Literature.

Here’s a table of various poetry and prose literature genres and subgenres with explanatory notes to help understand their unique characteristics:

Genre	Subgenre	Explanatory Notes
Poetry	Lyric Poetry	Expresses personal emotions or thoughts of the speaker, often in first person. Key forms include sonnets, odes, and elegies. Examples include works by Emily Dickinson and William Wordsworth.
	Narrative Poetry	Tells a story with a plot, characters, and a narrative arc. Examples include epics and ballads. Notable works include Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey.
	Haiku	A traditional form of Japanese poetry with a 5-7-5 syllable structure, focusing on nature and seasonal changes. Key figures include Matsuo Bashō.
	Free Verse	Lacks consistent meter or rhyme schemes, giving the poet freedom to create varied rhythmic patterns. Prominent poets include Walt Whitman and T.S. Eliot.
	Pastoral	Focuses on rural life and nature, often idealizing the simplicity of the countryside. Examples include works by Virgil and Edmund Spenser.
Prose	Novel	A long, fictional narrative with a complex plot and detailed character development. Subgenres include romance, science fiction, and historical fiction. Examples include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and 1984 by George Orwell.
	Novella	Shorter than a novel but longer than a short story, often focusing on a single incident or character. Examples include Animal Farm by George Orwell and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
	Short Story	A brief fictional prose narrative, often focusing on a single event or character. Notable authors include Edgar Allan Poe, Alice Munro, and Raymond Carver.
	Flash Fiction	Extremely short stories, typically under 1,000 words, that focus on brevity and impact. Examples include works by Lydia Davis and Hemingway’s “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
	Essay	A short piece of writing on a particular subject, often expressing the author’s personal viewpoint. Subgenres include argumentative, descriptive, and narrative essays. Key figures include Michel de Montaigne and George Orwell.
Drama	Tragedy	A serious drama in which the protagonist is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, often due to a tragic flaw. Examples include Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
	Comedy	A lighter, humorous drama with a happy ending, often involving misunderstandings and reconciliations. Examples include Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
	Historical Drama	Plays set in a historical period, often focusing on significant events or figures. Examples include A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt and Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
	Absurdist Drama	Focuses on the absurdity of human existence, often with illogical or nonsensical elements. Key playwrights include Samuel Beckett with Waiting for Godot and Eugène Ionesco.
Non-Fiction	Biography	The life story of a person written by someone else, often based on extensive research. Notable examples include Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.
	Autobiography	A self-written account of the author’s life. Examples include The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela.
	Memoir	A personal account focusing on specific experiences or periods in the author’s life. Notable examples include Educated by Tara Westover and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
	Travel Writing	Accounts of the author’s experiences traveling to different places, often with descriptive and reflective elements. Key figures include Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson.
	Self-Help	Books aimed at personal improvement, offering advice and strategies for various aspects of life. Notable examples include How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
Speculative Fiction	Science Fiction	Explores futuristic concepts, advanced technology, and often speculative societal changes. Key authors include Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Philip K. Dick.
	Fantasy	Features magical elements, mythical creatures, and imaginary worlds. Notable examples include J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
	Horror	Intends to evoke fear, dread, or horror in the reader. Examples include works by Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft.
	Dystopian	Depicts a society characterized by oppression, control, and often a totalitarian regime. Notable examples include Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

This table provides a broad overview of some of the most prominent genres and subgenres in poetry and prose literature, highlighting their unique characteristics and notable examples.