Literary Forms and Genres: Definitions and Characteristics
Posted on Oct 28, 2025 in Latin
Poetic Forms
Hymn
A solemn composition dedicated to singing, often speaking of profound emotional or spiritual value.
Ode
A lyrical tone poem, often elevated in style, reflecting the poet’s thoughts on various subjects.
Elegy (Lament)
A poem that expresses pain, sadness, or mourning, typically for the dead.
Idyll
A short poem or prose piece describing love affairs in an idealized pastoral setting.
Epigram
A brief, witty composition that expresses a single thought with precision and sharpness, often satirical
or festive.
Narrative and Epic Forms
Epic Poem (Epopeya)
A long poem, often of collective creation, intended for singing, narrating the heroic or warlike actions of a people or civilization.
Epic
A narrative poem in verse that recounts the actions of national heroes to glorify a people or nation.
Song of Deeds (Chanson de Geste)
The medieval epic poem, intended for singing or recitation, which celebrates the deeds of local heroes.
Romance (Ballad)
A short poem of collective authorship, typically transmitted orally, characteristic of the Hispanic tradition, often found in the traditional
Romancero.
Novel
A fictional story, usually involving multiple characters and events.
Short Story or Tale
A brief story of an imaginary event or condensed action.
Legend (Leyenda)
A fictional story narrated based on a historical event.
Dramatic Forms
Tragedy
A dramatic work where the conflict between a hero and his destiny leads the protagonist to a dismal and wretched outcome.
Comedy
A humorous work that always resolves happily. Its principal characteristic is generating comic relief.
Drama
A work where the actions and outcome incorporate characteristics of both comedy and tragedy.
Auto Sacramental
A short, symbolic composition, usually performed during religious festivals.
Paso (Step)
A short play of simple plot, positive, and comic. Characters typically lack psychological depth.
Sainete
Similar to the
Paso, but developed later (typically 18th century), often focusing on local customs and popular life.
Didactic and Rhetorical Forms
Satire (Song/Poem)
A composition (in prose or verse) that criticizes the customs or vices of people or social groups.
Apology
A brief story (fable or allegory) with a didactic and moral purpose.
Epistle
A composition (in verse or prose) where the author pretends to address a person for the purpose of moralizing, instructing, or satirizing. It takes the form of a letter.
Fable (Fábula)
A short fictional story, often featuring animals as characters. The end of the fable extracts a teaching called the
Moral.
Essay
A work that develops a specific topic, providing personal judgments and opinions.
Journalistic Article
(Definition not provided in the original text, listed as a category.)Dialogue
A conversation between two characters who present arguments on a topic to reach a solution. There is no dramatic action.
Medieval Iberian Lyric
Jarchas
- Period: Mid-10th to mid-14th century.
- Theme: A loving female complaint addressed to the beloved, mother, sisters, or best friends.
- Metric: Irregularities in Mozarabic.
- Style: Formal and conceptual simplicity.
Cantigas de Amigo
- Period: Late 12th century to the end of the 14th century.
- Theme: A loving female complaint addressed to the mother, sisters, best friends, and nature.
- Metric: Regularity and precision (consonant rhymes).
- Structure: Parallelistic structure (with or without chaining).
- Language: Galician-Portuguese.
Cantigas de Amor (Love Songs)
- Origin: Derived from cultured Provençal Lyric, cultivated by troubadours.
- Theme: Compositions of courtly love (the poet pays submission to the courtly lady/damsel).
- Concept: Love is often depicted as a madness that disturbs, sometimes leading to death.
