which genres of ancient literary texts are the most commonly cited in this course?

by Laura Robel 7 min read

What are the different literature genres?

The practice of literary theory became a profession in the 20th century, but it has historical roots as far back as ancient Greece (Aristotle’s Poetics is an often cited early example), ancient India (Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra ), ancient Rome (Longinus’s On the Sublime) and medieval Iraq (Al-Jahiz’s al-Bayan wa-‘l-tabyin and al-Hayawan, and ibn al-Mu’tazz’s Kitab al-Badi ).

What is the oldest form of literature?

Dec 18, 2015 · The Sumerian civilization first developed writing around 3400 B.C., when they began making markings on clay tablets in a script known as cuneiform. Their texts usually consisted of economic and...

What are the different types of literature used in schools?

Jun 13, 2019 · Understanding the differences between various types of literature can be difficult. Today, Vista Higher Learning is breaking down the differences to give you a crash course on the five main genres of literature. #1 Fiction. One of the most popular genres of literature, fiction, features imaginary characters and events. This genre is often broken up into five subgenres: …

Where can I find information about a specific literary period?

Sep 29, 2021 · The four main literary genres are poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama, with each varying in style, structure, subject matter, and the use …

How does ancient Greek literature influence us today?

Greek literature has influenced not only its Roman neighbors to the west but also countless generations across the European continent. Greek writers are responsible for the introduction of such genres as poetry, tragedy, comedy, and western philosophy to the world.Oct 11, 2017

What are the 3 periods of ancient Greek history?

The history of ancient Greek literature may be divided into three periods: Archaic (to the end of the 6th century bc); Classical (5th and 4th centuries bc); and Hellenistic and Greco-Roman (3rd century bc onward).

How were books published in ancient Greece?

In Ancient Greece, books did not take the form known to us today, but rather were in the shape of rolls made out of papyrus. The papyrus plant grows widely in Egypt, and the material itself is made by cutting the stem of the plant in half and laying it crosshatch over itself, like a weave, before hammering it together.

How did the Greek literature influenced the Roman literature?

Horace, one of the poets of the Golden Age of Roman literature wrote that Greece introduced the arts "into a backward Latium." Historian Nigel Rodgers in his Roman Empire wrote that Greek authors originated many philosophical and political concepts that influenced such Romans as Cicero, Seneca, Boethius, Catullus, and ...Sep 27, 2017

What are the 4 periods of ancient Greece?

Walter Alexander Classical Endowment, James H. Allan and Christopher D. Allan funds. Ancient Greek art spans a period between about 900 and 30 BCE and is divided into four periods: Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic.Jul 11, 2015

What are the 4 periods of Greek history?

Their general, Epaminondas, crushed Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, inaugurating a period of Theban dominance in Greece. to the first century B.C., Greek art can be broken down into four periods: geometric, archaic, classical and Hellenistic.Dec 22, 2020

What were ancient Greek texts written on?

By the 4th century, about the same time that the codex supplanted the roll as the standard form of book, parchment was well on its way to replacing papyrus as the principal writing material. Nevertheless, most works of Greek literature which survive in ancient manuscripts were written on papyrus.

What were ancient books called?

codex, manuscript book, especially of Scripture, early literature, or ancient mythological or historical annals. The earliest type of manuscript in the form of a modern book (i.e., a collection of written pages stitched together along one side), the codex replaced the earlier rolls of papyrus and wax tablets.

How were books written in ancient Rome?

In about AD 365 Romans began to make books of parchment (skins of animals). The sheets were folded and sewn together and looked much more like modern books. However, parchment was expensive and few people could afford them.

What is ancient Roman literature?

Roman literature, written in the Latin language, remains an enduring legacy of the culture of ancient Rome. Some of the earliest extant works are historical epics telling of the early military history of Rome, followed (as the Republic expanded) by poetry, comedies, histories and tragedies.Jan 11, 2022

What cultures influenced Roman culture the most?

As Rome grew, Roman culture was greatly influenced by two of Rome's neighbors, the Etruscans and the Greeks. The Romans borrowed many ideas and skills from these two groups, beginning with the Etruscans.Nov 25, 2021

What cultures most influenced Roman culture and why?

We can find traces of Roman influence in forms and structures throughout the development of Western culture. Although the Romans were heavily influenced by ancient Greece, they were able to make improvements to certain borrowed Greek designs and inventions.Jul 6, 2018

What is a literary period?

Literary periods are spans of time for literature that shares intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. The following links, organized by literary period, are to the library's catalog for works by author, title, literary movement, type of work, etc. For further information on materials related to a specific literary period click ...

Who were the modernist writers?

In Britain, modernist writers include W. B. Yeats, Seamus Heaney, Dylan Thomas, W. H. Auden, Virginia Woolf , and Wilfred Owen. In America, the modernist period includes Robert Frost and Flannery O'Connor as well as the famous writers of The Lost Generation (also called the writers of The Jazz Age, 1914-1929) such as Hemingway , Stein, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner.

