Prose

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It applies a natural flow of speech, and ordinary grammatical structure rather than rhythmic structure, such as in the case of traditional poetry. Normal everyday speech is spoken in prose, and most people think and write in prose form.

Prose comprises of full grammatical sentences, which consist of paragraphs, and forgoes aesthetic appeal in favor of clear, straightforward language. It can be said to be the most reflective of conversational English.

Types of Prose[edit | edit source]

There are four types of prose in literature, including Nonfictional Prose, Fictional Prose, Heroic Prose, and Prose Poetry.

Nonfictional Prose[edit | edit source]

Nonfictional Prose refers to the type of prose that is based on facts. It includes all types of essays, articles, textbooks, and historical, biographical, and scientific works.

Fictional Prose[edit | edit source]

Fictional Prose includes novels, novellas, and short stories. They are works that are conceived from the imagination of the author, and not presented as fact, though they may be based on a true story or situation.

Heroic Prose[edit | edit source]

Heroic Prose is a literary work that is mainly a prose version of an epic, though it can also be a romantic work. It is usually a legend or a folk tale.

Prose Poetry[edit | edit source]

Prose Poetry is a type of writing that combines the poetic and prose by creating a continuous flow of words and phrases that make sense to the reader.

Characteristics of Prose[edit | edit source]

Prose has various characteristics that distinguish it from poetry. These include:

  • It is written in sentences and paragraphs, unlike poetry which is written in lines and stanzas.
  • It does not have a rhythmic pattern, and it is not required to rhyme.
  • It can contain figurative language, but it does not have to.
  • It is more straightforward, direct, and unadorned than poetry.
  • It uses grammatical sentences.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Prose Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD