Genres

Etymology and definitions

Etymology

Genre, coming into use around 1770, is a French term coming from gender to mean “of a kind.” It was nativized into English circa 1840 and was mostly used to denote an independent style.

Definition

Genre a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

History

An ancient Greek classification system developed by Aristotle for writings based on structure, content, and narrative form. In the late eighteenth century genre was scrutinized heavily. Genre definitions were thought to be “primitive and childish.”

At the same time, the Romantic period saw the emergence of a new genre, the ‘imaginative’ genre. The reason for this shift is often attributed to the social events that were taking place in the Western world in terms of wars, infighting and overthrown leadership that led to the people needing an escape. 

In 1957 Canadian scholar Northrop Frye published “Anatomy of Criticism,” in which he proposes a system of genres and a set of rules to describe the constraints of each genre. He defines methodological classifications of the genres of myth, legend, high mimetic genre, low mimetic genre, irony, the comic, and the tragic through the constitution of “the relation between the hero of the work and ourselves or the laws of nature.” He also uses the juxtaposition of the “real” and the “ideal” to categorize the genres of romance (the ideal), irony (the real), comedy (transition from real to ideal), and tragedy (transition from ideal to real). Lastly, he divides genres by the audience they are intended for into: drama (performed works), lyric poetry (sung works), and epic poetry (recited works).

In the modern era, genre has lost much of its negative context and isn’t seen as force acting against individuality.

The genres today

Today, genres are more of a tool used by the market to organize audiences and potential consumers. Audiences, of course, have taken this and run off with it to build their own version in the corner.

Nonfiction

Based on fact, Nonfiction usually works to educate its audience, or to persuade them of something. This leads to endless possibilities as long as there is an interest. Books from underwater basket weaving to books on stars in space.

Self-Help

Feeling better about yourself, getting better yourself, or telling yourself you’ll read it… eventually.

Biography

Autobiography, Memoirs (though can be more time specific), Factual (hopefully) tellings of a persons existence

Hobbies

Art, Crafting, DIY, Photography, Gardening, Cooking, Music, really anything that you could possibly be into.

History

There is more than WWII believe it or not. My dad was obsessed with the American Civil War and I happen to love ancient history.

Science

Medical, Languages, Psychological, Computers and Software, Health and Fitness, and if you want to get technical Political Science.

Business

Economics and other fun Wall Street things. Definitely not my realm of expertise

Religion

Spiritualty, mythology, philosphy. It’s a small list but you wouldn’t believe how many nuances there are here.

Family

Parenting, Birthing, Housekeeping, Education, the more we understand our own psychology the more this genre grows.

Travel

Again a small looking (nonexistent) list but it’s huge. It’s a big world out there.

Fiction

This is more my jam. Some people learn through instruction, others through imagination and the power of allegory has proven itself over and over through human history. I don’t think they saw it culminating in romance stories about Ice aliens but we live in a privileged time.

Fantasy

The swords and the worldbuilding and the magic. And the Dragons. I’m here for the dragons.

Science Fiction

Like fantasy but with tech. and there’s a thing about the vehicles here. Horses aren’t good enough I guess

Contemporary

Stories based on life today. It feels like it could happen to anyone. Can be dangerously moving.

Horror

Those tingles down your spine, the atmosphere bleeding through the page. People making dumb decisions for absolutely no reason.

Romance

There are more than just the bodice rippers but sometimes that is a very dangerous thing.

Mystery

Secret secret I’ve got a secret. These are dangerous because I am one of those that needs answers rather than sleep.

Young Adult

I was lucky to grow up with this genre and I have had the joy of watching it grow and go off in crazy directions.

Paranormal

This is pushing it a bit but now there are so many it only feels right to give it its own section. You can thank Twilight for this explosion.

There are many others. Even just finishing this list I want to add graphic novels, plays, poetry, classics not to mention translated works. The idea is it keeps growing. As trends change and readers start looking for more of what they like the list just keeps growing.