GENERAL

INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE AND ITS
DIVISIONS
 Literature is humanity itself.
 Mathew Arnold, an English poet and cultural critic (1822-
1888), even describes literature as a “criticism of life”
 The American Heritage Dictionary of the English language
states that “literature must be an analysis of experience and
a synthesis of the findings into a unity.”
O Oscar Wilde, an Irish author, playwright, and poet (1854-
1900) states that “literature always anticipates life. It does
not copy it, but moulds it to its purpose.”
O An American author, educator, and clergyman named Henry
Van Dyke, says that literature “consists of writings which
interpret the meanings of nature and life, in words of charm
and power, in artistic forms and of permanent interest”
(Baldick, 2009).
O Central to the given definitions is LIFE and how this LIFE is
given to humankind. It is not enough to write about life;
rather, a writer has to render it imaginatively, such that
literature orients the reader to the beauty of order and
arrangement, as in a beautifully written poem or a well-
structured story. It then helps the reader see beauty in the
world around him or her and, therefore, fosters general
order.
O The definitions given above, however, should not be used in
classifying literary productions as literature and
nonliterature. A literary work is subjected to certain literary
standards to be considered literature in the true sense of
the word. A literary work must be aesthetically satisfying,
intellectually stimulating, and spiritually uplifting. A reader
should refer to these standards when analyzing and
evaluating a literary production.
O The collective body of literary productions may be classified
into two major divisions, namely: Poetry and Prose
O The definition of poetry has been expanded to refer to
“literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative
awareness of experience or a specific emotional response
through language chosen and arranged for its meaning,
sound, and rhythm.”
O There are four major types of poetry, namely: lyric, narrative,
dramatic, and prose poetry.
O Lyric Poetry consists of poems that deal with emotions or
feelings. This correlates to William Wordsworth’s definition
of poetry as “the spontaneous flow of emotions.” Subjective
and personal, lyric types that abound with figures of speech
include the sonnet, song, elegy, ode, and simple lyric.
O Narrative poetry is referred to as a story-telling verse. These
are poems that narrate stories. Under this are the ballad,
metrical tale, metrical romance, and epic.
O Dramatic Poetry consists of poems in which everything is
conveyed through the words of a single speaker who reveals
background circumstances and conflict, and provides insight
into his or her own character as well as that of the others.
There are two kinds, namely: dramatic monologue and
sililoquy.
O In a dramatic monologue, the speaker converses with a
silent listener who is present during his or her moment of
crisis.
O In soliloquy, the speaker recites in long verse his or her
private thoughts and feelings to no one in particular; rather,
he or she directs this to the audience.
O Prose poetry has all the characteristics of poetry such as
vivid imagery, poetic meter, heightened emotion, and
language play– except that it is written in sentences.
O Prose is the other division of literature that uses a natural
form of expression.
O Prose writing does not adhere to the rules of rhyme, rhythm,
and meter; rather, it employs a language characterized by its
close semblance to the patterns of everyday speech. As
such, the difference between prose and poetry is one of
form
O Prose is subdivided into two major types-- fiction and
nonfiction
O Fiction is a form of narrative that tells about imaginary
characters and events. Under fiction are the short story and
the novel.
O Prose writing based on real people and events is classified
as nonfiction. This includes the essay, oration, biography,
autobiography, memoir, letters, epistles.
O Drama is defined as a “composition in verse or prose
intended to portray life or character or to tell a story usually
involving conflicts and emotions through action and
dialogue; it is typically designed for theatrical performance.”
O Drama develops primarily by means of dialogue– the lines
spoken by the characters.
O The plot and action of drama unfold on the stage as the
characters interact with each other.
O Drama, whose birthplace is Greece, may be classified as
tragedy and comedy. While the former deals with serious
subjects and involves persons of significance, the latter
treats themes and characters with humor and typically has a
happy ending. Whereas tragedy reveals the nobility of the
human condition, comedy demonstrates its folly, portraying
human beings as selfish, hypocritical, vain, weak, and
irrational.
O On the other hand, playwrights use basic styles in their
approach to and presentation of the subject matter of plays.
The first is called realistic or illusionistic or representational
style, while the other is the nonrealistic, non-illusionistic, or
presentational style. Today, drama is used to refer to plays of
all kind