discuss the two subdivisions of literature ; the prose and poetry and its examples.

1. Title:
J. DAVIS
JOSE RIZAL UNIVERSITY

2. WHAT IS LITERATURE ?
• IS A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE WRITTEN AND SOMETIMES
SPOKEN MATERIAL.
• DERIVED FROM THE LATIN WORD LITERA MEANING "WRITING
FORMED WITH LETTERS"
• MOST COMMONLY REFERS TO WORKS OF THE CREATIVE
IMAGINATION, INCLUDING POETRY, DRAMA, FICTION,
NONFICTION, AND IN SOME INSTANCES, JOURNALISM AND
SONG.

3. 2 DIVISIONS OF LITERATURE
•PROSE
•POETRY

5. • IS A LITERARY WORK THAT IS SPOKEN OR WRITTEN WITHIN
THE COMMON FLOW OF LANGUAGE IN SENTENCES AND IN
PARAGRAPHS WHICH GIVES INFORMATION, RELATE EVENTS,
EXPRESS IDEAS, OR PRESENT OPINIONS.

6. UNDER PROSE, IT HAS
TWO SUB-DIVISIONS:
THE AND THE

7. A LITERARY WORK OF
IMAGINATIVE NARRATION,
EITHER ORAL OR WRITTEN,
FASHIONED TO ENTERTAIN AND
TO MAKE READERS THINK AND
MORE SO, TO FEEL.

8. SOME LITERARY GENRES THAT FALL UNDER FICTION INCLUDE:
• LEGEND
• SHORT STORY
• NOVEL
• NOVELLA
• FABLE
• PARABLE

9. IS A PROSE FICTION
WHICH ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN
THE ORIGIN OF THINGS, PLACES,
OBJECTS THAT WE SEE AROUND
US.
EXAMPLE: THE LEGEND OF MAKAHIYA,
WHY THE SEA IS SALTY.

10. IS A SHORT PROSE FICTION
NARRATIVE DEPICTING A SIMPLE
CHARACTERIZATION AND PLOT
CONVEYING A MORAL WHICH CAN BE
READ IN ONE SITTING.

11. IS A VERY LONG PROSE NARRATIVE
DEPICTING COMPLEX CHARACTERIZATION
AND PLOT WHICH IS USUALLY DIVIDED
INTO CHAPTERS.
EXAMPLE: LES MISERABLES BY VICTOR HUGO, WAR
AND PEACE BY LEO TOLSTOY.

12. IS A LONG PROSE NARRATIVE
SIMILAR TO BUT SHORTER THAN A
NOVEL BUT LONGER THAN A SHORT
STORY. IT IS ALSO KNOWN
AS NOVELETTE.
EXAMPLE: TREASURE ISLAND BY ROBERT LOUIS
STEVENSON, THE CALL OF THE WILD BY JACK
LONDON.

13. IS A SHORT PROSE
FICTION NARRATIVE DEPICTING
ANIMAL CHARACTERS WHICH
ESPOUSES A LESSON IN LIFE.
EXAMPLE: THE LION AND THE MOUSE, THE
MONKEY AND THE TURTLE.

14. IS A SHORT PROSE
ALLEGORICAL NARRATIVE WHICH
PRESENTS A PHILOSOPHICAL
OUTLOOK IN LIFE.
EXAMPLE: THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER, THE
PRODIGAL SON.

15. A LITERARY WORK OF “REAL LIFE” NARRATION OR
EXPOSITION BASED ON HISTORY AND FACTS WHOSE MAIN
THRUST IS INTELLECTUAL APPEAL TO CONVEY FACTS,
THEORIES, GENERALIZATIONS, OR CONCEPTS ABOUT A
PARTICULAR TOPIC.

16. SOME LITERARY GENRES THAT FALL UNDER NON-FICTION
INCLUDE:
• BIOGRAPHY
• HISTORY
• NEWS
• DIARY
• ANECDOTE
• ESSAY

17. IS A PROSE NON-FICTION DETAILING
THE LIFE OF A PERSON WRITTEN BY ANOTHER
PERSON.
• EXAMPLE: THE GREAT MALAYAN ABOUT THE LIFE OF
JOSE RIZAL WRITTEN BY CARLOS QUIRINO.
SOMETIMES, A BIOGRAPHY MAY BE WRITTEN BY
THE SAME PERSON, HENCE, IT IS
CALLED AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
• EXAMPLE: MEMOIRS WRITTEN BY JUAN PONCE ENRILE
WAS A LENGTHY NARRATIVE ABOUT HIS OWN LIFE.

18. IS A PROSE NON-
FICTION RECORD OF EVENTS
THAT TRANSPIRED IN THE
PAST.
EXAMPLE: THE HISTORY OF FILIPINO
PEOPLE

19. IS A PROSE NON-FICTION
NARRATIVE OF EVENTS THAT HAPPEN
EVERYDAY. THE NEWSPAPERS ARE
WRITTEN FOR THIS PURPOSE.
EXAMPLE: PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER.

20. IS A PERSONAL ACCOUNT
OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT
HAPPEN IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON.

21. IS A PROSE NON-FICTION
NARRATIVE THAT DEPICTS A SINGLE
INCIDENT IN A PERSON’S LIFE.
EXAMPLE: THE MOTH AND THE LAMP.

22. IS PROSE NON-FICTION WHICH
IS A FORMAL TREATMENT OF AN ISSUE
WRITTEN FROM THE WRITER’S PERSONAL
POINT OF VIEW.
EXAMPLE: ON THE INDOLENCE OF THE
FILIPINOS WRITTEN BY JOSE RIZAL.

