Genre In General
Genre is a way of classifying texts, movies, music and popular culture into groups, so that texts can be easily organised and identified. Different genres have specific characteristics which helps people to classify where different texts belong. Different genres have different expectations. For example, if you want to write a good detective novel, you need to take into account what people expect from that genre of book: a bit of action, a mystery, lies and secrets, dramatic plot twists, suspects, a detective etc., etc.
Genre theorists are people who study genre. They create theories around it, and are kind of like the philosophers of genre.
"Embody the crucial ideological concerns of the time in which they are popular." - Fiske, 1987.
"An individual text within a genre rarely, if ever, has all of the characteristic features of the genre." - Fowler, 1989.
Genre theorists are people who study genre. They create theories around it, and are kind of like the philosophers of genre.
"Embody the crucial ideological concerns of the time in which they are popular." - Fiske, 1987.
"An individual text within a genre rarely, if ever, has all of the characteristic features of the genre." - Fowler, 1989.
What Genres Can Pride and Prejudice Be Classified In?
Pride and Prejudice was written in the early eighteenth century and can be classified as a romantic novel, a historical fiction or a coming of age (bildungsroman).
The characteristics of the book that allow it to be classified as a romantic fiction are the elements of love and marriage, which are recurring themes throughout the novel. The romantic journeys that many of the characters embark on provide much of the plot and the opportunity to explore the issues surrounding marriage, societal change, gender expectations and the idea of prejudice within society.
It also shows a part of history, and opens a door for us to see what life for young women in England was like in the early eighteenth century, giving a glimpse at society and life for both the rich and poor families of the time. This means that the novel, in some ways, could also be pigeon-holed as a historical fiction.
Although Pride and Prejudice is not usually classified as a comedic novel, it is a book written with wit and humour, which is often shown through Mrs. Bennet's determination to have all her five daughters married, her worry about Jane and Elizabeth becoming old maids, and Mr. Bennet's teasing to which she is mostly oblivious to. Austen's sense of humour is also shown through Lydia and Kitty's desperate flirting and sneaky tricks that they think will get them married earlier, and their childish, immature views on life and love, and what is important. Austen uses various literary devices to show the hypocrisy of prejudice, and uses irony to convey her ideas about society at the time.
Through the eyes of Elizabeth, we see her perception of the world around her shift over time, and can see how her ideas and views on life slowly progress, develop and change. This is the basic idea of a bildungsroman (coming of age) novel, that the protagonist embarks on a journey of internal change, to become more mature and open-minded.
The characteristics of the book that allow it to be classified as a romantic fiction are the elements of love and marriage, which are recurring themes throughout the novel. The romantic journeys that many of the characters embark on provide much of the plot and the opportunity to explore the issues surrounding marriage, societal change, gender expectations and the idea of prejudice within society.
It also shows a part of history, and opens a door for us to see what life for young women in England was like in the early eighteenth century, giving a glimpse at society and life for both the rich and poor families of the time. This means that the novel, in some ways, could also be pigeon-holed as a historical fiction.
Although Pride and Prejudice is not usually classified as a comedic novel, it is a book written with wit and humour, which is often shown through Mrs. Bennet's determination to have all her five daughters married, her worry about Jane and Elizabeth becoming old maids, and Mr. Bennet's teasing to which she is mostly oblivious to. Austen's sense of humour is also shown through Lydia and Kitty's desperate flirting and sneaky tricks that they think will get them married earlier, and their childish, immature views on life and love, and what is important. Austen uses various literary devices to show the hypocrisy of prejudice, and uses irony to convey her ideas about society at the time.
Through the eyes of Elizabeth, we see her perception of the world around her shift over time, and can see how her ideas and views on life slowly progress, develop and change. This is the basic idea of a bildungsroman (coming of age) novel, that the protagonist embarks on a journey of internal change, to become more mature and open-minded.
The Adventages and Disadvantages of Genre Writing
Disadvantages:
- when writing in one particular genre, there may not be as much freedom as when writing without the confines of a specific genre - your audience has expectations that need to be met for the text to be successful in its genre - by being categorised in one particular genre, it can limit your audience |
Advantages:
- when writing in a specific genre, you know your targeted audience, and what they expect - you know the basic characteristics within your selected genre to make it successful - you know what needs to happen in your story referring to the development of character - you can outline the changes and main plot that occurrs in your narrative |
Characteristics Of The Bildungsroman Genre
I am focusing on the bildungsroman genre as it is one of the most popular and well known, and many texts fit into another genre as well as this one. Most texts could technically be classified as a bildungsroman, as long as the protagonist goes on a journey of maturation and internal development.
Charateristics:
- the protagonist embarks on a journey of maturation, as the character starts out as foolish and naive.
- there is some kind of event that pushes the protagonist into their journey.
- the journey will not be easy, and protagonist will be forced to mature and take on a more adult role.
- there is usually an epiphany, when the protagonist has an 'ah' moment, and finally 'gets it'.
- protagonist will find their way.
Charateristics:
- the protagonist embarks on a journey of maturation, as the character starts out as foolish and naive.
- there is some kind of event that pushes the protagonist into their journey.
- the journey will not be easy, and protagonist will be forced to mature and take on a more adult role.
- there is usually an epiphany, when the protagonist has an 'ah' moment, and finally 'gets it'.
- protagonist will find their way.
The Evolution of The Bildungsroman
The idea of 'growing up', has not changed too much over time. But, people still often confuse coming of age or bildungsroman texts with texts just about becoming an adult, as in getting a job, getting married and those sorts of things. But, growing up is often represented in bildungsromans as a change in the protagonist's character, behaviour, opinions and attitude, to make them a more mature and deep person. However, males used to be the dominant characters that developed in the bildungsroman, whereas now it is just as common for females to star in these texts.