Introduction to Literary Genres and Forms

Posted on Sep 23, 2024 in Latin

Prose and Verse

Prose is the form of expression most literary works resemble. It mirrors everyday speech in its structure and flow. Verse, on the other hand, is characterized by its musicality. This musicality is achieved through:

  • Accents
  • Rhyme
  • Syllable count

Figures of Repetition

  • Alliteration: Repetition of one or more phonemes in a verse to imitate a sound.
  • Anaphora: Repetition of a word at the beginning of a verse or phrase.
  • Parallelism: Repetition of similar syntactic structures.
  • Pleonasm: Use of unnecessary words in the verse for emphasis and expressiveness.
  • Polysyndeton: Continuous repetition of conjunctions.

Figures of Significance

  • Allegory: A global metaphor where the text’s literal meaning transforms to express a distinct, symbolic idea.
  • Antithesis: Confronting words or sentences with opposite meanings.
  • Apostrophe: An exclamation used to address someone or something absent or inanimate.
  • Hyperbole: Exaggeration.
  • Metaphor: Identifying a real term with an imaginary one, based on similarity.
  • Metonymy: Designating a thing with the name of another, based on a relationship of meaning.
  • Simile: Comparing two objects or realities using”lik” or”as”
  • Synesthesia: Combining sensations of different senses.

Suppression Figures

  • Asyndeton: Removal of conjunctions in a verse for a faster pace and heightened impact.
  • Ellipsis: Omission of one or more words that are easily understood from the context.

Figures of Order

  • Hyperbaton: Altering the logical or normal order of words in a sentence.
  • Chiasmus: Placing two parallel phrases or clauses in reverse order.

Literary Genres

Lyric

Expresses subjective sensations, experiences, or thoughts. Verse is a common form of expression in lyric poetry.

Narrative

Presents a story told by a narrator. Narrative action is a key element.

Dramatic

Texts written to be performed on stage. Characterized by dialogue, stage directions, and asides.

Poetic Forms

  • Elegy: Expresses feelings of grief over death.
  • Eclogue: Dialogue between shepherds about love affairs, set in an idealized pastoral world.
  • Ode: Addresses various subjects in an elevated tone.
  • Song: Typically expresses love, but can also convey other feelings.
  • Satire: Humorous and brief critique of individual and social vices.

Narrative Subgenres in Verse

Epic

Praises the exploits of a legendary hero.

Chanson de Geste

Epic poem of oral tradition, celebrating a hero’s deeds. Written in verses of 14-16 syllables, divided into hemistichs.

Romance

Short poem of oral tradition, often originating from epic fragments. Diverse themes, written in 8-syllable verses with assonance rhyme in even lines.

Narrative Subgenres in Prose

  • Novel: Develops an extensive story with defined characters, setting, and plot.
  • Short Story: Brief narrative with a condensed plot and limited characters.
  • Legend: Fictional story rooted in historical events, often featuring fantastical elements.
  • Apologue: Story that teaches a moral lesson, often using animals as characters.
  • Epistle: Letter addressing doctrinal, philosophical, moral, or satirical themes.
  • Fable: Short tale using personified animals to convey a moral message.
  • Essay: Text where the author addresses a broad audience, presenting their perspective on a topic.

Mozarabic Lyric

Mozarabic was the language spoken by Christians living in Muslim-ruled Spain. Jarchas, short lyric poems, were appended to Arabic or Hebrew poems called moaxajas. Jarchas typically express a woman’s lament for her absent lover, using exclamatory and interrogative sentences and expressive language.

Galician-Portuguese Lyric

Characterized by parallelistic structure, repeating verses throughout the poem. Common types include:

  • Cantigas de Amor (Songs of Love): Sung by a man, expressing courtly love.
  • Cantigas de Amigo (Songs of Friend): A woman’s lament for her absent lover.
  • Cantigas de Escárnio e Maldizer (Songs of Scorn and Slander): Mocking vices, flaws, or individuals.

Castilian Lyric

Includes songs derived from various traditions, but the most representative are:

  • Carol: Strophic poem with a chorus and verses, often centered around the theme of love.
  • Serranilla: Pastoral poem influenced by Provençal poetry, depicting realistic rural settings.

Characteristics of Epic Poetry

  • Historicist Character: The hero often embodies the values and struggles of their society.
  • Triumphant Return: The hero’s fate is intertwined with their people’s destiny, upholding the ideals of their social class.
  • Structure: Long verses (14-16 syllables) divided into hemistichs, with assonance and rhyme schemes.

Epic Poetry in Castile

Three main examples:

  • Song of Roncesvalles
  • Mocedades de Rodrigo
  • Cantar de Mio Cid

Cantar de Mio Cid

Themes: Loyalty to the king, honor, perseverance, faith in God.

Structure

  • Song of Exile: Cid is exiled by King Alfonso VI of Castile. He leaves his family at the monastery of San Pedro de Cardena and engages in battles while in exile. He sends tributes to the king, seeking pardon.
  • Song of the Wedding: Cid conquers Valencia and sends gifts to King Alfonso VI. The king forgives Cid, and his daughters marry the Infantes de Carrión.
  • Song of the Shame of Corpes: The Infantes de Carrión prove cowardly and abandon Cid’s daughters. Cid demands justice, and the Infantes are defeated in a trial by combat.

Style

– epithets epic characterized adjectives used to highlight the heroe.-Pleonasms: to add expressiveness to texto.-Appeals to Public