Which of these is the oldest genre of literature?

Analyze the question: You are asked which literary genre is the oldest. The three main genres are poetry, drama, and prose. (Option A, "Aroma," is not a literary genre at all. It is probably a typo or a distractor.)

Explain the concept: Before writing existed, people passed on stories, history, praise, and religious ideas orally. Rhythm, repetition, and rhyme made these easy to memorize, so early oral literature took the form of poetry: chants, songs, epics, and praise poems.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Aroma: not a genre of literature, so it is eliminated.
2. Prose: ordinary written or spoken language. It developed later, when writing became widespread, and the novel is a comparatively recent form.
3. Drama: it grew out of ritual and religious festivals (for example, in ancient Greece and in many African traditions). It came after the early songs and chants that make up poetry.
4. Poetry: the earliest literary expression. Ancient epics such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer's Iliad and Odyssey were poems. In Nigeria, oral forms like Yoruba oriki (praise poetry), Igbo songs, and Hausa praise songs are also poetic.

Exam tip: Remember the order P-D-P: Poetry first, then Drama, then Prose. When you see "oldest genre," think of oral tradition, which is rhythmic and poetic.