Do you like reading short stories or novels? Then you know them prose already. It includes both the everyday language as well as the artistic and designed language from literature.
A novel is the long form of a written narrative. At a short story Everyday situations are briefly explained.
You can find more detailed information on the topics «novel» and «short story» in the respective explanations.
Definition of prose
The meaning of prose is explained by looking at the Latin terms «prose oratio« clear. Translated into German they can be read as «straightforward speech» be understood. In the case of prose texts, it is thus a question shape the speechwhich is not determined by a rule or the like.
Prose can be understood as a free, unbound form of language, not bound by rhythm, rhyme and verse. It is abundant in both literature and everyday language.
Thus the prose differs from the poetry off, because she has no bond in verses, Rhyme or a meter. Through style, melody, imagery, rhythm and choice of words she can be artistic.
characteristics of prose
Prose texts are based on the following characteristics:
FeatureFunctionFreedom and few shape-giving restrictionsThe prose follows one free languagethe no rules and stylistic device needed. as most significant feature the prose is the presence of only very few formative restrictions. As already mentioned, there are neither rhymes nor verses nor meters. However, through rhetorical medium the imagery and a specific melody be created. Grammatical correctnessAnother feature of prose is the grammatical correctness. Even if there are actually no specifications, the rules of grammar are essential. Without correct grammar, the texts would become incomprehensible.
emergence of prose
Up until the 18th century, the term was primarily used to mean scientific writings to describe. At that time, texts that had historical, scientific or philosophical content were considered prose. Notes were also called prose.
In contrast, the lyric earlier all that in verse form written and intended for oral presentation.
The term lyric comes from the Greek word lyre (lyre) and inscribed articulated, rhythmic textsthat can be sung.
Over time, the concept of prose changed: it became collective designation for all to form enright speechwhich could not be called poetry.
In the antiquity prose texts did not become Tell used. This was due to the fact that at that time there was a strict distinction between closed speech (epic, poetry, drama) and free speech (prose). The prose was considered purposeful representation and mainly included historical and philosophical aspects.
Only at the beginning of modern times prose was used for narratives. Thus, only occasionally in the different literary epochs find prose works. Through the new storytelling art, the novelprose first became an important one means of expression. Then more emerged literary genres like the novella, the narrative, the saga, the memoirs or even the short story.
Basically, almost all types of text that do not belong to poetry can be summarized under the term prose, but in general it is usually only that literary genre the epic and the novel as the main epic medium as well as the short story.
Detailed information on the topics «Drama», «Novelle», «Literature Era», «Short Story», «Roman», «Epic» and «Lyric» can be found in the respective explanations.
Poetry in prose
It is possible that poetic elements find use in prose texts. An example of this would be the use of a specific sequence of rises and falls, metric structures, or other elements. If this occurs frequently, one often speaks of a «prose poem».
A prose poem is a poem written in prose. Such poems are not bound by rules and therefore have no elements such as verses or end rhymes. However, lyrical means, such as internal rhymes, assonances or others stylistic device find use.
Thus the prose poem is in the center between the prose and the free rhythms. Free rhythms can be used as verses to be discribed. However, these have neither a predetermined number of syllables nor a meter. The rises and falls are also different and the verses are not necessarily in stanzas. Their main feature is the repetitive and recurring rhythms.
A meter is understood as the meter of a poem. Detailed information on «meter» can be found in the relevant explanation.
The different types of prose
Almost any text that is not the lyric is to be assigned is automatically considered prose. Within this demarcation, two types of prose can be distinguished: the utility prose and the literary prose.
The utility prose
The utility prose will too reference literature called and means all texts belonging to a specific purpose are written. With stories in particular, the authors usually want to clarify a main statement.
The focus here is on topics that real life be removed.
Examples of such earmarked texts would be:
More detailed information on the topics «Discussion», «Writing a letter», «Letter to the editor», «Factual text», «Essay», «Argument» and the individual «Descriptions» can be found in the respective explanations.
