Genres of literary works 4. Genre of a literary work

A literary work is the form of existence of literature as the art of words. What makes it artistic?

Reading room of the Russian State Library.

We always feel the special vital concreteness of a literary work. It is always connected with reality and at the same time is not identical to it, it is its image, transformation, artistic reflection. But a reflection “in the form of life,” a reflection that does not just talk about life, but itself appears as a special life.

“Art is a reproduction of reality, a repeated, as if newly created world,” wrote V. G. Belinsky. The dynamics of the content of a work of art are perfectly captured here. In order to “repeat” a world that is unique in its development and constant self-renewal, it must be “as if created again,” to reproduce an individual phenomenon that, while not being identical to reality, at the same time will fully express its deep essence and the value of life.

Life is not only material reality, but also the life of the human spirit, it is not only what is, what was realized in reality, but also what was and will be, and what is “possible due to probability or necessity” (Aristotle ). “To master the whole world and find expression for it” - this is the artist’s ultimate task, according to the excellent definition of J. V. Goethe. Therefore, reflections on the nature of a work of art are inextricably linked with the deepest philosophical question about what “the whole world” is, whether it represents unity and integrity, and whether it is possible to “find expression for it,” to recreate it in a specific individual phenomenon.

In order for a work to really exist, it must be created by the author and perceived by the reader. And again, these are not just different, externally justified, isolated, internally interconnected processes. In a truly artistic work, “the perceiver merges with the artist to such an extent that it seems to him that the object he perceives was made not by someone else, but by himself” (L.N. Tolstoy). The author appears here, as M. M. Prishvin wrote, in the role of “a persuader, forcing one to look at both the sea and the moon with his own personal eye, which is why everyone, being a unique person, appearing in the world only once, would bring humankind into the world’s repository consciousness, something from oneself into culture.” The life of a work is realized only on the basis of the harmony of the author and the reader - such a harmony that directly convinces that “every person can feel equal to everyone else and everyone else” (M. Gorky).

The work represents an internal, interpenetrating unity of content and form. “Living poems speak themselves. And they are not talking about something, but something,” wrote S. Ya. Marshak. Indeed, it is very important to be aware of this difference and not to reduce the content of a literary work to what it talks about. Content is the organic unity of display, comprehension and assessment of reality, and thoughts and assessments in works of art do not exist separately, but permeate the depicted events, experiences, actions and live only in the artistic word - the only possible form of embodiment of this life content.

The subject of reality, its comprehension and evaluation are transformed into the content of a literary work, only being internally united and embodied in artistic form. Also, any word, any means of speech turns out to be artistically significant only when it ceases to be just information, when life phenomena external to it become its internal content, when the word about life is transformed into life, captured in a literary work as a literary work. in general.

From what has been said, it is clear that the artistic form of a literary work is not just a “technique”. “What does it mean to finish a lyric poem... to bring the form to the elegance possible for it? - wrote Ya. I. Polonsky. “This, believe me, is nothing more than to refine and bring to the elegance possible in human nature one’s own, this or that feeling... Working on a poem for a poet is the same as working on one’s soul.” Work on understanding the surrounding life and one’s own life, on “one’s soul,” and work on constructing a literary work are for a real writer not three different types of activity, but a single creative process.

L. N. Tolstoy praised the poems of A. A. Fet for the fact that they were “born.” And V.V. Mayakovsky called his article “How to make poetry?” We understand both the opposite and the partial validity of these characteristics. Even if works of art are “born,” it is still not exactly the same as a person is born. And from the article by V.V. Mayakovsky, even with all its polemical exaggerations, it is still quite clear that poetry is “made” in a completely different way from how things are made on a conveyor belt, continuous production. In a literary work there is always this contradiction between organization (“made”) and organicity (“born”), and the highest artistic achievements are characterized by a particularly harmonious resolution of it. Let us recall, for example, the poem by A. S. Pushkin “I loved you: love is still, perhaps...”, the clear construction of which becomes a completely natural expression of a high human feeling - selfless love.

