Introduction to Literature S4

Course Introduction
 I. Concept Definition
II. A Case for Literature
III. Types of literary texts
1. Novel
2. Drama and Theater
3. Poetry
IV. Quiz.
What is literature?
What is literature
1. Literature is writing on paper
2. Literature is imaginative writing
3. Literature as a way of using language
4. Literature as Pragmatic writing
“we can drop once and for all the
illusion that the category “literature” is
objective in the sense of being
eternally given and immutable” Terry
Eagelton
Why study literature?
Types of literary Text
1. Fiction
2. Nonfiction
3. Poetry

(Brochures, Theses, Catalogues… etc)

The Novel
“A novel is an invented prose narrative ● novella for "new", "news"
of significant length and complexity ● The modern European novel is
that deals imaginatively with human often said to have begun with
experience. Its roots can be traced Don Quixote in 1605
back thousands of years, though its
origins in English are traditionally
placed in the 18th century.”
Drama and Theater
Poetry. Types
1. Haiku 3. Villanelle
The haiku (or hokku) is an ancient form of Japanese poetry
that has become very popular all over the world. Renowned
The villanelle is another very old form of
for its small size, haikus consist of just three lines (tercet); poetry that came from France and has lots of
the first and third lines have five syllables, whereas the rules. It is made up of 19 lines; five stanzas of
second has seven. Haikus don’t have to rhyme and are
usually written to evoke a particular mood or instance.
three lines (tercet) each and a final stanza of
2. Sonnet four lines (quatrain). As you can see from the
This very old form of poetry was made famous by none rhyme scheme; ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA,
other than William Shakespeare, but the sonnet actually this type of poem only has two rhyming sounds
originated in 13th century Italy where it was perfected by
the poet Petrarch. The word ‘sonnet’ is derived from the
Italian word ‘sonnetto’ which means ‘little song’.
4. Limerick
Traditionally, sonnets are made up of 14 lines and Limericks are funny (and sometimes rude!)
usually deal with love. As a rule, Petrarchan (Italian) poems which were made popular by Edward
sonnets follow an ABBA ABBA CDE CDE rhyme scheme,
whereas Shakespearean (English) sonnets are typically
Lear in the 19th century. They have a set rhyme
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. But of course, rules are made to scheme of AABBA, with lines one, two and five
be broken! all being longer in length than lines three and
four. The last line is often the punchline
5. Ode 7. Ballad
The ode is one of the oldest forms of poetry and The ballad is another old and traditional form of poetry
believed to have come from ancient Greece. Yep – yonks that typically tells a dramatic or emotional story. They
ago! The word ‘ode’ is derived from the Greek word came from Europe in the late Middle Ages and were
‘aeidein’ which means ‘to sing or chant’, and these initially passed down from one generation to another,
poems were originally performed with a musical and often with music. Ballads do have a set form; they
instrument. An ode is typically written to praise a person, are typically four lines (quatrain) and have a rhyme
event or thing scheme of ABAB or ABCB

6. Elegy 8. Free verse.

An elegy doesn’t have rules like some of the other
forms of poetry but it does have a set subject: death. Free verse is a popular style of modern poetry, and as
They are usually written about a loved one who has its name suggests there is a fair amount of freedom
passed away, but can also be written about a group of when it comes to writing a poem like this. Free verse can
people, too. Although they can sound sad, elegies often rhyme or not, it can have as many lines or stanzas as the
end on a hopeful note. poet wants, and it can be about anything you like! So,
while free verse may sound simple enough, the lack of
rules makes this form of poetry tricky to master!
Poetry Glossary
Stanza = a set amount of lines in poetry grouped together by their length, meter or rhyme scheme.
Couplet = a two-line stanza.
Tercet = a three-line stanza.
Quatrain = a four-line stanza.
Cinquain = a five-line stanza.
Sestet = a six-line stanza.
Meter = the pattern of stressed syllables (long-sounding) and unstressed syllables (short-sounding) in
poetry.
Rhyme scheme = the pattern of rhyme that comes at the end of each line or verse.
Syllable = the single, unbroken sound of a spoken or written word.
Quiz. Determine the type of poem and discuss why
Fair pledges of a fruitful tree,
Why do ye fall so fast?
Your date is not so past,
But you may stay yet here awhile
To blush and gently smile,
And go at last.
What, were ye born to be
An hour or half's delight,
And so to bid good-night?
'Twas pity Nature brought ye forth
Merely to show your worth,
And lose you quite.
But you are lovely leaves, where we
May read how soon things have
Their end, though ne'er so brave:
And after they have shown their pride
Like you, awhile, they glide
Into the grave.
Robert Herrick
There was an old man with a beard,
Who said, “It is just as I feared!
Two owls and a hen,
Four larks and a wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!”
AS, in a dusky and tempestuous night,
A star is wont to spread her locks of gold,
And while her pleasant rays abroad are roll’d,
Some spiteful cloud doth rob us of her sight;
Fair soul, in this black age so shin’d thou bright,
And made all eyes with wonder thee behold,
Till ugly Death, depriving us of light,
In his grim misty arms thee did enfold.
Who more shall vaunt true beauty here to see?
What hope doth more in any heart remain,
That such perfections shall his reason rein,
If beauty, with thee born, too died with thee?
World, plain no more of Love, nor count his harms;
With his pale trophies Death hath hung his arms.
from my bed
I watch
3 birds
on a telephone
wire.
one flies
off.
then
another.
one is left,
then
it too
is gone.
my typewriter is
tombstone
still.
and I am
reduced to bird
watching.
just thought I'd
let you
know,
f*cker.