DIVISIONS

OF
LITERATURE
MODULE 1.B

Bebelyn G. Velasco
Literature and History are closely interrelated in
discovering the history of a race, the feelings,
aspirations, customs, and traditions of a people
are sure to be included and these feelings,
aspirations, customs and traditions that are
written is literature.

However, literature and history have differences.

Literature may be figments of the imagination or
events devoid of truth that have been written
down, while history is made up of events that
really happened.
LITERATURE
It is used to describe anything from creative
writing to more technical or scientific works, but
the term is most commonly used to refer to works
of the creative imagination, including works of
poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction. Literature
represents a language or a people: culture and
tradition (Pradopo, 1994: 26-27).
 LITERATURE
Two different approaches to the definition of literature (criterial and
prototypical) are described, and some features of a prototypical literary
work are outlined. The criterial approach attempts to provide criteria that
must be met by all texts to be called literature. The prototype approach
focuses on a particularly good example to which other examples bear
resemblance. It is suggested that prototypical literary works are (1) written
texts; (2) are marked by careful use of language, including features such
as creative metaphors, well-turned phrases, elegant syntax, rhyme,
alliteration, and meter; (3) are in a literary genre (poetry, prose, fiction, or
drama); (4) are read aesthetically; (5) are intended by the author to be
read aesthetically; and (6) contain many weak implicatures, and are
deliberately somewhat open in interpretation. (Jim, Meyer. 1997)
LITERATURE
In Panitikang Pilipino written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar,
and Nazal. It says that "true literature is a piece of written
work which is undying". It expresses the feelings and
emotions of people in response to his everyday efforts to
live, to be happy in his environment, and after struggles to
reach his Creator.
 GENERAL TYPES OF
LITERATURE
POETRY PROSE

It is written in an ordinary form, and it

It is written in verse form, and it appeals appeals to the mind.
to the heart. It aims to entertain and
inspire the readers. It aims to inform and enlighten the
readers.
It is literature that evokes a concentrated
DEFINITION imaginative awareness of experience or a
It is a literary device referring to
writing that is structured in a
specific emotional response through
grammatical way, with words and
language chosen and arranged for its phrases that build sentences and
meaning, sound, and rhythm. paragraphs. Works written in prose
feature language that flows in natural
patterns of everyday speech.
 GENERAL TYPES OF
LITERATURE
POETRY PROSE
The word prose comes from the Latin
It originates from the Latin word 'poeta'
ORIGIN that means 'poet'.
term 'prosa oratio' which means
'straightforward'.

PRIMARY It has the primary goal of selling the It has the primary goal of sharing
language itself as music. information.
GOAL

BASIC Lines are considered to be the basic unit Sentences are considered to be the basic
of poetry. units of prose.
UNIT
 GENERAL TYPES OF
LITERATURE
POETRY PROSE
It is the typical form of writing.
It is a lyrical form of writing.

It has no structure, format, or rhyming

It has structure, format, and rhyming in the sentences.
in the sentences.

It is usually divided into lines or phrases

It is usually divided into sentences.
CHARACTERISTICS
It is more expressive and attractive.
It is simple and common.

It serves to excite the readers.

It is used in different articles, stories,
letters, etc.
It is imaginative.
CATEGORIES OF
LITERATURE
PROSE
I. FICTION
II. NON-FICTION

POETRY
I. LYRIC POETRY
II. NARRATIVE POETRY
III. DRAMATIC POETRY
 I. PROSE
A. FICTION
The word is from the Latin fictiō, “the act of making,
fashioning, or molding.”
It is an imaginary invention, usually a tale conceived by the
writers although often with a basis in actuality.

1. NOVELS
It is a narrative work of prose fiction that tells a story about specific
human experiences over a considerable length.
It has a word count of between 80,000-100,000.
A. NOVELA
-has a word count of between 10,000-40,000.
B. NOVELLETE
--has a word count of between 7,500-17,000.
I. PROSE
A. FICTION
2. SHORT STORY
It is brief fictional prose narrative that is shorter than a novel and that usually
deals with only a few characters.
The short story is usually concerned with a single effect conveyed in only one
or a few significant episodes or scenes.
It has a word count of between 5,000-10,000.