An artificially created verbal and artistic statement is transformed into an organically vital whole, each element of which is necessary, irreplaceable and vitally significant. And to understand that we have before us a work of art means, first of all, to understand and feel that it can only be as it is: both as a whole and in each of its particles.

The life contained within the work, like a small universe, reflects and manifests in itself the universe, the fullness of human life, the entire integrity of being. And the meeting of the author and the reader in the artistic world of a literary work therefore becomes an irreplaceable form of familiarization with this big world, the education of true humanity, the formation of a holistic, comprehensively developed personality.

Genres of literature- these are historically emerging groups of works of literature that are united by a set of formal and substantive properties based on formal features.

Fable- a poetic or prosaic literary work of a moralizing, satirical nature. At the end of the fable there is a short moralizing conclusion - the so-called morality.

Ballad is a lyric-epic work, that is, a story told in poetic form of a historical, mythical or heroic nature. The plot of a ballad is usually borrowed from folklore.

Epics- these are heroic and patriotic songs and tales, telling about the exploits of heroes and reflecting the life of Ancient Rus' of the 9th-13th centuries; a type of oral folk art, which is characterized by a song-epic way of reflecting reality.

Visions- this is a genre of medieval literature, which is characterized, on the one hand, by the presence of the image of a “clairvoyant” in the center of the narrative and the afterlife, otherworldly, eschatological content of the visual images themselves, revealed to the clairvoyant, on the other.

Detective- This is primarily a literary genre, the works of which describe the process of investigating a mysterious incident in order to clarify its circumstances and solve the mystery.

Comedy- a type of dramatic work. Displays everything ugly and absurd, funny and absurd, ridicules the vices of society.

Comedy of manners(comedy of characters) is a comedy in which the source of the funny is the inner essence of the characters and morals of high society, a funny and ugly one-sidedness, an exaggerated trait or passion (vice, flaw). Very often, a comedy of manners is a satirical comedy that makes fun of all these human qualities.

Lyric poem(in prose) - a type of fiction that emotionally and poetically expresses the author’s feelings.

Melodrama- a type of drama whose characters are sharply divided into positive and negative.

Myth is a narrative that conveys people’s ideas about the world, man’s place in it, the origin of all things, about gods and heroes.

Feature article- the most reliable type of narrative, epic literature, reflecting facts from real life.

Song, or Song- the most ancient type of lyric poetry; a poem consisting of several verses and a chorus. Songs are divided into folk, heroic, historical, lyrical, etc.

Science fiction- a genre in literature and other forms of art, one of the varieties of fiction. Science fiction is based on fantastic assumptions (fiction) in the field of science, including various types of sciences, such as the exact sciences, natural sciences, and humanities.

Novella- this is the main genre of short narrative prose, a shorter form of artistic prose than a story or novel. The author of the stories is usually called a short story writer, and the collection of stories is called a short story.

Tale- medium shape; a work that highlights a number of events in the life of the main character.

Oh yeah- a genre of lyric poetry, which is a solemn poem dedicated to an event or hero, or a separate work of such a genre.

Poem- type of lyric epic work; poetic story telling.

Message(uh pistol literature) is a literary genre that uses the form of “letters” or “epistles” (epistole).

Story- a small form, a work about one event in the life of a character.

Fairy tale- This genre of literary creativity, h Most often, fairy tales contain magic and various incredible adventures. .

Novel- large shape; a work in which events usually involve many characters whose destinies are intertwined. Novels can be philosophical, adventure, historical, family, social.

Tragedy- a type of dramatic work telling about the unfortunate fate of the main character, often doomed to death.

Folklore- a type of folk art that reflects the general patterns of social development of peoples. There are three types of works in folklore: epic, lyrical and dramatic. At the same time, epic genres have poetic and prose forms (in literature, the epic genre is represented only by prose works: short story, novella, novel, etc.). A feature of folklore is its traditionalism and orientation towards the oral method of transmitting information. The carriers were usually rural residents (peasants).

