Lesson 1 of 4 ยท Form 3 English
Oral literature: genres and features
15 min
What is oral literature?
Literature passed by word of mouth from one generation to another. It is performed, so the audience, occasion and performer matter.
Main genres
- Narratives: myths (origins, gods), legends (heroes), trickster tales (Hare, Spider), ogre stories, aetiological tales (why things are as they are).
- Songs: lullabies, work songs, dirges (funeral songs), praise songs, war songs, initiation songs.
- Short forms: proverbs, riddles, tongue twisters, puns.
- Oral poetry: chants and recitations.
Features to look for
- Opening and closing formulas: Once upon a time... and that is the end of my story.
- Repetition, songs within stories, exaggeration.
- Dialogue, audience participation, gestures and voice changes.
Answering exam questions
State the genre, give evidence from the text, then explain the function (to teach, warn, entertain or explain).
Key points to remember
- Oral literature is performed and passed by word of mouth
- Trickster tales use a clever weak animal
- A dirge is a funeral song
- Always give evidence from the text
Test yourself
