The word literature is derived from Latin "littera" meaning `an individual` written character (letter) and literature is literally `acquaintance with letters as expressed in Oxford English dictionary. Literature comprises of texts of prose - both fiction and non-fiction drama and poetry. In many parts of the world such texts can be oral as well and include the genres of epic, legend, myth, ballad and the folk tale. Generally one can equate literature as collection of poetry, prose and plays that revolve around a particular topic. The term literature has broad applications and can include images and sculptures as well as letters.

Literature refers to a whole body of literary work, often culture specific whereas literature can refer to any form of writing as in prose or verse. When we talk of literature it must imply a work of substantial intellectual caliber with a proper theme. In literature, theme is the broad idea in the story; it can be about life, society or human nature. Themes are usually implied not explicitly mentioned themes are ideas conveyed by a text and verse from the interplay of plot and character and the author`s perception of literature. But literature on also connotes to any form of literary work. However this demarcation is rather subjective and often debatable.

There are various forms of literature, which comprise of literature of a particular place. In most circles literature has come to be connected to written forms. Literature manifests itself in various forms and they are called the genre. Genres refer to traditional diversions of literature of various kinds and these writing genres are divided into sub genres. Literature can be organized according to the poetic genres and prose genres. Poetry may be sub divided into epic lyric dramatic prose. Prose may be sub divided into fiction and non-fiction. Further sub development may include comedy, tragedy and so on. Comedy has its own genre - farce burlesque satire. The writer or poet uses a particular medium of expression to give vent to his creativity. The various forms of literature are:

a) Poetry: A poem can be defined as composition usually written in verse. Poems use imagery, metaphors, and may take the form of measures consisting of patterns of stresses (metric feet) or of patterns of different length syllables as in classical prosody, usage of rhyme is optional. Metre is dependent on syllables and on rhythms of speech. Rhyme and alliteration depend on words that have similar pronunciation. Poetry uses special forms; the haiku, the limerick or sonnet form Theatrical works traditionally took verse form now it survives only in Opera and musicals, although some people argue that the language of drama remains intrinsically poetic.

b) Drama: Drama comprises of dialogue between characters and is aimed at dramatic and the theatrical performance rather than reading. The percepts of `three unities` (unity of action, place and of time) and theatrical decorum would eventually come to dominate French and Italian tragedy in the 17th century which English Renaissance tragedy would follow a path more open to dramatic action and the portrayal of tragic events on stage. William Shakespeare wrote the most famous tragedies, however, in modern literature - tragedy has moved away.

c) Essays: An essay consists of discussion of a topic from an author`s personal point of view. Michel de Montaigne is considered to be the father of this genre his, self-reflective musings can be called the `essays`. Genre related to the essay many include the memoir - telling the story of an author`s life from his personal point of view, the Epistle - form of didactic letter. A novel is a long story written in prose. It gives the author freedom to allow him to experiment with various literary styles in one single novel.

d) Other Prose Literature: Each form is subdivided into sub genre as per the content. Philosophy, History, Journalism and legal and scientific writings traditionally ranked as literature. They offer some of the oldest prose writings in existence; novels and prose stories earned the name fiction to distinguish them from factual writings or non-fiction. They produce technological literature. In modern day electrical literature is a developing genre to be read on a computer screen of lens using hypertext.

Many schools of thought emphasized close reading of texts, elevating it far above general discussion and speculation about either authorial intention or reader response. Today interest in literary theory and continental philosophy co exists in university literature departments with a more conservative literary criticism of which the new critics would have probably approved.

History of Indian Literature
The history of literature is the historical development of writings in prose or poetry which aim at providing education, entertainment and enlightenment to its readers as well the development of the literary techniques used in the communication of these pieces, right from the ancient literature, to the contemporary times.

Sanskrit Literature
Sanskrit Literature begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical Sanskrit literature dates to the Early Middle Ages. The Vedic literature forms the basis for the further development of Hinduism. Most modern Indian languages have been directly derived from or strongly influenced by Sanskrit and hence, the language and its literature is of great importance in Indian culture.

English Literature
Indian English literature refers to that corpus of literature that has been written in the English language by native Indian writers who belong to one of the many regons of India and speak a different language.

Regional Indian Literature
Regional literature is literature written in the vernacular - the speech of the "common people". In Hindu culture, traditionally religious or scholarly works were written in Sanskrit long after its use as a spoken language. With the rise of the bhakti movement from the 1100s onwards, religious works started being created in all the possible languages throughout the different regions of India. For example, the Ramayana, one of Hinduism`s sacred epics in Sanskrit had vernacular versions such as Ramacharitamanasa, a Hindi version of the Ramayana by the 16th century poet Tulsidas and Kambaramayanam by the poet, Kamban in Tamil.