Verse and prose are the two forms of literature. Verse follows regular patterns of rhythm and is used for poems, while prose is written in normal language like stories. Poetry is verse that conveys deep emotions through language that follows a rhythmic pattern. Prose is used to express feelings but verse is used when writers want to profoundly convey something by adhering to a metrical structure. Literature exists in three main types - poetry, drama, and fiction.

1. Introduction to Literature
Lecture II

2. Forms of Literature

3. Imaginative and
creative writing
which is called
literature exist in
two forms:

4. Verse
&
Prose

5. Both verse and prose use
words as their tool.
So what is the difference
between prose and verse?

6. Verse is that special beautiful language
that we see in poems like:
“If all the world and love were young,
And truth in every shepherd's tongue,
These pretty pleasures might me move
To live with thee and be thy love.”

7. Prose is like this extract from Holst’s
The Zebra Storyteller:
“Once up on a time there was a
Siamese cat who pretended to be a
lion and spoke inappropriate Zebraic.
That language is whinnied by the race
of striped horses in Africa.”

8. Verse Vs. Prose
• Verse calls for an • Prose is the
organization of regular normal
words according language.
to regular
patterns in order
that they produce
a harmonious
rhythm.

9. Verse and Poetry
• Verse refers to form.
• Poetry is a statement charged with
deep emotions is called poetical
(beautiful), but it would not be
called poetry unless its language is
found to conform to a regular
rhythmical pattern.

10. Poetical
• Example: “There
are moments in
life, when the heart is so full of
emotion That if by chance it be
shaken, or into its depths like a
pebble Drops some careless word, it
overflows, and its secret, Spilt on the
ground like water, can never be
gathered together.”

11. Poetry Verse
• Example:
• The weight of hate is very heavy to bear
While it seems like love is lighter than air
Accounts of hate make a big news headline
While actions of love you must look hard to find

12. So what is Verse?
What is written in
metrical language is
called verse.

13. And what is called prose?
• Any text that is written in regular
(normal) language

14. Note the following:
1- Verse and poetry are used
interchangeably.
2- writers use prose to express
feelings but they resort to verse
when they have something very
profound to say.

15. Types of Literature

16. Literature is found in 3 types:
Poetry Drama Fiction

17. See you next week
Lec. Maha