Epic genre Flashcards
Prosaic
-Fictional type of literature can be
1. LONG
-epic, novel
2. MEDIUM
-novella, short story
3. SHORT
-fable, anecdote
What is epic genre?
-plot, storyline
-author’s outer world
-temporal aspect -> usage of past tense - “historical present”
Temporal aspect
Usage of the past tense - “historical present”
Epic (Epos)
-long narrated poem
-most epics exist only in oral form
-originated in ancient Greece, centered up on a hero featuring his achievements, deeds -> national hero, legendary hero
elements
-invocation to muses
-supernatural beings
-heroic genre -> focuses on his journey
-lofty language -> grand style
-glorious battles
-feasts
Homer
-Major epic writings - > The Oddysey, The Illias
Novel
minimum 50 000 words
-LONG fictional prosaic works
elements
-plot -> structured ( one direct plot + sub-plots -> indirect plotlines )
-setting -> realistic and believable
-numerous complex characters
-narration -> 1st / 3rd person
Novel plot structure
Three-act structure:
1. beginning
-introduction
2. middle
-the plot, what hero wants to achieve, what kind of obstacles has to overcome
3. the end
-possible ways of resoluting the story
History of english novel
-18th century -> developed, recognized as “serious literature” with works of respected authors:
-Daniel Redfoe - Robinson Crusoe (1st English novel, 1719)
-Henry Fielding - History of Tom Jones, a foundling (1749)
-Pamella - Samuel Richardson (love as part of the plot for the 1st time)
Classification according to the thematic aspect
- HISTORICAL NOVEL
- AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOVEL
- FANTASY NOVEL
- SCI-FI NOVEL
Classification according to the technique of composition
- ROMAN-FLEUVE (stream novel)
- STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS NOVEL
- EPISTOLARY NOVEL
- ANTI-NOVEL
Historical Novel
-narrates events of the past
-events narrated must’ve had happened before writing
Autobiographical novel
-reveals info about author’s life
-writer includes elements of his own life + mixes it with the plot
Fantasy novel
-imaginary worlds
-theme is magic
-characters, names, events are completely made up + have magical connections
Sci-fi novel
-alternative and imaginary worlds
-technological elements
-concentrated on the future
Roman-Fleuve
-another name -> stream novel (sága, generačný román)
-long chronicle of a family of several generations
-can be series or a novel
Stream of consciousness novel
-author provides series of thoughts
-Virginia Wulf - To The Lighthouse
Epistolary novel
-Story told through letters, documents, diaries
Anti-novel
-ignores signs of novel
-doesn’t use typical novel elements
Novella
20 000 - 50 000 words
medium length
-emerged durig Reinessance
-few subplots (or none at all), fewer characters
-no chapters
-Giovanni Boccaccio - Decameron
Short-story
1 600 - 20 000 words
medium length
-brief prosaic work
-focused on one theme
-begins and ends suddenly
-provides reader with little information
-“in medias res” - “in the middle”
-involves one plot
-Geoffry Chaucer - Canterbury Tales (1st collection of short stories)
Legend
medium length
-orally transmitted for generations
-oldest legends focus on the lives of Christian saints
-nowadays focus on folk-heroes
-believed to have a historical background - can’t be verified
-twist historical events
Fable
short lenghth
-orally transmitted
-folk story
-animals representing humas attributes
-provides moral lesson
-Aesop - “the master of fables”
Parable
short lenghth
-teaches a moral/religious lesson
Fairytale
short lenghth
-passed on for generations by mouth
-intended for children
-magical events, imaginary creatures
Anecdote
short lenghth
-shortest of all
-amusing story of an event that happened
Transitional genres
-between ficiton and non-fiction
1. THE ESSAY
2. THE PAMPHLET
3. THE TRAVELOGUE
4. BIOGRAPHY
5. AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The essay
transitional genre
-short piece that tells person’s thoughts or opinions about a particular subject
The pamphlet
transitional genre
-politically motivated, connected with some revolutionary period
The travelogue
transitional genre
-truthfull account of someone’s travelling experience
Biography
transitional genre
-detailed description of someone’s life written by somebody else
Autobiography
transitional genre
-detailed description of author’s life written by the author
