The Problems Defining Genre :: Literature Essays Literary Criticism

The Problems Defining Genre   Genre denotes a systematic way to reason literature. The term might be considered academic jargon however, it produces up a set of expectations that allow us to judge literature. These expectations or criteria also allow us to compare with other literature in the same as well as different genres. In spite of these expectations, genre does not dictate a set of rigid rules in fact, genre is more descriptive than prescriptive.   Problems in defining genre often arise beca utilise there are frequently sub-genres quixotic comedy might be considered a sub-genre of comedy, revenge tragedy of tragedy and gothic horror of horror. It becomes increasingly difficult to see where one sub-genre ends and another begins. in addition these categories are seldom pure. For example, Hamlet, a revenge tragedy, includes aspects of romance and even a comic scene or two. Our popular culture makes defining genre contend because what is vital one day m ight disappear the next. An example of this is the current insistence upon a happy ending. Since tragedy is often characterized by an unhappy or right ending, according to Aristotle, popular culture no longer welcomes the tragedy with the relish it did at other times in history.   Our Town being the elision that comes to mind, as well as the one-man shows. Poetry makes frequent use of this voice. In Daddy by Sylvia Plath, the author address Daddy throughout the poem. Shannon Chamberlains use of Aesops fable The Parrot and his Cage was another example of this single voice narrative. A second voice option is the drama or dialogue that involves talk of the town between two characters with no narration. All of the plays we are reading in class fit this category as well as Stacy Burlesons example of merlin as a legend in film. Finally, the combination of the narrator plus dialogue is just as it seems, a narrator talks to the audience (or reader) entirely the characte rs talk to each other. The TV shows The Fugitive, Dragnet, and Twilight Zone come to mind as examples of this.   Narrative genre, by contrast, focuses on the storyline or plot. Tragedy frequently introduces a problem, there is struggle for control, finally a realistic and often unhappy ending that resolves the problem.