voice.
1. Secular songs nonreligious thems, such as marriage
songs
2. Sacred songs - are songs in praise of God.

D. Simple Lyric
is any short poem where the verse is especially musical or
where there is a marked subjective or emotional tone.
E. Sonnet
is a lyric poem distinguished by its exact form fourteen
iambic parameter lines. It produces a single emotional affect.
the lines are arranged in two waves of thought, the rising in
the octave and the falling in the sestet.

Type
1.The Italian Sonnet contains an octave where the theme,
problem, hope, or desire is presented and a sestet where a
resolution or conclusion is reached.
2.Shakespearian (English) Sonnet, iambic pentameter- bab-cdcdefef-gg
its typical form, the sonnet, presents and
develops its theme in the first three quartarians and states a
conclusion in the couplet, or the last two lines.

E. Vers de societe
is a light verse occasional and complimentary verse which
deals in a witty and polished fashion with subjects that, on the
surface at least, are not very serious.

III. DRAMATIC POETRY

portrays life and character through action in
powerful, emotion packed lines such as those in shakespeare`s
play.
A.Poetic plays
1.
Comedy is a type of Drama which aims primarily to amuse
and which ends happily. The comedy presents incongruous aspects
of human speech, character, and conduct as they are displayed in
social life.

2. Tragedy
- is a type of drama in which the chief character undergoes a
morally significant struggle which ends disastrously.
3. Farce
- is an exaggerated comedy based broadly on humorous
situations.
4. Melodrama
- is a play with sensational actions, sentimental love story,
extravagant emotions, and generally, a happy ending.

B. Masque
- is a form of court pageantry that flourished in England in
the 16th century but was not revived later,.
C. Dramatic Monologue
- is a poem in which one character speaks throughout, but
the presence, actions, and even the words of other characters
are implied.

B. Prose
I. The Essay
is a short literary composition in prose
dealing with single matter usually from a
personal point of view.

Prose
A. Reflective essay
- are serious and dignified and usually
employs aphorisms, wisdom coached in
memorable sentences.

Prose
B. Narrative story essay
- makes use of an incident to illustrate an
idea or theme
C. Descriptive Essay
- has some narrative elements as well as
color, vividness, and realistic portrayals.

Prose
D. Bibliographical essay
- sketches life or presents character
E. Nature Essay
- attempt to picture the world of Gods
creation and may do so in a graphic,
pictorial vein or more thoughtful,
philosophical manner.

Prose
F. Critical Essay
- includes biographical criticism, literary
criticism, and book reviews. It is a record
of an analytical mind weighing the virtues
and faults of a literary piece

Prose
G. Periodical Essays
- are generally published in periodicals,
hence, they are also called journalistic.
H. Didactic essays
- enforce a moral and therefore the tone is
serious and didactic.

Prose
II. Fiction
- is the literary production of mans
imagination finding shape in stories of
peoples or events.

Prose
A. Prose Allegory
is a prose form in which the characters, ideas,
and actions stand for something else or for a
system of ideas with meanings implied.

1.
Fable
A short story,
usually with animal
characters, that
teaches a lesson
about what is
important in life.

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2. Myths
Myths are early peoples
way to explain the universe.
Many gods and goddesses
are present in myths
The gods, goddesses, and
heroes are super human in
nature.
Human emotions are
experienced by the gods.
Magic is often present in
myths.
Gods sometimes appear in
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Co. 2009
disguised
form

3. Legend

A story, handed down from the

past that people tell as a true
story but sometimes the details
are difficult to confirm.
The person telling the story usually
does not claim to be an
eyewitness to the events, but
heard it from someone who
knows someone who heard it from
someone who was really there...
Legends often contain a moral or a
lesson and are told to uphold the
values of the community.
They often involve supernatural or
religious elements

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Prose
B. Prose Romances
are types of stories in which some
supernatural or magical events, fantastic,
and unrealistic, occur.

1. Fairy Tales
Often begins with
Once upon a time
or Long, long ago

Includes a good
character and a bad
(evil) character

Includes magic
or something
enchanted
Setting is
often a
forest or a
castle

Involves a
problem that
is solved and
the good
people live
happily ever
after
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2. Folk Tale
Story told generation to
generation, usually by
word of mouth.
Sometimes different
versions in different
cultures
Original storyteller is
unknown
Can involve animals,
wishes, magic, trickery
and often the number 3
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3. Also Myth and Legends

Prose
C. Prose Satires
- are stories in which human vices and
follies are held up to ridicule.
Ex. Fabliu- is a short amusing tale often
bawdy or obscene, cynically and slyly
satirical directed against women, the clergy,
and marriage.

Prose
D. Novels
are prose narratives on a large scale
(book-length) and can be divided into three
types:
a. Fantasy
b.Love
c. Adventurous novels

Prose
E. Short Story
- is a prose narrative of limited length which
must have characterization, unity,
cumulative interest, climax, and a
resolution.

Prose
F. Novelettes
- are prose narratives that are
intermediate between the short story and the
novels. It is about 50 to 150 pages long, but
no exact limits can be given as to length.

Prose

III. Prose Drama

- is a literary work written in dialogue
and intended for presentation by actors. The
essence of drama is the make believe by
which an actor impersonates a character of
the play.

Prose
Same divisions under poetic play apply to prose drama:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Comedy
Tragedy
Melodrama
Farce
History play

Prose
However, there are scores of special; types such as:
1. Closet drama which though written in dramatic form, is
intended for private reading rather than stage performance
2. Tragicomedy is a combination of the elements of a
tragedy and comedy.
3. Problem Plays are neither comedies nor tragedies but deal
with middle class life and problems.
4. Comedy of Manners is a type of play which satirizes the
extremes of fashion and manners.

Prose
5. Comedy del l`arte was a type of comedy developed in 16th
century Italy and its essential characteristics was that it
was based on on a plot outlined in advance, but the
dialogue was improvised during performance.

Prose

IV. Non Fiction prose type

a.
b.
c.
d.

Biography and Autobiography

Letters Diaries and Journals
Book review
Scientific and Current Publications

The end!!!

POETRY VOCABULARY

End rhyme
Repetition
Alliteration
Onomatopoeia
Simile
Metaphor
Free Verse

RHYME
Rhyme is used in
many poems. Using
words that sound alike
makes poetry fun to
read and write.
Examples:
drink & stink
world & hurled

Repetition
Repetition is used to make an impact on the
poems tone. Words or phrases are repeated
throughout the poem.

Here comes summer,

Here comes summer,
Chirping robin, budding rose.
Here comes summer,
Here comes summer,
Gentle showers, summer clothes.
By Shel Silverstein

Alliteration
Alliteration uses the same beginning word
sounds over and over, like a tongue twister.
My beautiful bubbles burst and then,
I simply blow some more again.
The setting sun slipped slowly down,
Making room for the milky moon.

Simile and Metaphor

Similes are comparisons that use like or as.

Her eyes are as green as emeralds.

Clouds soft and fluffy like marshmallows.
Metaphors are comparisons that say one thing
is another.
My
fathers anger is a volcano about to blow.

Free Verse
Free verse is poetry that has neither a
particular beat or rhyme pattern. It usually
does have rhythm, however.

Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is the use of words that
imitate sounds.
Wham! Splat! Pow! I am in trouble now!

Patterned Poetry
Patterned poems
usually do not rhyme!
They follow a specific
pattern.
Examples include
haiku, cinquain,
acrostic, initial, and
concrete poetry.

Video Clip: Hailstones and Halibut

Bones by Mary O Neill