MODULE 1

Lesson 2: General Types and Forms of Literature

Learning Outcomes:
a. to know what is types and forms of literature
b. understand the importance of studying literature
c. summarize the meaning and differences of poetry and prose
Reference:
The Literature of the Philippines (revised edition). Lacia, Ferdilyn et.al.,REXBookStore, Inc.Philippine copyright
2008.
Reading from World Literatures: Understadig Peoples’ Culture, Traditions and Beliefs. Baldonado, Rizza
S,.Et.al.,Great Book Publishing.2013
Electronic Reference:

Discussion

Literature is the beautiful expression of man’s personal interpretation of some aspect of human life, or
a wording out in a unique, beautiful, and personal manner of saying what an author thinks is a
passionate meaning of life. This is saying that literature not only becomes but is “life itself.”
– Amador Daguio

WHY IS THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING LITERATURE?

1. LITERATURE HELPS US GROWING BOTH PERSONALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY.

2. literature links us with the world of which we are a part.

3. literature enables us to transcend our immediate time, place, and culture and to make
connections with other human beings and their concerns.

4. literature encourage us to develop mature empathy with all forms of life – human, animal, and
plant

5. literature sharpens our sense of moral judgment.

6. literature stimulates our imagination and ingenuity.

7. literature shows the significance of irony, paradox, oxymoron, and ambivalence.

8. literature allows us to see the world in different vantage points.

9. literature relives history

10. literature remind us that we are human beings.

LITERARY TYPES AND FORMS

Literature is classified into four genres:
A. Prose Fiction
B. Poetry
C. Drama
D. Nonfiction Prose
A. PROSE FICTION present a story that is invented and not literally “true.” It is written to be read
rather than acted or performed, and the events depicted are told to us by a narrator, not enacted or
dramatized. The most encountered prose fiction is novel and shorty story.
It is also consisting of those written within the common flow of conversation in sentences and
paragraphs, while poetry refers to those expressions in verse, with measure and rhyme, line and
stanza and has a more melodious tone.

There are many types of Prose. These include the following:

a. Myth is often a story of origins, how the world and everything in it came to be. It orients
people to the metaphysical dimension, attempts to explain the origins and nature of the
world.

b. Legend comes from Latin word adj. legenda. These are fictitious narratives, usually about
origins. It also refers to unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one
popularly believed to be historical.
Example: THE BIKOL LEGEND by Pio Duran

c. Parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson. Mostly the stories are taken
from the bible.

Example: Ang Alibughang Anak

d. Anecdotes. These are merely products of the writer’s imagination and the main aim is to
bring out lessons to the reader.
Example: THE MOTH AND THE LAMP

e. Fables. These are also fictitious and they deal with animals and inanimate things that speak
and act like people and their purpose is to enlighten the minds of children to events that can
mold their ways and attitudes.
Example: THE MONKEY AND THE TURTLE

f. Fairy Tale is a kind of folktale or fable. In this story, we meet witches and queens, giants and
elves, princes, dragon, talking animals, orges, princesses and sometimes even fairies.
Marvelous and magical things happen to characters in fairy tales.
Example: Snow White and the Seven Elves

g. Short story. This is a narrative involving one or more characters, one plot and one single
impression. It may be written in the mode of fantasy, realism or naturalism. It usually focuses
on one important events in the lives of a small number of central characters.
Example: THE LAUGHTER OF MY FATHER by Carlos Bulosan

h. Novel.  A long narrative divided into chapters and events are taken from true-to-life stories. It
typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of numerous
characters placed in a number of different situations.
Example: WITHOUT SEEING THE DAWN by Stevan Javellana.

B. POETRY
Is a piece of art written by a poet in meter or verse expressing various emotions which are
expressed but the use of variety of techniques including metaphors, similes and onomatopoeia. It
heavily uses imagery and word association to quickly convey emotions.
There are three types of poetry and these are the following:
1. Lyric Poetry is a comparative short, non-narrative poem in which a single speaker presents a
state of mind or an emotional state. It retains some of the elements of song which is said to
be its origin.
 a. Song is a musical work, an abstract entity that serves as an umbrella for many
versions or renditions. It is means to be sung
b. Folksongs (Awiting Bayan). These are short poems intended to be sung. The
common theme is love, despair, grief, doubt, joy, hope and sorrow.
Example: CHIT-CHIRIT-CHIT
c. Psalms (Dalit). This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing a
philosophy of life.
d. Awit (Song). These have measures of twelve syllables (dodeca syllabic) and slowly
sung to the accompaniment of a guitar or banduria.
Example: FLORANTE AT LAURA by Francisco Balagtas
e. Corridos (Kuridos). These have measures of eight syllables (octo syllabic) and recited
to a martial beat.
Example: IBONG ADARNA
f. Sonnet is a fourteen-line poem in iambc pentameter. Iambic refers to the name of the
foot, which is composed for a weaker syllable followed by an accented syllable.
Pentameter refers to the number of feet in a line, in this case five.
g. Elegy is a meditative lyric poem lamenting the death of a public personage or of a
friend or loved one; by extension, any reflective lyric on the broader theme human
morality.
h. Ode this is a poem of a noble feeling, expressed with dignity, with no definite number
of syllables or definite number of lines in a stanza.

