GENRES

Genre is a French term derived from the Latin genus, generis, meaning "type,"
"sort," or "kind." It designates the literary form or type into which works are
classified according to what they have in common, either in their formal structures or
in their treatment of subject matter, or both. The study of genres may be of value in
three ways. On the simplest level, grouping works offers us an orderly way to talk
about an otherwise bewildering number of literary texts. More importantly, if we
recognize the genre of a text, we may also have a better idea of its intended overall
structure and/or subject. Finally, a genre approach can deepen our sense of the value
of any single text, by allowing us to view it comparatively, alongside many other
texts of its type.

Classification By Types
While the number of genres and their subdivisions has proliferated since classical
times, the division of the literary domain into three major genres (by Plato, Aristotle,
and, later, Horace), is still useful. These are lyric, drama, and epic, and they are
distinguished by "manner of imitation," that is, by how the characters and the action
are presented. The chart briefly summarizes the main differences in the way action
and characters are presented in the lyric, drama, and the epic.
Lyric: The poet writes
the poem as his or her
own experience; often
the poet uses first person
("I"); however, this
speaker is not
necessarily the poet but
may be a fictional
character or persona.

Drama: The characters are

obviously separate from the writer;
in fact, they generally seem to have
lives of their own and their speech
reflects their individual
personalities. The writer is present,
of course, in stage directions (which
the audience isn't aware of during a
performance), and occasionally a
character acts as a mouthpiece for
the writer.

Epic: This long

narrative is primarily
written in third person.
However, the epic poet
makes his presence
known, sometimes by
speaking in first person,
as when the muses are
appealed to for
inspiration (the
invocation) or by
reporting the direct
speech of the characters.