LESSON - 2

P10212 - Types of Prose

This lesson offers an insight into the different types of Tamil prose. Prose played an important role in the history and growth of Tamil language and literature. Brevity, clarity, and coherence are the qualities of good prose. The different types of prose are: ‘vilakka urainadai’ or expository prose, ‘varunanai urainadai’ or descriptive prose, ‘sarbunilai varunanai’ or subjective prose, ‘eduthurai varunanai’ or narrative prose, ‘nadaga urainadai’ or dramatic prose, ‘sinthanai urainadai’ or contemplative prose, ‘alavai urainadai’ or argumentative prose and ‘vinavidaip poku urainadai’ or prose in the form of question and answers.

This lesson defines each of these prose styles and explains them with suitable examples.

‘Vilakka Urainadai’ or expository prose explains a concept or an idea. School and college text books, scientific and technical books are written in expository prose. Expository prose attempts to examine the cause and effect of a phenomenon or process. The writings of Senavaraiyar and Sivagnana Munivar are good examples of expository prose.

Prose that attempts to present vivid, picturesque descriptions of an experience or a landscape is called descriptive prose. Descriptive prose is of different types.

Prose that describes or recounts something from the point of view of an individual is called subjective prose.

Narrative prose is the kind of prose style found in a work of fiction. In this kind of prose style, the novelist narrates a story or recounts an experience in a very interesting way.

The dialogues between characters in a play and the stage directions constitute dramatic prose. Sankaradas Swamigal, Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar, Surya Narayana Sastriyar, Swaminatha Sharma and Aringar Anna are noted writers of this style.

Prose that is deeply reflective in style is called contemplative prose. It mirrors the thoughts of the writer.

Prose that enunciates various arguments in favour of a certain idea or belief is called argumentative prose. Convincing the reader is the main aim of such a prose style. Often truth and objectivity are compromised in argumentative prose.

Finally, there is rhetorical prose. Often it is in the form of question and answers. It may also be in the form of a series of rhetorical statements.

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