Literary Genres and Language Functions

Narrative Verse Subgenres

• Epic: A poem celebrating heroic deeds (e.g., Iliad, Odyssey).
• Chanson de Geste: Oral epic extolling a local or national hero (e.g., Song of Mio Cid).
• Romance: Short poem, often in octosyllabic verse with assonance.

Prose Narrative Subgenres

• Novel: Extensive story in a specific time and space (e.g., Don Quixote).
• Story: Short narrative with a condensed plot (e.g., Jungle Tales).
• Legend: Fictional story based on historical or pseudo-historical events (e.g., Legends).
• Apologue: Story conveying moral codes (e.g., The Count Lucanor).
• Epistle: Doctrinal, philosophical, or moral text in letter form.
• Fable: Anecdote with personified animals and a moral lesson.
• Essay: Text presenting the author's viewpoint on a topic.

Theater

Actions are presented through dialogue, in prose or verse. Intended for performance, with stage directions.

Major Theater Subgenres

• Tragedy: High-status characters struggle against fate (classical tragedies often in verse).
• Comedy: Everyday life treated humorously, with a happy ending.
• Drama: Combines tragedy and comedy, includes skits.

Minor Theater Subgenres

• Auto Sacramental: Religious allegorical play, ending with the Eucharist.
• Entremés: Short play performed during intermissions in the 17th century.
• Sainete: Short comic piece with popular characters and customs.

Language Functions

• Referential: Conveys information about reality.
• Expressive: Expresses feelings and opinions.
• Conative: Influences the receiver's behavior.
• Poetic: Focuses on the beauty of the message.
• Metalinguistic: Refers to language itself.
• Phatic: Establishes or maintains communication.