Understanding Literary Genres: Lyric, Drama, and Narrative
Understanding Literary Genres
The Dynamic Nature of Literary Genres
It is evident that literary genres are dynamic, evolving, and unstable structures. Their historical dimension is a material fact, manifesting in two primary ways:
- Each period of literary history is characterized by the cultivation of specific genres, each with its own unique forms.
- Genres possess distinct conventions that are specific to each era.
The initial classification of genres is based on the author’s attitude towards the content they convey: lyric, dramatic, and narrative.
Lyric Genre
Definition
The lyric genre is considered the purest form of expressing the author’s feelings, imagination, and personal thoughts. Consequently, subjectivity is paramount.
There exists a form of lyricism that is almost entirely isolated from external events, as well as a more outspoken lyricism. The latter seemingly represents an external reality, but always serves to evoke the poet’s spiritual and emotional state.
Characteristics of the Lyric Genre
- Brevity and Intensification: Lyrical discourse develops around a fundamental thematic core.
- Completeness and Absence of Narrative: A lyric poem is a strongly cohesive text with thematic unity. It does not tell a story but offers a complete feeling or thought.
- Derealization: There is an absence of a clear relationship with a specific time and space.
- Static Nature: The lyric form is essentially static, exploring a single theme.
- Intense Poetic Function: It delves into symbolism, rhythm, and versification techniques.
- Wide Range: The lyric genre encompasses a broader range than the epic and dramatic genres. We can differentiate between major and minor forms.
Some Lyric Forms: Ode, anthem, elegy, song, and letter.
It is important not to confuse lyrical text with text in verse. There are lyric poems that do not correspond to a personal and human emotion, and lyrical expression can occur in non-versified forms.
Drama Genre
Definition
Drama involves a story with characters situated within a specific space-time framework. However, the action is represented rather than narrated.
The narrator disappears completely, giving voice to the characters. The action unfolds before the audience’s eyes through simulation or interpretation by the actors. In addition to the linguistic code, auditory and visual codes are also employed.
The primary form of speech in drama is dialogue. It is the only way that the theatrical text is presented. Through dialogue, it is possible to analyze the dramatic conflict, the characters, and their attitudes.
- Conflict: The fundamental element of analysis in any dramatic work. It refers to the opposing forces that drive the plot’s development. Without conflict, there is no theater.
- Characters: The characterization of the characters is conveyed through their language. They refer to their physical appearance, mental state, attire, etc.
Some Dramatic Forms: Tragedy, comedy, and drama.
Minor dramatic forms include appetizers, farces, and auto sacramental.
Theater Glossary: Act, scene, table, annotations, and aside.
Narrative Genre
Definition
The narrative genre relates events from an external perspective. It presents the reader with a world in which the author-narrator acts as a spectator.
Characteristics of the Narrative Genre
- Likelihood: The narrative must be consistent with the peculiarities of the world in which it is set.
- Interest: This is achieved through the use of appropriate narrative techniques.