The Novel - Il Romanzo

The novel

The Novel emerged in the 18th century. It was associated not with the aristocracy but with the rising middle classes.

The English term “novel” is different from other European terms.

The Novel is a work of prose fiction of considerable length.

The novel is fictitious; in fact, it depicts imaginary events that could be real.

Language

The language of the novel is plain, factual, quite similar to that of newspapers and magazines.

The Story is introduced as true.

Sub-genres

There are many sub-genres:

• Epistolary Novel is a novel made up of letters.
• Picaresque Novel is about the adventures of a young man.
• Sentimental Novel provokes great emotions.
• Travel and Utopian Fiction: The best example is Gulliver’s Travels. They were very popular at the time.
• Gothic Novel is characterized by a sinister, dark atmosphere and supernatural events. The plot is intricate, in which an innocent girl is persecuted by a cruel man.
• Novel of Purpose is written with the purpose of propagating political and social ideas.
• Novel of Manners: The best example is Pride & Prejudice of Jane Austen. It is set in the provincial middle class. The plot is centred on love stories.
• Historical Novel is set in past times and is selected to have a direct relation with contemporary life.

Utopian fiction

This attacks political corruption with a sharp satire. They contain many analyses and criticisms of contemporary society. But the claim of Utopian Fiction’s Satire is to be able to solve all mankind’s problems.

Travel fiction

The tale usually tells of a shipwrecked person on new territories. They also celebrated the English mercantile spirit.

The short story

The short Story is simple in language and structure.

The short story is ideal for tales of mystery or horror.

Other poetic forms

The Elegy is a lament for a dead person.

The Song is a poem, usually short and written in simple language. It is always set to music.

The Sonnet is a poem made up of 14 lines showing a variety of rhyme schemes.

Imported from Italy, in the Renaissance it was mostly used to sing of love, the brevity of human life and the power of poetry.