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Literature is a vast field. We generally use the term "literature," but when analyzing it, we discuss prose, poetry, stories, novels, poems, and dramas separately. In a broad sense, the forms of literature refer to its various branches, such as poetry, epics, drama, poetic drama, short stories, novels, essays, etc. On the other hand, style refers to how these branches are constructed and expressed.
Poetry
Anything written in metrical language, that is, in verse, is called poetry. The two main types of poetry are epic poetry and lyric poetry. In Bengali literature, the finest example of an epic was created by Michael Madhusudan Dutt in his Meghnad-Badh Kavya. Epics are usually composed based on stories of war.
In the Indian subcontinent, the two greatest narratives are the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It is often said about the Mahabharata: "What is not in the Mahabharata does not exist in India," meaning whatever is absent in it does not exist or cannot happen in India.
The Mahabharata is vast in size, while the Ramayana is comparatively shorter. Its story revolves around Prince Rama's exile with his wife Sita, accompanied by his younger brother Lakshmana. During their exile, Ravana, the king of Lanka, abducts Sita to avenge his sister Surpanakha's humiliation and takes her to Lanka. The war between Rama and Ravana to rescue Sita forms the main narrative of the Ramayana.
In short, an epic is a long narrative poem. Its main purpose is storytelling, but it is written in verse rather than prose. Besides epics, there are shorter poems known as lyric poetry. Lyric poetry expresses the poet's emotions and is usually not lengthy, although it can be extended if necessary to fully express the poet's feelings. The earliest examples of lyric poetry in Bengali are Vaishnava poems.
Drama
Drama is one of the oldest forms of literature in the world. In ancient times, dramas were not printed as books (since printing did not exist). They were performed rather than read. The primary aim of drama has always been the audience. Among all literary forms, drama has the most direct influence on society and its viewers.
Sanskrit scholars considered drama a part of poetry. For example, Kalidasa wrote his plays in verse. According to them, literature is of two types: visual (seen) and auditory (heard). Drama is mainly visual, and its purpose is fulfilled only when performed on stage.
Drama generally has five parts:
Beginning
Development (progress of the story)
Climax
Falling action (toward resolution)
Conclusion
Based on theme and ending, drama can be divided into tragedy, comedy, and farce.
According to Aristotle, tragedy presents sorrowful events in the lives of characters, evoking fear and pity in the audience and creating a sense of emotional purification. Comedy, on the other hand, highlights the humorous aspects of life without causing pain, often arising from contradictions between desire and reality, intention and outcome, or words and actions.
In Bengali drama, the first great pioneers were Michael Madhusudan Dutt and Dinabandhu Mitra. Madhusudan introduced tragedy, comedy, and farce in Bengali, while Dinabandhu focused on social drama. His Nil Darpan is a notable example.
Short Story
Rabindranath Tagore once described the nature of short stories in a poem, emphasizing simplicity, everyday experiences, and subtle emotional depth. A key idea is: "It ends, yet does not end."
This means a short story does not narrate everything from beginning to end like a novel. Instead, it presents only a selected part of a larger narrative. The term "short story" in Bengali literature has been in use for only a few decades; earlier, all such works were simply called "stories."
Short stories are the youngest among literary forms. Like novels, they contain narratives, but in a more concise manner. Edgar Allan Poe defined a short story as something that can be read in one sitting.
Due to its brevity, a short story cannot present every detail of events like a novel, nor is it necessary. Rabindranath Tagore is one of the greatest short story writers in Bengali literature.
Novel
Among all literary forms, the novel is one of the most popular and widely read. A novel presents a narrative in prose. In earlier times, stories were written in verse, but those were not considered novels.
Prose developed later, making the novel a relatively modern literary form. The main element of a novel is its plot, built through events and characters.
Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay is considered the first successful and great novelist in Bengali literature. Before the 19th century, no novels were written in Bengali. Inspired by English literature, he wrote famous works such as Kapalkundala, Bishabriksha, and Chandrasekhar. After him, Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay became prominent novelists.
Novels can be of various types, such as historical, social, poetic, detective, and psychological. Historical novels were especially popular during Bankimchandra's time.
Essay
An essay is a prose composition meant to satisfy the reader's thirst for knowledge. It usually contains informative content, helping readers learn new things. However, not all informative writing qualifies as literary essays.
The key feature of literature is creativity. Without creativity, a piece of writing cannot be considered a literary essay. Therefore, not all newspaper articles qualify as essays.
Like all literature, essays aim to create beauty and provide enjoyment. An essay is generally a moderately short, engaging literary form created using imagination and intellect.
Essays are mainly divided into two types:
Objective essays (focused on subject matter and structured analysis)
Subjective essays (focused on personal thoughts and style)
Rabindranath Tagore's essays mostly belong to the subjective category. The term belle lettres (French) refers to elegant literary writing, which can be translated as "fine writing" or "artistic prose."
The term "light writing" or "humorous writing" is often used, but it does not fully capture the essence of such essays. Even serious topics can be presented in a refined and artistic manner.