This document discusses different types of literature including prose, verse, and different genres such as ballads and epics. It provides characteristics and examples of ballads and epics. Ballads are short narrative poems originally meant to be sung, focusing on themes of love, violence, and the supernatural. They were anonymously authored and passed down orally. Epics are long narrative poems about the deeds of heroes, often involving gods and spirits, and using formal language to represent communities. Epics declined after Milton as conventions like invocations became outdated for modern writers and readers.