Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Literature - Wikipedia
Literature - Wikipedia
Definitions
Definitions of literature have varied over
time: it is a "culturally relative
definition".[1] In Western Europe prior to
the 18th century, literature denoted all
books and writing.[1] A more restricted
sense of the term emerged during the
Romantic period, in which it began to
demarcate "imaginative" writing.[2][3]
Contemporary debates over what
constitutes literature can be seen as
returning to older, more inclusive notions;
cultural studies, for instance, takes as its
subject of analysis both popular and
minority genres, in addition to canonical
works.
Genres …
Literary genre is a mode of categorizing
literature. A French term for "a literary
type or class".[12] However, such classes
are subject to change, and have been
used in different ways in different periods
and traditions.
History
This section possibly contains original
research. Learn more
Poetry
A calligram by Guillaume Apollinaire. These are a
type of poem in which the written words are
arranged in such a way to produce a visual image.
Prose
Prose is a form of language that
possesses ordinary syntax and natural
speech, rather than a regular metre; in
which regard, along with its presentation
in sentences rather than lines, it differs
from most poetry.[44][45][53] However,
developments in modern literature,
including free verse and prose poetry
have tended to blur any differences, and
American poet T.S. Eliot suggested that
while: "the distinction between verse and
prose is clear, the distinction between
poetry and prose is obscure".[54]
Fiction …
Novel …
Novella …
Short story …
A dilemma in defining the "short story" as
a literary form is how to, or whether one
should, distinguish it from any short
narrative; hence it also has a contested
origin,[71] variably suggested as the
earliest short narratives (e.g. the Bible),
early short story writers (e.g. Edgar Allan
Poe), or the clearly modern short story
writers (e.g. Anton Chekhov).[72] Apart
from its distinct size, various theorists
have suggested that the short story has a
characteristic subject matter or
structure;[73][74] these discussions often
position the form in some relation to the
novel.[75]
Essays …
An essay consists of a discussion of a
topic from an author's personal point of
view, exemplified by works by Michel de
Montaigne or by Charles Lamb. Genres
related to the essay may include the
memoir and the epistle.
Natural science …
Philosophy …
History …
Law …
Drama
Drama is literature intended for
performance.[76] The form is often
combined with music and dance, as in
opera and musical theatre. A play is a
subset of this form, referring to the
written dramatic work of a playwright
that is intended for performance in a
theater; it comprises chiefly dialogue
between characters, and usually aims at
dramatic or theatrical performance rather
than at reading. A closet drama, by
contrast, refers to a play written to be
read rather than to be performed; hence,
it is intended that the meaning of such a
work can be realized fully on the page.[77]
Nearly all drama took verse form until
comparatively recently.
Literary techniques
Literary technique and literary device are
used by authors to produce specific
effects.
Literary techniques encompass a wide
range of approaches: examples for
fiction are, whether a work is narrated in
first-person, or from another perspective;
whether a traditional linear narrative or a
nonlinear narrative is used; the literary
genre that is chosen.
United Kingdom …
Awards
There are numerous awards recognizing
achievement and contribution in
literature. Given the diversity of the field,
awards are typically limited in scope,
usually on: form, genre, language,
nationality and output (e.g. for first-time
writers or debut novels).[80]
See also
Philosophy and literature
Lists
List of authors
List of books
List of literary magazines
List of literary terms
List of women writers
List of writers
Related topics
Asemic writing
Childhood in literature
Children's literature
Cultural movement for literary
movements.
English studies
Ergodic literature
Erotic literature
Hinman collator
Hungryalism
Literature basic topics
Literary agent
Literature cycle
Literary element
Literary magazine
Modern Language Association
Orature
Postcolonial literature
Postmodern literature
Popular fiction
Rabbinic literature
Rhetorical modes
Vernacular literature
World literature
Notes
a. However, in some instances a work
has been cited in the explanation of
why the award was given.
References
Citations
Bibliography
Further reading
Major forms
History
External links
News stories
from Wikinews
Definitions
from Wiktionary
Find out
Textbooks
more on
from Wikibooks
Wikipedia's
Sister Quotations
from Wikiquote
projects
Source texts
from Wikisource
Learning resources
from Wikiversity
Data
from Wikidata
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Literature&oldid=935915766"