Literature Atlas

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Genre

Portrait

Nonfiction and Documentary Prose

The portrait, as a literary genre, is a written description or analysis of a person or thing. A written portrait often gives deep insight, and offers an analysis that goes far beyond the superficial. It is considered a parallel to pictorial portraiture.

Facts
Notable Example
Les Caractères by Jean de La Bruyère 1
Defining Trait
Written description or analysis of a person that goes beyond the superficial 1
Sources
1. Portrait (literature)
  • History
    the Caractères by Jean de La Bruyère
  • Lead
    a written description or analysis of a person or thing. A written portrait often gives deep insight, and offers an analysis that goes far beyond the superficial.
  • In Group: Life Writing and Personal Narrative, Lead paragraph
    is a written description or analysis of a person or thing
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