Unit Title: Introduction to Literature and World Literature

Title of the Lesson: Why and How to Study World Literature

Genres of Literature

How to Read and Study Literary Pieces

Duration: 9 Hours

Introduction

This module will help you discuss and understand the rudimentary or basic principles of

literature in general and masterpieces of world literature in particular. By using this

module, you will have a recapitulation of what literature is all about, its forms, genres and

approaches to critically appreciate its masterpieces. Also, you will encounter exercises

that will help you deepen your comprehension and will give you link on how the study of

literature will help you to become an ideal graduate of Bulacan State University.

Objectives/Competencies

LO1: State the importance of studying world’s masterpieces

Pretest (3-2-1 Process)
The 3-2-1 process provides a structure for student meaning making and summarizing of

key points in a learning experience. Please provide your answers for each item being

requested below:

3 words which come to your mind when you hear “Literature”

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2 questions which you would like to ask to your instructor about literature

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1 expectation about the subject

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Lesson Proper/Course Methodology

Activity
K-W-L (Ogle, 1986) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students

through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they know about a topic. This

information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list

of questions about what they want to know about the topic. These questions are listed in

the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that

are in the W column. This new information that they have learned is recorded in the L

column of the K-W-L chart.

Directions: Answer the KWL chart, and identify what you know, what you want to know

and what you have learned about World Literature.

K W L
Analysis

Literature and World Literature

 Image from: https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/a-small-giant-in-world-literature/

Literature in general and World Literature in particular comes with many forms and

genres which have developed and evolved along the way, as many writers in and

across regions of the world became more engaged with their creative magic potent

images and vary with different cultural impacts and superstructures of society, the result

have brought us revolutionizing effects in the tastes and in literature.

Literature is also viewed as a mirror of society that reflects our societal norms, cultural

values and tradition, personal and collective experiences.

World literature is a collected body of literary texts to the sum of total of world’s national

literature. Commonly these were written by countries’ national artists or Nobel awardees

for literature.

Before dealing with these forms and genres let us have a recapitulation of the definition
of literature:

It comes from the Latin word “literra” which means “alphabet of the letter”. It refers to the

imaginatively and creatively written body works such as ​poetry and prose​, which is

delivered with style and aesthetic value.

The Western Literature

The Western Literature is known for its European background and commonly conceived

in the context of Western culture. It also involves the Indo-European family of languages

and those which are historically and geographically related to European family of

languages like Basque and Hungarian.

This body of literary texts is known for its stories of mythology, Greek to Roman

mythologies and of course the myths from the Norse. In the 5​th ​Century, mythology was

like the air that they breathed for Greeks, and no books for public consumption were

available that time to record their myths; it takes a long time before the story of their

gods and goddesses came into record.

Western Literature also covers the texts from these countries: Greece, Rome, Italy,

France, Spain, Germany, Russia, England and America – these are the popular and

there are other which are less popular.

Oriental and Asian Literature

Oriental and Asian literature cover the literary texts from the following country: India,

Egypt, China, China, Persia, Arabia, and Babylonia.

This body of literary texts is also known for its colorful and artistic tradition that originates

from various religious beliefs and monastic practices across the Asian, Arab and African

regions.

Types of Literature

Literature has basically 2 types according to form or structure. When we refer to form or

structure, we mean how the literary piece is written or constructed. The two types are:
PROSE and POETRY. Below, you can see the differences between them:

PROSE POETRY

• ​Is written in sentences and • ​Is written in meter and verses. ​•

paragraphs.

• ​Uses ordinary language or Uses special or artistic language.

speech.

• ​Commonly discusses issues and

• ​Commonly discusses beautiful
conflicts.
and extraordinary topics.
• ​Written in more natural and
• ​Written in figurative language.
grammatical language.

• ​The shape is not fixed. • ​The shape is fixed.

Types of Prose

• ​Short Story​-these are stories which you can read in one sitting. ​•

Novel​-these are long narrative texts which are divided into chapters. ​•

Play​-a form that entirely told in dialogue.

• ​Essay​-a short piece of writing on a particular subject. It usually presents the

author’s argument.

Types of Poetry
​Below are some of the most common types of poetry which you usually encounter

when reading. It will help you understand poems.

• ​Narrative poetry​-Similar to an epic, a narrative poem tells a story. Henry

​ nd Samuel Taylor
Wadsworth Longfellow’s ​“The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” a

​ xemplify this form.