3. PLAYS
This is presented on a stage, is divided into acts and each
act has many scences.

4. LEGENDS
These are fictitious narratives usually about origins
I. PROSE
A. FICTION
5. FABLES
These are fictitious stories that deal with animals and inanimate things who
speak and act kike people and their purpose is to enlighten the minds of
children to events that can mold their ways and attitudes.

6. ANECDOTES
An anecdote is a quick story about something of
interest, usually with a singular theme or lesson. Usually,
they are employed in a way that will make the audience
and/or other characters laugh or think more deeply
about a topic.
I. PROSE
B. NON-FICTION
1. ESSAY
This expresses the viewpoint or opinion of the writer about a particular problem
or event.
2. BIOGRAPHY
It is a form of literature, commonly considered nonfictional, the subject of
which is the life of an individual.
3. AUTO-BIOGRAPHY
It is the biography of oneself narrated by oneself.
4. NEWS
This is a report of everyday events in society, governmemt, science,
and industry.
5. ORATION
This is a formal treatment of a subject and is intended to be spoken in
public. It appeals to the intellect, to the will or to the emotions of the
audience.
II. POETRY
A. LYRIC POETRY
It is the most familiar kind of poetry. It is closest to music, the ancient lyrics
having been sung to the accompaniment of the lyre, whence its name. It is
about love, woman- about almost any subject which may move the writer. They
are usually short, simple and easy to understand.

1. ODE
It is a lyric poem, often in the form of an address.
It is an elaborately structured poem praising or glorifying
an event or individual
2. ELEGY
It is a lyric poem which expresses feelings of grief and
melancholy.
It is a lament on the death of a person.
II. POETRY
A. LYRIC POETRY
3. FOLKSONGS (AWIT NG BAYAN)
These are short poems intended to be sung. The common theme is love,
despair, grief, doubt, joy, hope and sorrow.

4. SONNETS
This is a lyric poem of 14 lines dealing with an emotion, a feeling or an
idea.

5. PSALMS (DALIT)
This is a song praising God and containing a philosophy of
life.
II. POETRY
A. LYRIC POETRY
6. SONGS (AWIT)
These have measures of 12 syllables (dodecasyllabic)
and slowly sung to the accompaniment of a guitar or
banduria

7. CORRIDOS (KURIDOS)
They have measures of eight syllables (octosyllabic)
and recited to martial beat.
II. POETRY
B. NARRATIVE POETRY
It is a literary piece that tells a story. Like a novel or a short story, a narrative
poem has plot, characters, and setting. Using a range of poetic techniques such
as rhyme and meter, narrative poetry presents a series of events, often
including action and dialogue.
1. EPIC
It is a long narrative almost always in verse, dealing with more or less
fabulous adventures. It usually deals with deities and heroes. It is a long
narrative poem recounting heroic deeds.
FOLK/POPULAR
-A type of Epic piece on which the authors are unknown.

LITERARY
-A type of Epic piece on which the authors are known
II. POETRY
B. NARRATIVE POETRY
2. BALLAD
Of the narrative poems, this is considered the shortest and simplest. It
has structure and tells of a single incident.

There are also variations of these: love ballads, war ballads, and sea
ballads, humurous, moral, and historical or mythical ballads. In the early
times, this referred to a song accompanying a dance.
II. POETRY
C. DRAMATIC POETRY
Dramatic Poetry is a poem written in verse form that is meant to portray a story
or situation. Oftentimes, dramatic poetry is acted out, either as a play or as a
single monologue.

1. COMEDY
It comes from the Greek term 'komos' meaning festivity or revelry. This
form is usually light and written with the purpose of amusing, and usually
has a happy ending.
2. MELODRAMA
This is usually used in musical plays with the opera.
Today, this is related to tragedy. It arouses immediate
and intense emotion and is usually sad but there's a
happy ending for the principal character.
II. POETRY
C. DRAMATIC POETRY
3. TRAGEDY
This involves the hero struggling mightily against dynamic forces; he
meets death or ruin without success and satisfaction obtained by the
protagonist in a comedy.

4. FARCE
This is an exaggerated comedy. It seeks to arouse mirth by
laughable lines; situations are too ridiculous to be true; the
characters seem to be caricatures and the motives undignified and
absurd.
5. SOCIAL POEMS
This form is either purely comic or tragic and it pictures the life of
today. It may aim to bring about changes in the social conditions.