Epic- a work or a series of works depicting a significant historical era or a major historical event.

Elegy- a lyrical genre that contains in free poetic form any complaint, expression of sadness, or the emotional result of philosophical reflection on the complex problems of life.

Epigram is a short satirical poem that makes fun of a person or social phenomenon.

Epic- this is a heroic narrative about the past, containing a holistic picture of people's life and representing in harmonious unity a certain epic world of heroic heroes.

Essay is a literary genre, a prose work of small volume and free composition.

Nowadays you won’t find any kind of books on store shelves! The basis of the current genre wealth of literature is both the historically shaped legacy of writers of past years and the trends of the present. So today, many trends, trends and genres are presented to the attention of readers.

But literary diversity is especially interesting for writers: after all, it is up to them to decide in which genre to work. And if you are a novice author, then it is especially important for you to be able to understand the features and subtleties of genre literature in order to be sure to understand your future work. And your accuracy and insight in choosing a genre will largely determine the chances of your manuscript being accepted.

To begin with: what is a genre?

First of all, we note that there are two concepts of genre:

- literary criticism (according to the form of the work - story, novel, novel, etc.);

– applied (according to the type of work – detective story, romance novel, action film, etc.).

We will consider in detail exactly applied genres of modern literature.

So, a genre is a type of literary work that has strict boundaries (plot, main conflict and method of its resolution, characteristics of the hero, etc.). Genre is a dynamic phenomenon, and features of one genre often penetrate another, giving rise to subgenres.

What specific characteristics unite works of art into a particular genre? Let's figure it out.

The most common modern genres

A dynamic and, as a rule, bloody genre, the characteristic features of which include:

maximum action: the heroes do not stand still, even when they find themselves at a fork in the main road, and are constantly moving - along the streets of the city, from city to city, from country to country;
a minimum of meaning - even at a fork in the road, the hero does not think, but acts according to circumstances that are rarely justified by at least the fact that “the west is where the sun sets”, a minimum of logic, no descriptions other than battles;
the presence of a positive - the savior of the world, humanity, city, government. The hero is extraordinary, trained to fight, doomed to act in a situation of constant stress and danger, often finds himself in the thick of things completely by accident and at the same time always survives;
the presence of an antagonist - a negative hero who is opposed by a positive hero. The antagonist, as a rule, is very influential, rich, intelligent, slightly crazy, wants to destroy the world, country, city, government and lives to the end to either die or go to prison;
descriptions of fights, battles, traps for the hero, various weapons and military technologies make up two-thirds of the book;
mountains of corpses and a sea of blood with descriptions of injuries, bruises, torture are required; and half of the corpses are from the villain, half from the positive hero.

2. Detective.

A genre based on solving a mystery, murder, kidnapping or theft, with a detailed description of the investigation.

Genre features:

consistency of construction - accidents are excluded, causes and consequences are interconnected and justified, each assumption has a factual basis and justification;
completeness of facts - the investigation is based only on the information that is conveyed to the reader, and it must be as complete and reliable as possible. “How I came up with this, you will find out in the finale” is out of the question. It is important for the reader not only to observe the progress of actions, but also to conduct an independent investigation;
the presence of clear static elements: investigator (detective), assistant detective (partner, trainee), criminal (murderer, kidnapper, thief), victim (killed person, family of the killed person), informant (for example, a neighbor’s grandmother who knows everything about everyone), witness (witnesses), suspect (circle of suspects);
the ordinariness of the situation;
as a rule, the coverage of the investigation area is small;
in the finale, all riddles must be solved, and all questions must be answered.

