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On this web site I shall explain all my Knowledge about Literature. The word literature has many different meanings depending
on what context its used. Literally translated the word means acquaintance with letters. In our culture the most basic forms
of literature are poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and drama.
Poetry is defined as a composition written in verse. Poems rely on imagery, metaphors, similes, and precise word choice,
and possibly spirituality. They may take the forms of measures with patterns of stresses or syllables. Poems also may or may
not utilize rhyme. Some poetry takes on specific forms. Some specific forms include the haiku, the limerick, and the Sonnet.
A haiku must contain seventeen syllables distributed in three lines in groups of five, seven, and five. A limerick has five
lines and a rhyme scheme of AABBA. A sonnet can go two different ways. The Italian sonnet has two parts. The first part is
called the octave which takes up the first eight lines. The ninth line marks the "turn" in the poem and the last five lines
are called the sestet. The Italian sonnet rhyme scheme for the octave is a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a. The sestet has two different possibilities
c-d-e-c-d-e and c-d-c-c-d-c. The english sonnet is different because the rhyme scheme is a-b-a-b/c-d-c-d/e-f-e-f/g-g.
Narrative fiction is written in forms of novels, short stories, graphic novels, and the like. Examples of these exist throughout
history but were not considered literary forms until recent centuries. Length often serves to categorize works of fiction.
A novel consists simply of a long story written in prose. Prose is writing that does not adhere to any particular formal structures.
Drama or a play is another classic literary form that goes back to the earliest civilizations. It generally comprises of dialogue
between characters, and the usual intention is a theatrical performance rather than something to read.
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