Literature

is a word which came

from the Latin word
“litera” which means
letter.
 Geoffrey Chaucer
• He was born in London
sometime between
1340 and 1344. He was
an English author, poet,
philosopher, bureaucrat
(courtier), and
diplomat. He is also
referred to as the father
of English Literature.
The Major Genres
Two General Divisions of
Literature

Prose Poetry

Literature
 PROSE
Prose is the
ordinary form of
written language.
Types of Prose

Fiction Non fiction

 Is based on the
writer’s imagination
rather than reality.
A. Fairy tale
• A fairy tale is a short story that typically
features folkloric fantasy characters such as
 Examples of Fairy Tales
Cinderella Little Red Riding Hood The Ugly Duckling by Hans
Charles Perrault
Snow White Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Christian Andersen
(a.k.a The Brothers
Grimm)
B. Myth and Legend
• Myth is a traditional sacred story, typically
revolving around the activities of Gods and
heroes, which aim to explain a natural
phenomenon or cultural practice

• Legends usually about origins. It provides

historical information regarding the culture
and views of particular group of people or
country.
 Examples of Myth
The Story of Cupid The Fall of The Myth
and Psyche
Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis Troy about creation
Peter Ackroyd
 Examples of Legend

Legend of Pineapple Legend of Makahiya

C. Fable
• A short story, typically with animals and
inanimate things who speak and act like
people.
 Examples of Fable

The Grasshopper and the Ants The Hen who dreamed she could fly
Jerry Pinkny Sun-mi Hwang
D. Parable

• A simple story used to

illustrate a moral or
spiritual lesson, as told by
Jesus in the Gospels.
 Examples of Parable

The Parable of the Prodigal Son The Boy who cried the wolf
E. Short Story
• A piece of prose fiction story
• shorter and less elaborate than a novel and be
read in one sitting.
 Examples of Short Story
At War’s End The Necklace The Last Leaf
Ronny V. Diaz Guy De Maupassant O Henry
F. Novel
• An extended or long fictional story in prose
• Usually in the form of a story with chapters.
 Examples of Novel
Pride and The Notebook Anna Karenina Harry Potter
Prejudice Jane Nicholas Spark Leo Tolstoy J.K Rowling
Austen
 F. Novelette - A short novel
The Metamorphosis The Old Man and the Sea The Black Cat
Franz Kafka Ernest Hemingway Edgar Allan Poe
 Flash Fiction: 53- 1,000 words
Short Stories: 3,500- 7,500 words
Novelettes: 7,500- 17,000 words
Novellas: 17,000- 40,000 words
Novels: 40,000+ words
• Novelettes- a short novel.
• Novellas-a story that is longer than a
short story but shorter than novel.
• Novels- a new and different from what
has been knows before.
H. Essay
• Consist of a discussion of a topic from the
author’s personal point of view.
 Examples of Essay
Where the Stress Fall Of Studies
Susan Sontag Francis Bacon
 Written works that gives facts
that can be proved as it provides
real places, events, characters,
times or reality rather than
imaginary things.
 Examples of Non-Fiction
a. History b. Biography

• Study of the past • An account of

as it described in the series of
written events making
document. up a person’s
life.
 Examples of Non-Fiction
c. Autobiography d. Diary e. Letter

• A person’s • A daily written • A written

record of
life history message
experiences and
written by observation. address to a
that person. person or
organization.
•Unit of thought is
expresses in a verse
and a group of
thought is expresses
in a stanza.

•It came from the

Greek word “poiesis”
which means making.
Types of Poetry
 1. Lyric
Musical tone is suggestive of
a musical instrument.
1
B
C
 D
Song

• A musical composition with words.

 Haiku

• A haiku is a simple • Line 1: 5 syllables

poem typically about • Line 2: 7 syllables
nature or scenery. • Line 3: 5 syllables
• A haiku has three lines
and 17 syllables
2
A
B
 Metrical Tale
• A long narrative poem which tells about the
C lives of ordinary people.
C
 Drama is a story written to be
performed by actors. Although a
drama is meant to be performed,
one can also read the script, or
written version, and imagine the
action.
 Comedy
• A Mid Night’s Dream- William Shakespeare
• The Conscious Lovers- Richard Steele
• All’s Well that Ends Well- William Shakespeare
• Ever Man in his Humor- Ben Johnson
 Tragedy
• Gladiator- David Franzoni
• Romeo and Juliet- William Shakespeare
• Hamlet and Macbeth- William Shakespeare
• The White Devil- John Webster
 12 Literary Compositions that have
influenced the world
1. The bible or the Sacred Writings
2. Koran
3. The Iliad and the Odyssey
4. The Mahabarata
5. Canterbury tales
6. Uncle Tom’s Cabin
7. 7. the Divine Comedy
8. El Cid Compeador
9. The Songs of Roland
10. The book of the Dead
11. The book of the Days
12. One Thousand and One Nights or the Arabian Nights