Coleridge’s ​“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” e

• ​Haiku​-A haiku is a three-line poetic form originating in Japan. The first line has five

syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line again has five

syllables

• ​Pastoral poetry​-A pastoral poem is one that concerns the natural world, rural life,

and landscapes. These poems have persevered from Ancient Greece (in the

poetry of Hesiod) to Ancient Rome (Virgil) to the present day (Gary Snyder).

• ​Sonnet​-A sonnet is a 14 line poem, typically (but not exclusively) concerning the

topic of love. Sonnets contain internal rhymes within their 14 lines; the exact

rhyme scheme depends on the style of a sonnet.

• ​Elegy​-An elegy is a poem that reflects upon death or loss. Traditionally, it contains

themes of mourning, loss, and reflection. However, it can also explore themes of

redemption and consolation.

 • ​Ode​-Much like an elegy, an ode is a tribute to its subject, although the subject

need not be dead—or even sentient, as in John Keats’ ​“Ode on a Grecian Urn”​ .

• ​Lyric poetry​-Lyric poetry refers to the broad category of poetry that concerns

feelings and emotion. This distinguishes it from two other poetic categories: epic

and dramatic.

• ​Ballad​-A ballad (or ballade) is a form of narrative verse that can be either poetic or

musical. It typically follows a pattern of rhymed quatrains. From John Keats to

Samuel Taylor Coleridge to Bob Dylan, it represents a melodious form of

storytelling

• ​Soliloquy​-A soliloquy is a monologue in which a character speaks to him or

herself, expressing inner thoughts that an audience might not otherwise know.

Soliloquies are not definitionally poems, although they often can be—most

famously in the plays of William Shakespeare.

• ​Villanelle​-A nineteen-line poem consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with a

highly specified internal rhyme scheme. Originally a variation on a pastoral, the

villanelle has evolved to describe obsessions and other intense subject matters,

as exemplified by Dylan Thomas, author of villanelles like ​“Do Not Go Gentle Into

That Good Night.”

Figures of Speech

In reading poetry and even prose, you will encounter different figures of speech

employed by the author to add beauty, mystery, and humor to the literary piece. This

figure of speech is defined as word or phrase which meaning is beyond the literal sense

of the word. It is also a literary tool that adds value to the text. Below are the examples

of figures of speech taken from ​https://examples.yourdictionary.com/figure-of-speech

examples.html​:

Figures of speech lend themselves particularly well to literature and poetry. They also

pack a punch in speeches and movie lines. Indeed, these tools abound in nearly every

corner of life. Let's start with one of the more lyrical devices, alliteration.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the beginning sounds of neighboring

words. Examples include:

She sells seashells.

Walter wondered where Winnie was.

Blue baby bonnets bobbed through the bayou.

Nick needed new notebooks.

Fred fried frogs' legs on Friday.

Anaphora

Anaphora is a technique where several phrases or verses begin with the same word or

words.

Examples include:

I came, I saw, I conquered. - Julius Caesar

Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition! - ​King John II​, William Shakespeare It was the

best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of

foolishness. - ​A Tale of Two Cities​, Charles Dickens

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right. - Abraham Lincoln

We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end... we shall never surrender. - Winston

Churchill

Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds (not just letters) in words that are close

together. The sounds don't have to be at the beginning of the word. Examples include:

A - For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore.

(Poe) E - Therefore, all seasons shall be sweet to thee. (Coleridge)

I - From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire.

(Frost) O - Oh hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn. (Wordsworth)

U - Uncertain rustling of each purple curtain (Poe)

Euphemism

Euphemism is a mild, indirect, or vague term that often substitutes a harsh, blunt, or

offensive term.

Examples include:

'A little thin on top' instead of 'going bald.'

'Fell of the back of a truck' instead of 'stolen.'

'Letting you go' instead of 'firing you.'

'Passed away' instead of 'died.'

'Economical with the truth' instead of 'liar.'

Hyperbole

Hyperbole uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Examples include:

I've told you to stop a thousand times.

That must have cost a billion dollars.

I could do this forever.

She's older than dirt.

Everybody knows that.

Irony

Irony occurs when there's a marked contrast between what is said and what is meant, or

between appearance and reality.