23. A LITERARY WORK EXPRESSED IN VERSE,
MEASURE, RHYTHM, SOUND, AND IMAGINATIVE
LANGUAGE AND CREATES AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE
TO AN EXPERIENCE, FEELING OR FACT.

24. IT HAS THREE SUB-DIVISIONS NAMELY:
•Narrative poetry
•Lyric poetry
•Dramatic poetry.

25. IS A SUB-DIVISION OF POETRY WHICH TELLS OR
NARRATES A STORY. IT MAY BE LENGTHY AS AN EPIC, OR SHORT
AS A BALLAD AND TYPICALLY MEASURED AS A METRICAL TALE.

26. - IS A NARRATIVE POEM WHICH ACCOUNTS THE HEROIC EXPLOITS OF A
COMMUNITY’S HERO, USUALLY INVOLVING SUPERHUMAN ABILITIES. EXAMPLE:HUDHOD
HI ALIGUYON IS AN IFUGAO EPIC.
- IS A NARRATIVE POEM WHICH DEPICTS A SINGLE INCIDENT THAT
TRANSPIRED IN A PERSON’S LIFE. IT IS USUALLY RECITED DURING GATHERINGS IN THE
PAST BUT IT MAY BE SUNG IN THE PRESENT DAYS. EXAMPLE: FOREVERMORE BY SIDE A
BAND.
- IS A NARRATIVE POEM WHICH NARRATES A STORY IN A
“METERED” OR “MEASURED” NUMBER OF SYLLABLES HENCE IT WAS CALLED METRICAL.
THERE ARE TWO POPULAR VARIATIONS IN PHILIPPINE LITERATURE,
THE AWIT AND CORRIDO.
 Awit is a romance metrical tale of dodecasyllabic measure which is recited during
formal performances or informal gatherings.
Example: Florante at Laura by Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar.
 Corrido is a martial or adventure metrical tale of octosyllabic measure which is
recited for recreational purposes.
Example:Ibong Adarna by Jose Corazon dela Cruz.

27. IS A SUB-DIVISION OF POETRY WHICH FEATURES POEMS
INTENDED TO BE SUNG WITH THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CALLED “LYRE” HENCE, LYRIC POETRY.

28. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE TYPES OF LYRIC POEMS.
- IS A LYRIC POEM OF VARIOUS THEME WHICH IS MEANT TO BE SUNG IN
ITS ENTIRETY.
EXAMPLE: BAYAN KO WRITTEN BY JOSE DE JESUS, ARRANGED BY CONSTANCIO DE
GUZMAN, AND SUNG BY FREDDIE AGUILAR.
- IS A LYRIC POEM OF NOBLE AND EXALTED EMOTION WHICH HAS
DIGNIFIED COUNTENANCE.
EXAMPLE: ODE TO THE WEST WIND BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY.
- IS A LYRIC POEM OF SAD THEME SUCH LAMENTATION FOR THE DEAD,
LONGING FOR A MISSING LOVE, AND A GRIEF FOR THINGS BEYOND ONE’S CONTROL.
EXAMPLE: ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD BY THOMAS GRAY.

29. - IS A LYRIC POEM OF 14 IAMBIC PENTAMETER LINES USUALLY
ABOUT LOVE AND BEAUTIFUL THEMES.
EXAMPLE: SONNET TO LAURA BY FRANCESCO PETRARCH.
- IS A LYRIC POEM CELEBRATING THE TRANQUIL AND BEAUTIFUL
LANDSCAPES OF RURAL AND COUNTRY SETTINGS.
EXAMPLE: BESIDE THE PASIG RIVER BY JOSE RIZAL.

30. IS A SUB-DIVISION OF POETRY WHICH FEATURES POEMS MEANT TO
BE PERFORMED ON STAGE. THEATER PLAYS AND DRAMATIC
PRESENTATIONS BELONG TO THIS TYPE.

31. - IS A DRAMATIC POETRY WHICH FEATURES A HERO WHOSE
HUBRIS OR SHORTCOMING EVENTUALLY CAUSES HIS DOWNFALL OR DEFEAT
OFTEN ENDING IN A VERY SAD CONCLUSION.
EXAMPLE: HAMLET BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND THE THREE RATS BY WILFRIDO
MA. GUERERO.
- IS A DRAMATIC POETRY WHICH IS SIMILAR WITH TRAGEDY
EXCEPT THAT THE HERO TRIUMPHS AND OVERCOMES THE ODDS TOWARDS THE
END AND EMERGES VICTORIOUSLY.
EXAMPLE: THE TWELFTH NIGHT BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
- IS A DRAMATIC POETRY WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF
THE ELEMENTS OF TRAGEDY AND COMEDY YET ENDS IN A HAPPY NOTE.
EXAMPLE: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

32. - IS A DRAMATIC POETRY WHICH IS AN EXAGGERATED COMEDY THAT
AIMS TO ELICIT LAUGHTER HENCE, RELAXATION.
EXAMPLES: IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST BY OSCAR WILDE.
- IS A DRAMATIC POETRY WHICH TACKLES SOCIAL ISSUES
AND PROBLEMS SUCH AS POVERTY, CORRUPTION, DISCRIMINATION, RACISM,
SEXISM, AMONG OTHERS, WITH AN AIM TO BRING AWARENESS AND BRING
ABOUT POSITIVE CHANGE.
EXAMPLE: ZSAZSA ZATURNAH BY CARLO VERGARA.

33. WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY LITERATURE?
STUDYING LITERATURE ENABLES ONE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND SOCIAL SITUATIONS, HISTORY,
ONE'S OWN EMOTIONS, AND VARIOUS CULTURAL PRACTICES. IT ALSO MAKES ONE MORE
EMPATHETIC.