3. Romance novel.

A lyrical story based on the feelings and emotions of lovers, the genre features of which are:

the presence of an extraordinary main character with a distinctive feature that sets her apart from the crowd: either she is a gray mouse and a blue stocking, or a stunning beauty with a secret defect, or an old maid, or an impulsive adventurer;
the presence of a main character - a handsome and courageous aristocrat, charming and charming, often with everything else - a scoundrel and a scoundrel, even more often - having a side romantic profession (thief, pirate, robber or Robin Hood);
the presence of a third wheel (rival) - a loving admirer of the heroine (often from childhood), a beautiful and bright rival (the hero’s former lover, his abandoned fiancee or wife);
romantic and emotional circumstances that bring future lovers together (marriage of convenience, meeting at a ball);
love (or carnal desire) - at first sight (or touch);
many obstacles that the heroes must overcome in the name of love for each other (difference in social status, poverty and pride of one of the heroes, family feud, etc.);
emotional descriptions of experiences, stormy explanations and showdowns against a beautiful backdrop (nature, ballrooms, balconies, greenhouses) occupy two-thirds of the book;
vivid and sensual descriptions of first kisses and touches are required, sex scenes - depending on the circumstances;
In the finale, the heroes must overcome all difficulties and obstacles, stay together (get married, get engaged, sleep together) and look confidently into a bright future.

4. Fantasy (science fiction,).

A genre based on the existence and interaction of unusual or unreal elements or phenomena.

Genre features:

fictional or altered reality - another planet, an alternative past or future of the Earth, space and the Universe, a parallel world, a game reality, a fairy-tale world, etc.;
a system of scientific or pseudoscientific knowledge, fictitious (system of magic) or significantly ahead of the development of modern science, as well as the results of scientific achievements (technomagic, magical artifacts, spaceships, etc.);
non-existent phenomena and biological species of plants, animals, humanoid races, etc.;
heroes endowed with unusual abilities, and the abilities themselves, which are commonplace in a fictional world;
wide, often immense (a planet or a system of worlds, the Universe), fantastic laws of the universe (the ability to move into the past, overcome the usual laws of gravity), an unusual structure of the world order, society, order, different from ours.

Each of the four named genres has, as we have already said, many subgenres: for example, fantasy detective, combat science fiction (space opera), romance fantasy and others. Surely you have met similar ones yourself. 🙂

And we will consider such modern genres as mystery, historical novel and adventure (adventure novel).

Stay tuned! 😉

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For the convenience of readers (as well as publishers and booksellers), there are various classifications of books that allow them to be sorted and placed on suitable shelves in bookstores.

All books are divided into editions for adults and for children, into works of fiction and non-fiction (hoodlit and non-fiction, respectively). And those, in turn, are divided into genres and categories.

Why does an author need to understand genres?

Then to:

a) learn mastery in your genre;
b) know exactly which publisher to offer the manuscript to;
c) study your target audience and offer the book not “to everyone,” but specifically to those people who may be interested in it.

What is fiction?

Fiction refers to all works that have a fictional plot and fictional characters: novels, short stories, stories and plays.

Memoirs belong to non-fiction literature, because we are talking about non-fictional events, but they are written according to the canons of fiction - with a plot, characters, etc.

But poetry, including song lyrics, is fiction, even if the author recalls a past love that actually happened.

Types of Fiction for Adults

Works of fiction are divided into genre literature, mainstream and intellectual prose.

Genre literature

In genre literature, the plot plays the first fiddle, and it fits into certain, pre-known frameworks.

This doesn't mean that all genre novels have to be predictable. The skill of a writer lies precisely in creating, under given conditions, a unique world, unforgettable characters, and an interesting way to get from point “A” (the beginning) to point “B” (the outcome).

As a rule, a genre work ends on a positive note; the author does not delve into psychology or other lofty matters and simply tries to entertain readers.

Basic plot schemes in genre literature

Detective: crime - investigation - exposing the criminal.

Love story: heroes meet - fall in love - fight for love - connect hearts.

Thriller: the hero lived his ordinary life - a threat arises - the hero tries to escape - the hero gets rid of the danger.

Adventures: the hero sets a goal for himself and, having overcome many obstacles, achieves what he wants.