Examples include:
"How nice!" she said, when I told her I had to work all weekend. (Verbal irony) A

traffic cop gets suspended for not paying his parking tickets. (Situational irony) The

Titanic was said to be unsinkable but sank on its first voyage. (Situational irony)

Naming a tiny Chihuahua Brutus. (Verbal irony)

When the audience knows the killer is hiding in a closet in a scary movie, but the actors

do not. (Dramatic irony)

Metaphor

A metaphor makes a comparison between two unlike things or

ideas. Examples include:

Heart of stone

Time is money

The world is a stage

She's a night owl

He's an ogre

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is the term for a word that sounds like what it is

describing. Examples include:

Whoosh

Splat

Buzz
Click

Oink

Oxymoron

An oxymoron is two contradictory terms used

together. Examples include:

Peace force

Kosher ham

Jumbo shrimp

Sweet sorrow

Free market

Personification

Personification gives human qualities to non-living things or

ideas. Examples include:

The flowers nodded.

The snowflakes danced.

The thunder grumbled.

The fog crept in.

The wind howled.

Simile

A simile is a comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or
"as." Examples include:

As slippery as an eel

Like peas in a pod

As blind as a bat

Eats like a pig

As wise as an owl

Synecdoche

Synecdoche occurs when a part is represented by the whole or, conversely, the whole is

represented by the part.

Examples include:

Wheels - a car

The police - one policeman

Plastic - credit cards

Coke - any cola drink

Hired hands – workers

Understatement

An understatement occurs when something is said to make something appear less

important or less serious.

Examples include:

It's just a scratch - referring to a large dent.

It's a litttle dry and sandy - referring to the driest desert in the

world. The weather is cooler today - referring to sub-zero

temperatures.

It was interesting - referring to a bad or difficult experience.

It stings a bit - referring to a serious wound or injury.

Why Study World Literature

World literature emerged from the totality of different national literatures around the

world. Writings which are taken from different perspectives of various writers around the

world across time. The potential of a reader to develop critical and thinking through

studying these masterpieces can possibly be acquired ones he or she learn to unravel

the movements and overarching themes of the texts. Add to this are binary oppositions

like the themes of happiness and sadness, war and peace, black and white themes

which rae depicted from real life settings which may help one to reflect and think on the

beauty and mystery of life.

"I study literature because I believe there is power in stories. Literature is both intensely

personal as well as a communal experience. I love examining how words, sentences,

characters, plot-lines and tropes reveal who we are as humans. Humanity is a

complicated thing, and requires an infinite amount of words to describe and analyze.
That's the joy of studying literature, there is always a new reality to discover." ​—​Caitlin

Skvorc

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World Literature depicts the cultural heritage of humanity for civilizations. It will help

students to understand life of people from various society around the world.

As an individual deals with literature, he is also dealing with himself/herself, reading

these masterpieces from the world will taught a person of becoming more

self-introspective and to reflect on one’s action as it detailed human experiences and

history.

How to Study and Read Literary Pieces

Presented by Ang (2012) are the questions which a reader should consider before and

during reading or studying a literary texts in order for him or her to build connections

among the texts, himself and the his or her world.

The Writer’s Life

1. Who wrote the text?

2. What kind of person was he or she?

3. How old was the writer when the poem was written?
The Writer’s Culture

1. In what place and time was it written?

2. What was going on at the time?

3. What events and ideas were important?

4. What was the world view?

The Work (structure, techniques)

1. How many parts are there to this work?

2. How are they related?

3. What key words images, figures of speech, are important?

Characters of Speaker

1. Who is talking here? To whom?

2. What is their relationship like?

3. What motivates them?

4. What conflict do they have?

Ideas, lessons, philosophy

1. What ideas or lessons are expressed or implied here?

2. What values?

3. What forces have determined these events?

4. What are we supposed to learn?

The Reader (yourself as a reader)
 1. How does it make me feel?

2. What features of the work stand out?

3. What happens to me when I read this?

Your Culture

1. What is the present world view in the place where I am situated?

2. What events and ideas are important?

Historical Perspectives

1. Does this refer to historical events?

2. It is about something or somebody in the past?

ABSTRACTION

Directions: Answer the following below with at least 2-3 sentences each reflecting your

thoughts regarding the previous discussion.

What I Learned This Week

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How Can I Use it

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Areas in Which I Am Making Progress

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What I Learned about How I Learn

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My Goal for Next Week

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What I Enjoyed the Most This Week

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APPLICATION

Activity 1: Write an essay with at least 8-10 sentences each which answers the following

question:

1. Discuss literature and world literature.

2. What is the significance of the study of literature in our daily life?

Activity 2: Construct 5 sentences using different figures of speech and state what FOS

you used.

eg. ​Simile. ​Your eyes are shining like the moon.

REFLECTION
I have learned that literature is

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