We could define the novel as a chronicle of quotidian life. The rise of the novel as a mainstream literary form is marked by the shift of focus in storytelling from romance and courtly love to ordinary life. Traditionally, the novel has been traced to the early part of the 18th century, to Daniel Defoe’s realist narratives in Robinson Crusoe.
The Romance, on the other hand, is usually a tale of love, danger, courage, and chivalry. The hero goes through various trials and tribulations before attaining his heroine or rescuing her from some horrible circumstance. The trials usually test his virtue and resolve, but ultimately, the hero’s love and faith triumph and help him win the battle against evil and temptation.
The Romance dealt with character types (stubborn king, devious villain, and so on) and stock figures (rakes, fops, and so on) and situations (battles, rescues, and so on). It involved improbable events that featured gods, angels, demons in a world that was remote and far removed from that of the readers.
Beowulf and Brut are prime examples of the Romance tradition in English. Both of them explored themes of faith, love, courage, valor, fidelity, moral uprightness, and so on.
Then we have the Allegory, a literary form that worked on multiple levels – the superficial level and the deeper level. Allegorical writers used this form to deliver a message to and instruct attentive readers. John Bunyan’s Christian allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, traces the journey of one individual, Christian, which stands for the journey of all true Christians that are wedded to God. Bunyan sought to, through Christian’s life, create a model of Christian piety for all believers.
Finally, we have the Epic, which was traditionally a genre of poetry, but whose scope has now expanded to novels plays, and other literary forms. The Epic is centered on heroic characters and traces actions that take place on a majestic scale. Epics, typically, explore themes of war, valor, and death, and martyrdom set against the backdrop of grand struggles that last over very long periods of time.
Examples of the Epic genre include Heroides by Ovid, Aeneid by Virgil, and Illiad and Odyssey by Homer. Brut by Layamon and Beowulf can be considered as examples of the Epic genre in English.
The Romance, on the other hand, is usually a tale of love, danger, courage, and chivalry. The hero goes through various trials and tribulations before attaining his heroine or rescuing her from some horrible circumstance. The trials usually test his virtue and resolve, but ultimately, the hero’s love and faith triumph and help him win the battle against evil and temptation.
The Romance dealt with character types (stubborn king, devious villain, and so on) and stock figures (rakes, fops, and so on) and situations (battles, rescues, and so on). It involved improbable events that featured gods, angels, demons in a world that was remote and far removed from that of the readers.
Beowulf and Brut are prime examples of the Romance tradition in English. Both of them explored themes of faith, love, courage, valor, fidelity, moral uprightness, and so on.
Then we have the Allegory, a literary form that worked on multiple levels – the superficial level and the deeper level. Allegorical writers used this form to deliver a message to and instruct attentive readers. John Bunyan’s Christian allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, traces the journey of one individual, Christian, which stands for the journey of all true Christians that are wedded to God. Bunyan sought to, through Christian’s life, create a model of Christian piety for all believers.
Finally, we have the Epic, which was traditionally a genre of poetry, but whose scope has now expanded to novels plays, and other literary forms. The Epic is centered on heroic characters and traces actions that take place on a majestic scale. Epics, typically, explore themes of war, valor, and death, and martyrdom set against the backdrop of grand struggles that last over very long periods of time.
Examples of the Epic genre include Heroides by Ovid, Aeneid by Virgil, and Illiad and Odyssey by Homer. Brut by Layamon and Beowulf can be considered as examples of the Epic genre in English.
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