When we talk about science fiction, fantasy, historical or contemporary romance, we are talking not so much about the plot as about the setting, so when defining the genre, two or three terms are used that allow us to answer the questions: “What happens in the novel?” and “Where is it happening?” If we are talking about children's literature, then a corresponding note is made.

Examples: “modern romance novel”, “fantasy action” (action is an adventure), “historical detective story”, “children’s adventure story”, “fairy tale for primary school age”.

Genre prose is usually published in series - either original or general.

Mainstream

In the mainstream (from English. mainstream- main stream) readers expect unexpected solutions from the author. For this type of book, the most important thing is the moral development of the characters, philosophy and ideology. The requirements for a mainstream author are much higher than for writers working with genre prose: he must not only be an excellent storyteller, but also a good psychologist and a serious thinker.

Another important sign of the mainstream is that such books are written at the intersection of genres. For example, it is impossible to say unequivocally that Gone with the Wind is only romance novel or only historical drama.

By the way, the drama itself, that is, the story about the tragic experience of the heroes, is also a sign of the mainstream.

As a rule, novels of this type are published outside of series. This is due to the fact that serious works take a long time to write and forming a series out of them is quite problematic. Moreover, mainstream authors are so different from each other that it is difficult to group their books into anything other than “good book.”

When specifying a genre in mainstream novels, the emphasis is usually placed not so much on the plot, but on certain distinctive features of the book: historical drama, letter novel, fantasy saga, etc.

Origin of the term

The term “mainstream” itself originated with the American writer and critic William Dean Howells (1837–1920). As editor of one of the most popular and influential literary magazines of his time, The Atlantic Monthly, he gave a clear preference to works written in a realistic vein and focusing on moral and philosophical issues.

Thanks to Howells, realistic literature came into fashion, and for some time it was called the mainstream. The term was fixed in the English language, and from there it passed to Russia.

Intellectual prose

In the vast majority of cases, intellectual prose has a dark mood and is published outside of series.

Main genres of fiction

Approximate classification

When submitting an application to a publishing house, we must indicate the genre so that our manuscript is sent to the appropriate editor.

Below is a rough list of genres as they are understood by publishers and bookstores.

Avant-garde literature. Characterized by violation of canons and language and plot experiments. As a rule, avant-garde works are published in very small editions. Closely intertwined with intellectual prose.
Action. Targeted primarily at a male audience. The basis of the plot is fights, chases, saving beauties, etc.
Detective. The main storyline is solving a crime.
Historical novel. The time of action is the past. The plot is usually tied to significant historical events.
Love story. Heroes find love.
Mystic. The plot is based on supernatural events.
Adventures. The heroes get involved in an adventure and/or go on a risky journey.
Thriller/horror. The heroes are in mortal danger, from which they are trying to get rid of.
Fantastic. The plot takes place in a hypothetical future or in a parallel world. One of the types of fiction is alternative history.
Fantasy/fairy tales. The main features of the genre are fairy-tale worlds, magic, unprecedented creatures, talking animals, etc. It is often based on folklore.

What is non-fiction?

Non-fiction books are classified by topic (for example, gardening, history, etc.) and type (scientific monograph, collection of articles, photo album, etc.).

Below is a classification of non-fiction books, as it is done in bookstores. When submitting an application to a publisher, indicate the topic and type of book - for example, a textbook on writing.

Classification of non-fiction literature

autobiographies, biographies and memoirs;
architecture and art;
astrology and esoterics;
business and finance;
armed forces;
upbringing and education;
house, garden, vegetable garden;
health;
story;
career;
computers;
local history;
love and family relationships;
fashion and beauty;
music, cinema, radio;
science and technology;
food and cooking;
gift editions;
politics, economics, law;
guidebooks and travel books;
religion;
self-development and psychology;
Agriculture;
dictionaries and encyclopedias;
sport;
philosophy;
hobby;
school textbooks;
linguistics and literature.