North Eastern Mindanao State

University

Introduction
to Literature
Instructor: Roderick P. Geroche, LPT
Literature
It can be any written work, but mainly it is an
artistic or intellectual work of writing.

The usage of language in literature differs

sometimes from the way it is ordinarily used. The
difference is the use of artistic tools to create
aesthetic beauty in a text.

All literature can be sorted into one of two

categories: nonfiction, which describes writing
based on facts, and fiction, which is fabricated to
some degree.
Types of Literature
Fiction Non-Fiction
Drama
Journalism
●Comedy Prose
Essay
●Tragedy ●Novels
Biography
●Musical ●Short Story
Autobiography
●Melodrama ●Textbooks
●Fable
Poetry ●Historical
●Ballads/ ●Science
Songs Fiction
●Epic ●Realistic
Fiction
●Mythology
Drama
Drama is a play in literature, and a playwright composes it. It
portrays fictional or non-fictional stories. To explain away
certain events, characters, or stories, a drama is produced,
using dialogues or actions. It can be performed on stage, radio
or on big screens as in films. Conflicts, emotions and impressive
characters are required to produce a high-quality drama. There
are many forms of drama but some of the most common
are: comedy, tragedy, musical
drama and melodrama.
Comedy
Comedy is a type of drama, which is lighter in tone. Its
purpose is to make the audience laugh and amuse them.
It has a happy ending. Very unusual circumstances are
there coupled with quick and witty remarks. People
consider it as the most entertaining and fun form of
drama and literature
Tragedy
Tragedy is the type of drama that has a dark theme. It
portrays suffering, pain, longing, and often death.
Musical Drama
A musical drama tells a story with dialogues, songs,
music, and dance. These things convey the emotions in
the drama.

Melodrama
Melodrama is a kind of drama that portrays exaggerated
emotions like tension or excitement. It arouses the same
emotions in the audience and makes them indulged in it.
The situation and the dialogues are more important in a
melodrama than action.
Poetry
Poetry is an art form that uses language to arouse
feelings, spur ideas, and spark the imagination. It goes
beyond the limitations of traditional language to paint
pictures with words and capture the essence of human
experiences in a special and condensed way. Poets use
rhythm, vivid descriptions, imaginative language, and a
lyrical arrangement of words to bring their thoughts to
life.

William Wordsworth defines Poetry as “the spontaneous

overflow of powerful feelings”.
Ballad
Through a series of verses, a ballad poem tells a story. It
often has a musical quality and is designed to be sung or
recited. Ballads typically focus on themes of love,
adventure, tragedy, or folklore, and they often have a
regular rhyme scheme and a simple, repetitive structure.
They were traditionally passed down orally through
generations, preserving stories and legends in a
captivating and memorable way.
Epic
Often written in book form, an epic is a long narrative
poem that tells heroic stories or describes grand
adventures. It often follows a larger-than-life protagonist
who embarks on a remarkable journey or faces
extraordinary challenges. They are known for their
elevated language, epic similes, and grand scale. They’re
filled with heroic deeds, mythical creatures, and epic
battles, and are often about legendary heroes and their
quests, exploring themes of honor, bravery, and the
human condition.
Prose
Prose in literature is somewhat plain and simple. It has
no special grammar structure or a writing pattern to
follow. It is written in a usual tone, forming into a natural
speech or a conversational tone. Nothing is specific in
prose. Paragraphs or sentences can be long or short.
Novels
A novel is a lengthy, fictional narrative written in prose,
typically focusing on the development of characters, an
engaging plot structure, and a coherent theme. As a
literary work, it provides readers with a window into the
human experience, often exploring the complexities of
emotions, relationships, and societal issues.
Short Stories
A short story is a brief fictional prose narrative that can
be read in one sitting. It usually deals with only a few
characters and a single effect. The average short story is
between 1,000 and 10,000 words, but some may be
longer or shorter. Short stories tend to be less complex
than novels.
Fables
Writers write a fable when the intention is to provide the
audience with a moral story. A fable usually uses animals
as characters to convey the story. In Fables, animals act
like humans and can speak and understand reasoning.
They are a personification of human characteristics and
their nature.
Science Fiction
Science fiction, also called “sci-fi,” is a genre of literature
where most of the things are imaginary. The stories are
about the future technology. These fiction stories also
have a relationship to real science laws, because science
considers those things possible in the future, according
to the scientific laws. Science fictions are sometimes true
and sometimes they are just imaginations based on
assumptions.
Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional
plot takes place in the setting of particular real
historical events.
Lyric Poetry
Modern lyric poetry is a formal type of poetry
that expresses personal emotions or feelings,
typically spoken in the first person.
Folklore
The songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a people or
"folk" as handed down by word of mouth.
Genre of Literature
Non-Fiction
Journalism
Essay
Biography
Autobiography
Literary Journalism
● Literary journalism is a genre created with
the help of a reporter’s inner voice and
employing a writing style based on literary
techniques. The journalists working in the
genre of literary journalism must be able to
use the whole literary arsenal: epithets,
impersonations, comparisons, allegories, etc.
Essays
● An essay in the field of literature is a form of
written expression that delves into the
analysis and interpretation of literary works.
It goes beyond mere summary or plot
description. Instead, it scrutinizes the text’s
language, structure, themes, and literary
devices employed by the author.
Biography
Biography:
1. A biography is an account that tells someone else’s life
story.
2. It is written by a third party, not the subject of the
biography.
3. The author collects information about the person’s life,
including details such as birthplace, education, work,
relationships, and demise.
4. Biographies are based on research, external sources, and
facts.
5. They provide an objective view of the subject’s life.
6. Examples include biographies of historical figures, artists,
scientists, and leaders.
Autobiography
An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by
that person themselves.
1. The word “auto” means “self”, so an autobiography is
narrated by the author.
2. Autobiographies include personal experiences, emotions,
and thoughts.
3. The author may write it directly or hire ghostwriters.
4. It covers the narrator’s character, birthplace, upbringing,
education, challenges, achievements, and life events.
5. Autobiographies offer a direct experience to readers.
6. Examples include memoirs, personal diaries, and self-
written life stories.
To be continued.