What is the Neoclassical period?

IV. The Enlightenment (Neoclassical) Period (1660-1790 CE) " Neoclassical " refers to the increased influence of Classical literature upon these centuries. The Neoclassical Period is also called the " Enlightenment " due to the increased reverence for logic and disdain for superstition.

What were the dark ages?

The so-called "Dark Ages" (455 CE -799 CE) occured after Rome fell and barbarian tribes moved into Europe. Franks, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and Goths settled in the ruins of Europe, and the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes migrated to Britain displacing native Celts into Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Early Old English poems such as Beowulf, The Wanderer, and The Seafarer originated sometime late in the Anglo-Saxon period. The Carolingian Renaissance (800- 850 CE) emerged in Europe. In central Europe, texts include early medieval grammars, encyclopedias, etc. In northern Europe, this time period marks the setting of Viking sagas.

What was the name of the period in which the Protestant Church was founded?

I. Early Tudor Period. (1485-1558) The War of the Roses ended in England with Henry Tudor (Henry VII) claiming the throne. Martin Luther's split with Rome marks the emergence of Protestantism, followed by Henry VIII's Anglican schism, which created the first Protestant church in England.

When did the Renaissance start?

This marks the end of the Anglo-Saxon hierarchy and the emergence of the Twelfth Century Renaissance (c. 1100-1200 CE). French chivalric romances--such as works by Chretien de Troyes --and French fables --such as the works of Marie de France and Jeun de Meun --spread in popularity.

When did the Renaissance take place?

The Renaissance and Reformation (1485-1660 CE) (The Renaissance took place in the late 15th, 16th, and early 17th century in Britain, but somewhat earlier in Italy and southern Europe and somewhat later in northern Europe.) I. Early Tudor Period.

When was literary theory popular?

In the academic world of the United Kingdom and the United States, literary theory was at its most popular from the late 1960s (when its influence was beginning to spread outward from elite universities like Johns Hopkins, Yale, and Cornell) through the 1980s (by which time it was taught nearly everywhere in some form).

Where did literary theory originate?

The practice of literary theory became a profession in the 20th century, but it has historical roots as far back as ancient Greece (Aristotle’s Poetics is an often cited early example), ancient India (Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra ), ancient Rome (Longinus’s On the Sublime) and medieval Iraq (Al-Jahiz’s al-Bayan wa-‘l-tabyin and al-Hayawan, and ibn al-Mu’tazz’s Kitab al-Badi ). The aesthetic theories of philosophers from ancient philosophy through the 18th and 19th centuries are important influences on current literary study. The theory and criticism of literature are, of course, also closely tied to the history of literature.

What is postcolonialism literature?

Postcolonialism – focuses on the influences of colonialism in literature, especially regarding the historical conflict resulting from the exploitation of less developed countries and indigenous peoples by Western nations. Edward Said, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Homi Bhabha and Declan Kiberd.

What is the fundamental question of literary theory?

One of the fundamental questions of literary theory is “what is literature?” – although many contemporary theorists and literary scholars believe either that “literature” cannot be defined or that it can refer to any use of language. Specific theories are distinguished not only by their methods and conclusions, but even by how they define a “text.”

Which of these schools of theory has historically been important?

Broad schools of theory that have historically been important include historical and biographical criticism, New Criticism, formalism, Russian formalism , and structuralism, post-structuralism, Marxism, feminism and French feminism, post-colonialism, new historicism, deconstruction, reader-response criticism, and psychoanalytic criticism.

When did the popularity of literature theory decline?

By the early 1990s, the popularity of “theory” as a subject of interest by itself was declining slightly even as the texts of literary theory were incorporated into the study of almost all literature.

Who are the literary critics who have tried to understand and/or identify aesthetic values?

This includes both literary critics who have tried to understand and/or identify aesthetic values and those like Oscar Wilde who have stressed art for art’s sake. Oscar Wilde, Walter Pater, Harold Bloom. American pragmatism and other American approaches. Har old Bloom , Stanley Fish, Richard Rorty. Cognitive Cultural Studies – applies research in ...

What is the oldest known literary work?

Two of their oldest known literary works are the “Kesh Temple Hymn” and the “Instructions of Shuruppak,” both of which exist in written versions dating to around 2500 B.C.

What is the oldest piece of literature?

What is the oldest known piece of literature? As with the wheel, cities and law codes, the earliest examples of written literature appear to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia.

When did Sumerians start writing?

The Sumerian civilization first developed writing around 3400 B.C., when they began making markings on clay tablets in a script known as cuneiform. Their texts usually consisted of economic and administrative documents, but by the third millennium B.C., Sumerian scribes were also copying down essays, hymns, poetry and myths.

When was the Epic of Gilgamesh written?

