ppt

1. INTRODUCTION TO
LITERATURE
G-11

2. Introduction to Literature
 The world “literature” often invokes the image of long reading
materials followed by complicated comprehension questions.
Students also take issue with teachers who “force” them to go beyond
literal interpretations and look for hidden meanings embedded in the
text. In this lesson, we will be focusing on exploring literature in a
way that embraces both the technical and aesthetic aspects.

3. There are many definitions of literature:
 Literature is a criticism of life because connection with it provides an objective base for
understanding life. -Matthew Arnold
 Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into unity.
-American Heritage Dictionary of English Language
 Literature consists of writing which interpret the meanings of nature and life, in words of charm
and power, in artistic forms and of permanent interest. -Henry van Dyke
 Literature is a word that generally describes language used for imaginative purposes and is
even broadly understood as a term of praise for writing of any purpose that has excited
admiration for its imaginative qualities.

4.  Literary Genres and Common Terminology
 In the study of literature, you have to differentiate between form and genre.
 The 3 Major Literary genres: Poetry, Prose, and Drama
 1. Poetry is considered as the oldest of the three literary genres. Poetry is literature that evokes a
concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through
language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm. There are four major types
of poetry, namely: lyric, narrative, dramatic, and prose.

5.  2. Prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It applies a natural flow of speech,
and ordinary grammatical structure, rather than rhythmic structure, such as in the case of traditional
poetry.
Normal everyday speech is spoken in prose, and most people think and write in prose form.
Prose comprises of full grammatical sentences, which consist of paragraphs, and forgoes
aesthetic appeal in favor of clear, straightforward language. It can be said to be the most
reflective of conversational speech. Prose can be divided into fiction (short story, novel) and
non-fiction (essay, oration, biography, autobiography, memoir, letters, epistles)
 3. Drama began as celebrations in Ancient Greece (dithyramb) and church plays during the Medieval
period. It is composed in verse or prose and intended to portray life or character or to tell a story
usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue.
Drama is often written with dialogue and stage directions and called a play and typically
designed for theatrical performance. The two main types of drama are comedy and tragedy.

6. Assignment
• Research and read more about the three major literary genres. After this, briefly describe the
three literary genres then provide 3 examples of literary pieces of each that includes the names
or titles.
POETRY
1. 2. 3.
PROSE
1. 2. 3.
DRAMA
1. 2. 3.

7. • REFLECTION(5 POINTS)
WITH THE POPULARITY OF MEDIA FORMS LIKE MOVIES AND THE
AVAILABILITY OF ONLINE ANALYSES AND SUMMARIES, IS THE STUDY OF
LITERATURE STILL RELEVANT IN THE 21ST CENTURY?