General Types of Literature

Prose

Prose is defined as a form of language based on grammatical structure and the natural flow of speech.

Literary Genre

A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even length.

Fiction

Fiction is the product of the imagination of the writer.

Nonfiction

Nonfiction is a broad genre of writing that encompasses all books that aren't rooted in a fictional narrative.

Novel

An invented prose narrative of considerable length and a certain complexity that deals imaginatively with human experience, usually through a connected sequence of events involving a group of persons in a specific setting.

Short Story

It is an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot.

Autobiography

It tells a life story of its author, meaning it is a written record of the author's life.

Drama

A situation or succession of events in real life having the dramatic progression or emotional effect characteristic of a play, and intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.

Fable

A narrative form, usually featuring animals that behave and speak as human beings, told in order to highlight human follies and weaknesses.

Diary

This is known as discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other periods.

Legend

It is a traditional story or group of stories told about a particular person or place.

Parable

This is a short, realistic story that is written for the purpose of teaching a moral or religious lesson.

Essay

This is a short piece of writing that expresses information as well as the writer's opinion.

Mythology

These are fictional tales that often have religious origins that explain the action of gods or heroes.

Fairy Tale

It is an imaginative story or piece of literature told in a variety of media based on magic and fantastical settings.

Biography

It is a written history or account of a person's life and intended to give an objective portrayal of a person.

Poetry

Poetry is something that arouses a complete imaginative feeling, by choosing appropriate language and selective words and arranging them in a manner that creates a proper pattern, rhyme, and rhythm.

Narrative Poetry

Narrative poetry is a longer form of poetry that tells an entire story, with a beginning, middle, and end.

Epic

An epic is a lengthy, narrative work of poetry that typically details extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past.

Metrical Romance

A metrical romance is a type of narrative poem which typically centers on courtly love, knights, and chivalric deeds.

Ballad

A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music, often one dealing with adventure or romance.

Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry refers to the broad category of poetry that is concerned with feelings and emotion, and presents a character in the first person.

Ode

An ode is a type of lyrical stanza that is an elaborately structured poem praising or glorifying an event or individual.

Elegy

An elegy is a poem that reflects upon death or loss, traditionally containing themes of mourning, loss, and reflection.

Sonnet

A sonnet is a 14 line poem, typically concerning the topic of love.

Pastoral Poem

A literary work dealing with shepherds or rural life in a usually artificial manner, typically drawing a contrast between the simple life and the corruption of city life.

Haiku

Haiku is an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin that focuses on a brief moment in time, usually composed of seventeen syllables in three short lines with a 5-7-5 format.