2. Narrative Poetry gives a verbal presentation, in verse, of a sequence of connected events. It

propels characters through plot. It is always told by a narrator. It may tell a love story, the
story of a father and son, or the deeds of a hero or heroine.
a. Ballad is a song, originally transmitted orally, which tells a story. It is an important
form of folk poetry which has adapted for literary uses from the sixteenth century
onwards. The ballad stanza is usually a four-line stanza alternating tetrameter and
trimester.
b. Metrical Romance is a poem which tells a story that ends happily whether love is
involved or not. It represents a chivalric theme or relates improbable adventures of
idealized characters in some remote or enchanted settings.
c. Epic is an extended narrative poem that operates in large scale, both in length and
topic.

3. Dramatic Poetry like narrative poetry, tell stories. But in dramatic poetry, the poet lets one or
more the story’s characters act out of the story. Many plays are written as dramatic poetry.
a. Dramatic Monologue is a combination of the words dramatic and monologue. The
dramatic says that it could be acted, and is a form of drama, while the monologue it
as a speech that one person makes, either to himself or to another. It is written to
reveal both the situation at hand and the character himself.
b. Soliloquy is a long speech in which a character who is alone on a stage expresses his
or her private thoughts or feelings. It is intended to give the illusions of unspoken
reflections.

C. DRAMA comes from the Greek word “dran” which means “to do” or “to act”. It is story acted out.
It shows people going through some eventful period in their lives, seriously or humorously. The
speech and action of a play recreate the flow of human life, which comes fully to life only on the
stage.
1. Tragedy refers to a drama in which a heroic protagonist meets an unhappy or
calamitous, brough about by some fatal flaw of character, by circumstances outside
his or her control.
a. Tragicomedy refers to fictional works that blend aspect of the genres of
tragedy and comedy. It I a serious play with a happy ending.
 b. Melodrama is formed by combining the words “melody” (from the Greek
word “melōidía” meaning “song and “drama”. Thus, in melodrama, music is
used to increase spectator’s emotional response or to suggest character
types.

2. Comedy depicts humorous incidents in which protagonist are faced with moderate
difficulties but overcome them and the play ends happily. Instead of isolated like
tragic heroes, comic protagonists are comfortable with their society.
a. Satirical Comedy generally includes human folly and associated political,
social and moral problems.
b. The Comedy of Manners, depicts the romantic intrigues of a sophisticated
upper class, including witty repartee and humorous socal blundering.
c. Romantic Comedy involves idealized romantic love, as in romance.
d. Black Comedy includes laughter as a kind of defense mechanism when a
situation, dispassionately considered would be horrifying.
e. Farce depends upon ridiculous situations, exaggerated character types,
coarse humor and horseplay for its comic effects.
3. Religious Dramas. Arranged according to the appearance in the liturgical calendar of
the events they celebrate.
These are as follows:
a. The Panuluyan is literary, seeking entrance the Tagalog version of the
Mexican Posadas. It is also called Pananapatan or panawagan.
b. The Cenaculo was originally just dramatization of the passion and death of
Jesus Christ presented during Maundy Thursday an Good Friday.
c. The Salubong an Easter play that dramatizes the meeting of the Risen Christ
and his mother.
d. The Moriones refers to the participants dressed as Roman soldiers, their
identities hidden behind colorful, sometimes grotesque, wooden masks.
e. The Tibag or Santacruzan, performed during the month of May which has the
devotion to the Holy Cross. It depicts St. Elena’s search for the cross on which
died.
f. The Pangangaluluwa an interesting socio-religious practice on All Saints’ Day
which literally means “For the Soul”

D. NONFICTION PROSE presents factual information or expresses a viewpoint.

1. Autobiography which comes from Greek words auton, “self”, bios “life” and
graphein, “write” is a personal account of a person’s life written by another
person.
2. Biography which comes from the Greek words “bios” meaning “life”, and
“graphein” meaning “write” is a personal account of a person’s life written
by another person.
3. Character Sketch is a abbreviated portrayal of a particular characteristic of a
people. It emphasizes the most striking part of a person’s life.
4. Diary or Journal is a daily record of events in a person’s life.
5. Editorial is a statement or an article by a news organization, newspaper or
magazine that expresses the opinion of the editor, editorial board or
publisher.
6. Essay is a brief work nonfiction that offers an opinion on a subject.

Activity: (Your activity will be given through online.)