GRE Subject Test: Literature in English

The GRE Subject Test in Literature in English assesses knowledge and understanding of literary texts, critical analysis, and interpretation skills.

Major Literary PeriodsGenres and FormsClose Reading and Critical Analysis
Critical Theories and SchoolsIntertextuality and AllusionAdvanced Literary Devices
Analyzing Unseen PassagesComparative AnalysisBuilding Interpretive Arguments
Time Management for the GRE Literature TestProcess of Elimination
Major Literary Perio...Genres and FormsClose Reading and Cr...Critical Theories an...Intertextuality and ...Advanced Literary De...Analyzing Unseen Pas...Comparative AnalysisBuilding Interpretiv...Time Management for ...Process of Eliminati...
Basic Concepts

Genres and Forms

Navigating Genres and Forms

English literature comes in many shapes and sizes! Understanding genres—like poetry, prose, and drama—helps you identify a text's purpose and approach.

Main Genres

  • Poetry: Uses meter, rhyme, and imagery.
  • Drama: Written for performance, with dialogue and stage directions.
  • Prose: Includes novels, short stories, and essays.

Forms Within Genres

  • Sonnet: 14-line poem with strict rhyme.
  • Epic: Long narrative poem, like Paradise Lost.
  • Tragedy: A serious drama with a downfall, like Hamlet.
  • Satire: Uses humor to expose flaws, like Gulliver's Travels.

Why It Matters

Recognizing form can reveal a lot about a text’s meaning and technique. For instance, a sonnet’s structure often mirrors its theme.

Examples

  • Identifying a Shakespearean sonnet by its 14-line structure.

  • Recognizing dramatic irony in a play like Othello.

In a Nutshell

Genres and forms shape how stories and ideas are expressed in literature.

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Close Reading and Critical Analysis