The literary prose
the literary prose refers to the texts that are actually called stories be designated. This stories have mostly an artistic value and use themselves poetic elements such as a certain choice of words, unusual sentence structure, a certain melody of speech, special imagery or a speech rhythm.
Some examples of literary prose are:
You can find more detailed information on the topics «novella», «anecdote», «satire» and «parable» in the respective explanations.
The forms of prose
The prose can Not always clearly determined will. Namely, it can mix or overlap with other genera and different genres belong. So there are different ones to form the prose.
The short prose
the short prose can also as epic shorthand are called, which often only comprises a few pages. That main feature of the text types of short prose is therefore exclusively the short length.
Epic short forms include fables, short stories, anecdotes, legends, novellas, and fairy tales.
You can find more detailed information on the topics «Fable» and «Legend» in the respective explanations.
The prose poem
A prose poem is a poem written in prose. Such poems are not bound by rules. However, lyrical means, such as internal rhymes, assonances or others stylistic device find use.
The first prose poem «Gaspard de la Nuit» was written by the French poet Aloysius Bertrand (1807-1841) and published posthumously in 1842.
The Free Rhythms
Another intermediate form of prose are the free rhythms. With this text form verses present. However, these have neither a predetermined number of syllables nor a meter. However, there is a fixed rhythm that can be repeated in some passages of the text.
An example of the free rhythms is the poem «Prometheus»which by writers and poets Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was published in 1785.
The art prose
the art prose refers to speech (writing) in unbound form. She found her climax and crowning (accomplishment) through Cicero. Cicero’s speeches and theoretical writings «rhetoric» count among the most important findings and testimonies of roman rhetoric (Doctrine of the effective design of the speech).
Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman politician, lawyer, philosopher, consul and writer. Cicero was the most famous orator in Rome. He was born in 106 BC and died in 43 BC.
The textual description and analysis of a prose text
During the German lessons you will deal with numerous prose texts and also analyze them in the course of this. This includes text analytics and text descriptions to short stories, novels, novel chapters or also to factual texts. The text description is a component of the text analysis, in which the linguistic occurrences of a text are in the foreground. In the actual text analysis, on the other hand, the main message is examined.
Even if the analysis of each text types differing can fail, there are a few core elements that should always be considered:
The structure of a text analysis
The structure of an analysis is always the same. It is divided into one introductiona Bulk and one Ending. In the introduction namely, the author and the title are introduced first, followed by a brief and well-founded synopsis. The table of contents is used to describe the text. Then, for further text analysis, the Interpretation hypothesis (interpretation hypothesis) created.
One interpretation hypothesis provides the Supposition the key statement of a text or the intention of the author.
The interpretation hypothesis forms the transition to the Bulk. On the one hand, all formal aspects (language, etc.) of the respective text as well as the general interpretation and meaning are taken into account.
in the final part will all the details again in one Conclusion summarized. It is also pointed out whether the interpretation hypothesis has proven to be correct. If the interpretation hypothesis was not confirmed during the analysis, it will be reformulated here, in the final part.
The formal aspects
Among the formal aspects you need to consider when analyzing a prose text are the rhetorical means, the language and the Description of the tense and des narrative paces.
The text type
the determination the text type is of great importance for your analysis. Each type of text has its own Characteristics and features, which should be taken into account in an interpretation. For example, a short story has different characteristics than a factual text. While the short story describes the feelings of the characters, a factual text is completely neutral and factual.
The language
Are there any peculiarities in the sentence structure? Accumulate certain sentence constructions how hypotaxis (sequence of main clauses), parataxes (Subordinate clauses are subordinate to the main clauses) or ellipses (incomplete phrases or several omitted words or phrases)? How does this work?
at parataxes Subordinate clauses are subordinate to the main clauses.
You can find more detailed information in the explanations on the topics «ellipsis» and «subordinate clauses».
Through rhetorical means, it is also possible to emphasize selected statements, to present facts in more detail and to change the content of a text. The most common…