The Epic of Gilgamesh started out as a series of Sumerian poems and tales dating back to 2100 B.C., but the most complete version was written around the 12th century B.C. by the Babylonians.

What are the different types of fiction?

Nonetheless, there are more than just five types of fiction, ranging from romance to graphic novels.

What are some examples of mystery genres?

The Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes novels are prime examples of the mystery genre. The last subgenre of fiction is science fiction. In these types of stories, authors and readers explore new and exciting realities made possible by imagined technologies or social changes. Star Wars is one of the most famous examples.

What is the subgenre of contemporary fiction?

The Hate U Give and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants are popular contemporary fiction novels. Another popular subgenre of fiction is mystery.

What is folktale literature?

Folktale, which is also referred to as mythology, tells stories of originally oral literature and are meant to pass on particular moral lessons. These tales often have a timeless quality, dealing with common concerns that are relevant despite the time period.

Who is the most famous writer of drama?

The most renowned author of drama was William Shakespeare —the writer of Macbeth, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet. More modern plays include A Streetcar Named Desire and A Raisin in the Sun.

What are the four types of literary genres?

This lesson explained what literary genres are and the four main types: poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and drama. Now it's time to challenge yourself with more activities that will make this lesson memorable and useful.

What are some examples of sub-genres in poetry?

In drama, there are comedies, romances, tragedies, and historical plays. Even movies are categorized as action, horror, drama, romantic comedies, and more.

What are some examples of figurative language?

Other examples include journals, diaries, biographies, autobiographies, and essays. Nonfiction can also use figurative language; however, it is not as abundant as in poetry and even fiction. Figurative language in this genre generally comes through common phrases which are well-known and used on a daily basis by many.

What are some examples of new genres?

A few examples of new genres include weird fiction by writers like China Mieville; Cli-Fi (climate fiction) by writers like Kim Stanley Robinson; and Bizarro, a new kind of absurdism by writers like James Steele.

What are the four main genres?

The four main literary genres are poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama, with each varying in style, structure, subject matter, and the use of figurative language. The genre raises certain expectations in what the reader anticipates will happen within that work. Within the main genres, there are many varying literary sub-genres.

What is the third broad literary genre?

A third broad literary genre is nonfiction. If fiction is fake, then nonfiction is the opposite: it comes from real life. Works of nonfiction are all based in real-world experiences. When you read the newspaper, you are reading nonfiction.

What is genre in entertainment?

A genre is a broad term that translates from the French to mean 'kind' or 'type.'. In entertainment, this can translate to horror, romance, science fiction, etc. In general, these types differ for all sorts of reasons, from the actions in their plots to the feelings they elicit from the audience.

Categorizing Literature Genres

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[caption id="attachment_129919” align="alignright” width="300”] Numerous literary genres exist to broaden knowledge and entertain[/caption] Back in ancient Greece, literature was divided into two main categories: tragedy and comedy. Nowadays the list of possible types and literature genres can seem endless. But it is still pos…
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Poetry

  • This is often considered the oldest form of literature. Before writing was invented, oral stories were commonly put into some sort of poetic form to make them easier to remember and recite. Poetry today is usually written down but is still sometimes performed. A lot of people think of rhymes and counting syllables and lines when they think of poetry, and some poems certainly fol…
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Prose

  • Once you know what poetry is, it’s easy to define prose. Prose can be defined as any kind of written text that isn’t poetry (which means drama, discussed below, is technically a type of prose). The most typical varieties of prose are novels and short stories, while other types include letters, diaries, journals, and non-fiction (also discussed belo...
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Drama

  • Any text meant to be performed rather than read can be considered drama (unless it’s a poem meant to be performed, of course). In layman’s terms, dramas are usually called plays. When written down the bulk of a drama is dialogue, with periodic stage directions such as “he looks away angrily.” Of all the genres of literature discussed in this article, drama is the one given the l…
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Non-Fiction

  • Poetry and drama both belong to the broader category of fiction—texts that feature events and characters that have been made up. Then there is non-fiction, a vast category that is a type of prose and includes many different sub-genres. Non-fiction can be creative, such as the personal essay, or factual, such as the scientific paper. Sometimes the purpose of non-fiction is to tell a s…
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Media

  • The newest type of literature that has been defined as a distinct genre is media. This categorization was created to encompass the many new and important kinds of texts in our society today, such as movies and films, websites, commercials, billboards, and radio programs. Any work that doesn’t exist primarily as a written text can probably be considered media, particul…
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Other Types of Literature

  • These are far from the only important genres of literature. Here are a few more that are sometimes used in classrooms: Oral Literature: The oldest type of literature, and the foundation on which culture was built. Now, most oral texts have been written down, of course, and are usually taught in the form of epic poems or plays or folk tales. Folklore/Folk Tales/Fables: A disti…
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Some Resources

  • “Literary Genres” by the California Board of Education “Helping Children Understand Literary Genres” by Carl B. Smith
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