POETRYPO

TION

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 TION

FICTIONO
DRAMA
 CHARACTERISTICS AND
COMMON GENRES OF
ENGLISH - AMERICAN
LITERATURE
REPORTER: ELAINE A. PELIGRIN
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the discussion, the students should be able to:

a. learn the Characteristics of English Literature;

b. learn the Characteristics of American Literature; and
c. know the common genres of English-American Literature.
ENGLISH LITERATURE
- these are the collection of literary works written in Great
Britain and British Colonies from 7th century to the present
day.
AMERICAN LITERATURE
- these are literary works written and published in America.
-America was colonized by British people that is why the
written and published works during British Colony in
America was part of English Literature.
 Characteristics of English Literature

1. Classic and Refined

 Since English literature emerged earlier than other
literature, literary works are classic because they were
written hundreds of years ago, and it was passed by many
generations, it never seems to grow old. Many English
writers such as Shakespeare and Chaucer were found
valuable from generation to generation. There is something
in English literature where the works of the author
transcends from time to time and still relevant up until today.
 Characteristics of English Literature

2. Literary works reflects about their ideas,

beliefs, and tradition
 We know that English Literature is described
chronologically like old, English, and all other years
or periods of literature. Most of their works show their
concern on the society such as political organization,
war, the validity of family and of marriage. Others
also wrote about their political views and the rules of
society.
 Characteristics of English Literature

3. Relatively Small-scale
 Other characteristics that are often we can recall
about English Literature is that the scope of the piece
mostly is small-scale or family-based settings.
 The most common example here is the story of
“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare which is
about family.
 Characteristics of English Literature

Most Common Themes in English Literature In

English Literature, most featured are about the
intelligence of the people, manners, and the big
difference of the rich and the poor. They also portray
plots on the subjects and gives emphasis on
characterization.
 Characteristics of American Literature

1. American Literature is a young

literature
 Since Americans was colonized before it
only emerged recently when they gained
their independence hundreds of years ago
in the 17th century.
 Characteristics of American Literature

2. Most pieces disregard the traditional writing styles and themes

•  Because of the British Colonialism in America, they tried to resist
anything from colonialism that is why traditional style were
disregarded. They are focus more on contemporary style and
writers have this modern taste in writing pieces of literature.

• They tried to make their own genre like writing detective stories,
science fiction, and techniques like the famous writer Edgar Allan
Poe who is the Father of Detective stories.
 Characteristics of American Literature
3. Literary works focus on individualism, romanticism,
realism, modernism, and naturalism
 Americans have a great respect for the value and
importance of an individual and also in democracy. Their
society has this called “individualist culture” which is the
idea of one focusing on their own goals and desires rather
than acting upon within a company or a group. This idea is
reflected on writings and literary works of writers in America
and one example is the story from Jenesse Williams
entitles” The Glass Menagerie” that tackle about the
individualism of Americans.
 Characteristics of American Literature
4. More realistic in portraying characters

 In most of their literature, it shows about their

definition of life which is the new way of life and new
nations consciousness.
 Mark Twain is one of the writers who liberated
America to a creative and more realistic perspective
in writing.
 Common Genres of English Literature

1. Drama
 Drama is a literary composition that is intended for
performance. It is also a generic term that refers to
the different forms of presentation that are meant to
inform, to educate and to entertain the audience at
the same time.
 A well-known play or a work of drama for the
English literature is Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare (father of English literature).
 Common Genres of English Literature

2. Fiction
 Fiction involves literary works that are created from
the imagination and is not presented as fact. One
example of fiction is the novel of Jane Austen entitled
Pride and Prejudice. It is a romance type of fiction
novel that shows how the two characters come to
accept the goodness of each other despite of their
pride and prejudice.
 Common Genres of English Literature

3. Poetry
 Poetry is a type of literature, or artistic writing, that
attempts to stir a reader’s imagination or emotions.
 An example of well-known poetry specifically an
epic poem is the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer.
These works are said to be the earliest form of epic
in the history of English literature.
 Common Genres of American Literature

Similar to English literature, American literature is also

composed of genres such as
fiction, drama and poetry. Here are the notable works per
genres.
1. Fiction
For the genre of fiction, Mark Twain has a well-known novel
entitled The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn (1884). This novel talks about slavery and
racism which is very American in nature.
 Common Genres of American Literature
2. Drama
For the genre of drama, there is this work of Margaret Mitchell
entitled “Gone with the Wind” This drama has a touch of
romance and talks about American history, specifically
significant happenings during the American civil war.
3. Poetry
Poetry is very significant during the American revolution
because Americans used it as their weapon in stating their
arguments and in celebrating their heroes in verse and songs.
Some of the said poetries are Yankee Doodle, The epilogue
and Nathan Hale.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!!