3. Genres and Subgenres
I. The Theory of Genres
Literature is categorized into groups based on characteristic features.
The Formalistic Approach defines literary genres based on their visible, technical structure rather than their deeper meaning. Under this view:
Poetry is identified by its "form"—it is typically short and organized into stanzas (sections of lines).
Drama is identified by its "mode of delivery"—it consists of characters speaking to one another through dialogue.
The Limitations:
This approach is considered limited because these structural features often overlap between genres. For instance, a poem (like a Dramatic Monologue) can be composed entirely of dialogue, and many classic plays (like those by Shakespeare) are written in verse and stanzas. This proves that technical characteristics alone are not enough to strictly define or separate one genre from another.
Limitations:
Formal and technical characteristics do not exclusively define genres (e.g., dialogues in poems).
Philosophical Approach
Proposed by Goethe:
Literature represents fundamental human attitudes towards reality.
Literature teaches morality and examines philosophical issues (ethics, religion, humanity).
Historical Separation of Genres:
Classical principle of decorum insisted on distinct genres.
Over time, genre categories became looser (ex: Tragicomedy).
Genre-Generating Factors
Literary text forms influenced by social/cultural circumstances, ideology, and audience.
Dominance of genres varies historically (e.g., Renaissance favored drama).
II. Three Main Kinds of Literature
#Poetry
#Narrative Fiction
#Drama
III. Poetry
Expressive representation of a personal state of mind.
Uses language in a special way: words can be understood differently, relying on figurative language.
Key Elements:
Metaphorical understanding is essential.
Rhetorical Figures include:
Schemes: ordering of words (e.g., alliteration, rhyme).
Tropes: shift meaning from literal to figurative (e.g., metaphors, oxymorons).
Subgenres of Poetry
Ode: Formal, celebratory lyric poem.
Examples: Keats' "To Autumn", Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind".
Sonnet: 14 lines, iambic pentameter, distinct rhyme schemes.
Italian (Petrarchan) and English (Shakespearean) variations.
Examples: "How Do I Love Thee" by Barrett Browning, Shakespeare's "Sonnet 75".
Epigram: Clever, short poems.
Example: John Byrom's Epigram.
Dramatic Monologue: A single person's speech revealing character.
Examples: Browning's "My Last Duchess".
Ballad: Narrative folk songs originating orally.
Typical stanza form: quatrains, alternating lines.
Examples: Keats' "La Belle Dame sans Mercy".
IV. Narrative Fiction
Definition of Narrative: Contains a story with events/changes.
Three Dimensions of Narrative:
Story: Characters and events.
Text: Structure, characterization, focalization.
Narration: Levels and voices in storytelling.
Subgenres of Narrative Fiction
Novel: Extended prose fiction; complex plot and character development.
Examples: Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four".
Short Story: Brief prose fiction; focuses on a limited number of characters and events.
Example: Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper".
V. Drama
Represents an objective perspective of reality; includes only dialogues and speeches.
Origins: Developed from ancient fertility rituals.
Main Modes of Drama:
Tragedy: Complex characters facing catastrophic issues.
Example: Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".
Comedy: Characters resolving problems, promoting rebirth and integration.
Example: Shakespeare's "As You Like It".
Romance: Emphasizes optimism and essential values.
Example: Shakespeare's "The Tempest".
Satire: Critiques social morals; dark societal vision.
Example: Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
Tragicomedy: Mixed moral judgments; discomforting representation.
Example: Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale".
1. Absurd: Represents the senselessness of the human condition.
Example: Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot