Prose: What It Is and Examples 

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We generally group writing into two categories, prose and poetry. Prose is any written work that adheres to a grammatical structure without following a metrical structure. Poetry is written work that follows a fixed rhythm or meter, which result in lines and stanzas, and might even follow a rhyme scheme.

In simple terms, prose is a written or verbal form that mirrors the natural way we talk in everyday conversation. It can be formal or casual, but it does not fit into any rhyme scheme or rhythm. 

What is Prose in Literature?

Prose is a written or verbal piece that follows the natrual way we speak, but adhering to rules of grammar. This means that the words and phrases join together into full sentences and paragraphs. 

 It appears both in nonfiction and fiction, and is the most common way of writing. The origin of the word is “prosa oratio,” a Latin term that means “straightforward.” 

Prose is an important literary device, in that writers use it to be conversational with their audience. This helps build a degree of familiarity so that the reader can relate with the writer’s thought. Many authors use the first-person narrator to achieve this goal. 

What are the 3 types of prose? 

Prose comes in a few different types, depending on their purpose and style. The three most common are the following: 

  1. Fictional prose: This refers to fictional works of literature. This is considered the most common among the different types of prose. You see this when you read a short story, a novel, or a novella. Because it’s in story form, you will normally find that it has a plot, a setting, characters, and dialogue. 
  2. Nonfictional prose: Nonfictional prose can be a story, too, except that it sticks to factual accounts. This can also include non-story types of text, such as newspaper articles, instruction manuals, and textbooks. Historical accounts, biographies, and memoirs fall into this category. (Note that historical fiction will fall under fictional prose.) 
  3. Prose poetry: This hybrid literary form is actually poetry that’s written in prose form. Sometimes it may have its own rhyme and rhythm patterns. 

Another type of prose which is less common in the modern day is the historical heroic prose, which is usually part of a culture’s oral tradition. This typically comes in the form of a fable or legend. Sometimes, these may be written down, but the main way that it’s transmitted would have been through recitation. 

What is the Function of Prose? 

The main roles of prose are: 

  • To tell a story. In literature, prose can be used to tell a story. In this case, it’s the way that an author shows a problem and then offers a conclusion, through the telling of a story complete with a plot, setting, characters, a conflict, and the resolution. 
  • To communicate an idea. Whether in fiction or nonfiction, prose is intended to communicate an idea. It can be in the form of delivering information, describing a scene or place, or informing the reader of some event or detail. 
  • To express one’s voice. Writers have their each unique voice. Writing in prose lets the writer develop and express his own voice. 
  • To create familiarity and possibly intimacy. Because of the conversational nature of prose, it can be much easier to connect with the author. It can give you a glimpse into a writer’s personality. For example, take a look at this passage from James Herriot’s humorous book, Vet in a Spin: “This was a very different uniform. The wellingtons and breeches of my country vet days seemed far away as I climbed into the baggy flying suit and pulled on the sheepskin boots and the gloves—the silk ones first then the big clumsy pair on top. It was all new but I had a feeling of pride.” 

Examples of Prose in Literature 

Although majority of the works of fiction in literature are in prose, some authors manage to play with the writing type to convey a specific purpose. 

Example #1. As You Like It by William Shakespeare 

Shakespeare wrote most of his plays in poetry form. But in As You Like It, he deliberately inserts sections in prose. Why? He uses it as a tool to show the audience the difference in social class. He lets his characters who come from the lower class in society to speak in prose.

For example, Touchstone says, “Why, if thou never wast at court thou never saw’st good manners; if thou never saw’st good manners, then thy manners must be wicked; and wickedness is sin, and sin is damnation. Thou art in a parlous state, shepherd.” 

In contrast, those who come from the nobility speak in poetry: 

Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
But yet, indeed, the smaller is his daughter;
    The other is daughter to the banish’d Duke,
And here detain’d by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
    Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.

Example #2. The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat

In this work historical fiction, Captain Marryat gives such a detailed description that it can almost feel like nonfiction prose: 

The circumstances which I am about to relate to my juvenile readers took place in the year 1647. By referring to the history of England, of that date, they will find that King Charles the First, against whom the Commons of England had rebelled, after a civil war of nearly five years, had been defeated, and was confined as a prisoner at Hampton Court. The Cavaliers, or the party who fought for King Charles, had all been dispersed and the Parliamentary army under the command of Cromwell were beginning to control the Commons.

It was in the month of November in this year that King Charles, accompanied by Sir John Berkely, Ashburnham, and Legg, made his escape from Hampton Court, and rode as fast as the horses could carry them toward that part of Hampshire which led to the New Forest.

Example #3. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe 

The first-person narrator of Robinson Crusoe effectively uses the conversational tone to bring the reader into the character’s experiences on the deserted island. Take a look at the passage below: 

When I came down to the ship I found it strangely removed. The forecastle, which lay before buried in sand, was heaved up at least six feet, and the stern, which was broke in pieces and parted from the rest by the force of the sea, soon after I had left rummaging her, was tossed as it were up, and cast on one side; and the sand was thrown so high on that side next her stern, that whereas there was a great place of water before, so that I could not come within a quarter of a mile of the wreck without swimming I could now walk quite up to her when the tide was out. I was surprised with this at first, but soon concluded it must be done by the earthquake; and as by this violence the ship was more broke open than formerly, so many things came daily on shore, which the sea had loosened, and which the winds and water rolled by degrees to the land.

The Difference Between Prose and Poetry 

The main difference in prose and poetry is that prose simply sticks to rules of grammar but remain closer to our normal way of speaking. You will hardly ever hear someone speak in poetry in everyday conversation, because poetry adheres to rules of meter, rhyme, and rhythm. This gives poets the artistic license to twist sentences around even if they may not sound natural for daily use. 

Using Prose in Writing 

Writing in prose tends to have fewer “rules,” so to speak, than writing in poetry, although of course you still have to conform to grammatical and spelling rules. The good news is that, because it can be conversational, you may even use different vernacular speech in it, as long as it will help you get your point across to your target audience. 

Also, you can play with the different range of tones and styles, ranging from casual to formal, and find the sweet spot that you need for your particular purpose. 

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