Here's a breakdown:
* Before the novel: Literature took many forms, including:
* Epic poems: Long, narrative poems recounting heroic deeds, like the *Epic of Gilgamesh* or *The Odyssey*.
* Plays: Dramatic works intended for performance, like those by Sophocles and Shakespeare.
* Poetry: Lyrical, narrative, or dramatic poems expressing emotions or telling stories, like the *Iliad* or *The Song of Myself*.
* Religious texts: Sacred writings like the Bible or the Quran.
* Historical accounts: Chronicles and biographies recording events and lives.
* Philosophical treatises: Writings exploring ideas and principles, like Plato's *Republic*.
* The rise of the novel: The novel as we know it emerged in the 18th century, with authors like Daniel Defoe and Samuel Richardson. It typically features:
* Prose narrative: Told in everyday language, not verse.
* Fictional characters: Made-up people and events.
* Focus on realism: Attempting to depict everyday life and social issues.
* Lengthy and complex: Often with multiple plots and subplots.
So, while the novel is a major form of literature, it's not the only one, and literature has existed for millennia in many different forms.