Classification of Literature Reading Resource

 Welcome Readers,

                           William Henry Hudson's classification of literature can be detailed further by exploring the nature and characteristics of each category he mentions, as well as the underlying principles he describes.

CLASSIFICATION OF LITERATURE

Reference William Henry Hudson

1. Literature of Self-Expression

• Works where the writer expresses personal emotions, thoughts, and reflections.

• This category is deeply personal and subjective, as it revolves around the writer's internal world. The writer looks inward, channelling their emotions, thoughts, and personal experiences into their work.

• Lyric Poetry: Short poems expressing personal feelings and thoughts of the poet. Often introspective and emotional.

• Poetry of Meditation and Argument: Poems that reflect on philosophical ideas, personal beliefs, or engage in a form of argumentation or discourse.

• Elegy: A reflective poem lamenting the loss of someone or something. It often expresses sorrow, admiration, and consolation.

• Personal Essays and Treatises: Prose works where the author explores their own ideas, experiences, and viewpoints. These are written from a personal perspective, focusing on the writer's own reflections and insights.

• Artistic and Literary Criticism: Critiques of artistic and literary works where the critic's personal taste, style, and opinion play a significant role.

2. Literature of External Human Life and Activity

• The writer explores the world outside themselves, focusing on human life, society, and historical events.

• This category involves an outward focus, where the writer engages with the external world. The writer observes and interprets human activities, societal interactions, and historical events, bringing these observations into their literary work.

• History: Accounts of past events, focusing on human actions, societal changes, and significant occurrences. Historians aim to provide a comprehensive narrative of what happened and why.

• Biography: The detailed description of a person's life, encompassing their experiences, achievements, and impact. Biographies provide a narrative of an individual's journey and contributions.

• Ballad: A narrative poem or song that tells a story, often passed down orally through generations. Ballads typically focus on folk tales, legends, and historical events.

• Epic: Long narrative poems that recount the deeds and adventures of heroic figures. Epics often address themes of great importance to a culture or nation.

• Romance (Verse and Prose): Works that focus on adventurous, often fantastical stories of heroism, love, and chivalry. These can be written in poetic or prose form.

• Story (Verse and Prose): Narratives that tell fictional or factual tales. This includes short stories and longer prose works.

• Novel: Extended fictional prose narratives that explore characters, plots, and settings in great depth.

• Drama: Works intended for performance, involving dialogue and interaction among characters to tell a story or explore themes.

3. Literature of Description

• This type involves detailed descriptions of scenes, landscapes, and experiences, often subordinated to self-expression or narrative.

• While this category may not be as large or prominent as the other two, it plays a crucial role in adding depth and richness to literary works. Descriptive literature often supports self-expression or narrative by providing a vivid context and enhancing the reader's immersive experience.

• Book of Travel: Descriptive accounts of the author's journeys and experiences in different places. These works often provide insights into the geography, culture, and people encountered by the traveler.

• Descriptive Essay and Poem: Writings that focus on vividly describing scenes, objects, landscapes, or experiences. The aim is to create a detailed and sensory-rich depiction that allows the reader to visualize and experience the subject.

Conclusion

            Hudson emphasizes that these forms of literary expression are natural outcomes of common human impulses shaped by the conditions of art. He points out that literature resonates with readers when it activates similar emotions and imaginative responses that were present in the creation of the work. This shared experience of sympathy and imagination forms the basis of our interest in different types of literature.

      By categorizing literature in this way, Hudson provides a framework for understanding the diverse ways in which writers express themselves and engage with the world, and how these expressions resonate with readers.

Reference: 

Hudson, William Henry. An introduction to the study of literature. Harrap, 1919.