DIVISIONS OF LITERATURE

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).

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)
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

DEFINITION

Poetry -

it is a written in verse form in it appeals to the heart it is to entertain and inspire

the readers.

It is literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or

a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its
meaning, sound, and rhythm

PROSE -

It is written in an ordinary form pills to the mind

it aims to inform and enlighten the readers

It is a literacy device referring to writing that is structured in a grammatical way,

with words and phrases that build sentences and paragraphs. Works written in
prose feature language that flows in natural patterns of everyday speech.
CATEGORIES OF

LITERATURE

PROSE

I. FICTION

II. NON-FICTION

POETRY

I. LYRIC POETRY

II. NARRATIVE POETRY

III. DRAMATIC POETRY

l. 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.

I. PROSE

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

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
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

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.

4. NEWS

This is a report of everyday events in society, governmemt, science, and industry.

3. AUTO-BIOGRAPHY

It is the biography of oneself narrated by oneself.

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.

ll. 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.

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.

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

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,
humourous, 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.

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