Autobiography As A Literary Genre

Autobiography is one of the most complicated forms in the history of literary genre. It has become difficult task among the literary scholars to define it. Before giving its reliable definition, there are few questions arise on its emergence as a literary genre. First question arises on its place that whether it should be considered as a literature or not?? If it is once considered as a literature then under which category should it be put? Whether it is a fiction or a fact? If it is a fact then how does it differs from history? (pg1 autobio..as lit form) These questions require some further probing. According to Northrop Frye each form of literature is different than each other in terms of its fundamental of presentation.[1] Apart from this there are also some other elements which help to determine the form such as the shape, texture and the mode of narration. While

But a reader might get confused to understand ‘autobiography’. It may happen that a reader may place it in familiarity with non fictional forms like biography or history as it is a narration of the factual incidents of author’s life. While on the other side a reader may relate it with fiction. This is called a perplexing nature of autobiography which becomes its inbuilt quality as a genre. Autobiography falls on the border line between the fact and fiction rather than providing itself any specific category. (pg1-2 autobio..as lit form)

Autobiography is a unique literary form and it is a personal branch of literature. It offers its readers a complex set of interpretive problems written in the first person singular “I” who is both subject and object of the