BASICS OF LITERATURE Ifeoma Odinye First published in Nigeria in 2021 ISBN: 979-978-8454-90-6 Copyright © Ifeoma Odinye 2021 Telephone: 08032617858 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Printed by: Thinkers Publishers P.O. Box 306 Agulu Anambra State, Nigeria E-mail: thinkerspublishers@yahoo.com Website: https://thinkerspublishers.business.site Phone: 07031048438, 08038393389 mailto:thinkerspublishers@yahoo.com https://thinkerspublishers.business.site/ Dedication To Lovers of literature, People who drink knowledge like water. Preface This book has been written for students, teachers and all lovers of imaginative literature. It can be used by students at different levels of higher education. I have written this book to add value to academic readership. The book explores the dynamics of literature with coherent exploration of the basic genres. The book also takes into account the perspectives of others with apt interpretation laced with simple expressions and clarity. The cited works are literary proofs chosen to deepen clarity in the interpretation given about literature, its genres, features and important elements. Notably, this book has been carved out of my years of teaching and mentoring in the university. I wouldn’t have written it without the good academic background made available by my teachers at different levels of my academic journey. Ifeoma Ezinne Odinye (PhD) Contents Dedication …………………………………………………………. III Preface ……………………………………………………………... IV Table of contents …………………………………………………… V Chapter one: The Rubrics of Literature ………………………….. 1 Literature ……..……………………………………………………… 2 Introduction: Understanding Literature and its Basic Concepts …….. 2 Basic Functions of Literature ………………………………………... 6 Basic Forms of Literature …………………………………………… 10 Oral Literature ……………………………………………….. 10 Written Literature ……………………………………………. 11 Three Main Genres of Literature ……………………………………. 12 Poetry …………………………………………………........... 13 Drama …………………………………………………….….. 13 Prose ……………………………………………………….… 13 Literary Appreciation …………………………………………….….. 14 Criteria for Literary Appreciation ………………………………….... 16 Context-Based Appreciation ………………………………… 16 Structure-Based Appreciation ……………………………….. 16 Theme-Based Appreciation …………………………………. 16 Style-Based Appreciation …………………………………… 17 Theories for Literary Criticism/Appreciation ……………………….. 17 Feminist Theory ……………………………………………... 17 Postcolonial Theory …………………………………………. 18 Marxist Theory …………………………………………….…19 Psychoanalytic Theory ……………………………………… 20 Ecocriticism ……………………………………….………... 21 Structuralist Theory ………………………………….……... 22 Elements Useful for Literary Appreciation …………………………. 23 Subject Matter/ Theme ……………………………………… 23 Plot ………………………………………………………….. 24 Setting ……………………………………………………….. 24 Diction/Style ………………………………………………… 24 Character/Characterization ………………………………….. 24 Point of view ………………………………………………… 25 Tone/ Mood ………………………………………………….. 25 Chapter Two: The Essentials of Poetry …………………………… 27 Poetry as a Literary Genre .....................................................................28 What is Poetry? ………………………...…………………………….. 29 Who is a poet? ……………………………………………………….. 32 Poetic Diction ………………………………………………………... 33 Poetic License ……………………………………………………….. 35 Essential Characteristics of Poetry …………………………………... 37 Essential Elements of Poetry ………………………………………… 41 Title ………………………………………………………... 41 Subject Matter/Theme …………………………………….. 41 Diction …………………………………………………….. 42 Style ……………………………………………………….. 42 Rhythm/Rhyme ……………………………………………. 43 Figures of Speech ………………………………………….. 45 Mood/Tone ………………………………………………… 49 Stanza ……………………………………………………… 49 Point of View ……………………………………………… 50 Types of Poetry ……………………………………………………….. 51 Sonnet ……………………………………………………… 51 Epic ………………………………………………………… 53 Ballad ………………………………………………………. 81 Elegy ……………………………………………………….. 91 Dirge ……………………………………………………….. 95 Ode ………………………………………………………… 97 Narrative Poem ……………………………………………..101 Pastoral Poem ……………………………………………… 110 Lyric Poems ……………………………………………….. 117 Parody ……………………………………………………... 118 Poetry and Literary Appreciation …………………………………….. 120 Chapter Three: Basics of Drama …………………………………... 125 Drama as a Literary Genre …………………………………………… 126 Definition of Drama ………………………………………………….. 126 Basic Distinguishing Features of Drama ……………………………. 132 Basic Genres of Drama ……………………………………………… 136 Tragedy ……………………………………………………… 137 Tragedy and Intrisic Measures ……………………………… 139 Comedy ……………………………………………………... 140 Characteristics of Comedy ………………………………….. 142 Types of Comedy …………………………………………… 142 Comedy of Manners ………………………………… 144 Comedy of Humours ………………………………... 145 Comedy of Errors …………………………………… 145 Comedy of Intrigues ………………………………… 145 Farce ………………………………………………… 145 Masque ……………………………………………… 146 Sentimental Comedy ………………………………... 146 Burlesque …………………………………………… 146 Parody ………………………………………………. 146 Dark comedy ……………………………………….. 147 Tragicomedy ……………………………………………………... 147 Melodrama ……………………………………………………….. 148 Basic Elements of Drama ………………………………………... 148 Plot …………………………………………………………. 148 Character/Imitation…………………………………………. 150 Theme ……………………………………………………… 150 Diction / Dialogue …………………………………………. 151 Music ………………………………………………………. 152 Spectacle ………………………………………………….... 152 Action ……………………………………………………… 152 Audience …………………………………………………... 152 Mood …………………………………………………….... 153 Setting …………………………………………………….. 153 Conflict …………………………………………………… 153 Climax ……………………………………………………. 153 Chapter Four: Rudiments of Prose Fiction ……………………. 155 Prose as a Literary Genre …………………………………………. 156 Kinds of Prose …………………………………………………….. 157 The Descriptive Prose ……………………………………. 157 Expository Prose …………………………………………. 158 The Narrative Prose ……………………………………… 159 Argumentative Prose …………………………………….. 159 Dramatic Prose ……………………………………………159 Contemplative Prose ……………………………………... 160 Informative Prose ……………………………………........ 160 Emotional Prose ………………………………………….. 160 Significant Aspects of Prose ………………………………………160 Prose Poetry ……………………………………………… 160 Non-Fiction ………………………………………………. 160 Categories of Non-Fiction ………………………... 161 Autobiography ……………………………………. 161 Biography ………………………………………… 161 Essay ……………………………………………… 161 Pamphlet ………………………………………….. 162 Travelogue ………………………………………... 162 Fiction ……………….……………………………………. 162 Aspects of Fiction ………………………………………… 164 Short story ………………………………………. 164 Novella or Novelette ……………………………. 164 Novel ……………………………………………. 165 Romance ………………………………………… 166 Elements of Prose Fiction ………………………………….. 167 Plot …………………………………………….... 167 Characterization/Character ……………………… 172 Setting …………………………………………… 175 Subject Matter/Themes ………………………...... 176 Style ……………………………………………... 177 Diction/Language ……………………………….. 177 Point of View ……………………………………. 178 Title ……………………………………………… 179 Distinctive Features of Prose ………………………………………. 180 Works Cited ……………………………………………………….. 181