Didactic literature

Didactic literature is instructive literature, or literature that teaches a lesson or lessons. It does not merely entertain. Some have suggested that nearly all of the best poetry is didactic. In the contrary Edgar Alan Poe called didacticism the worst of "heresies" in his essay "The Poetic Principle". Examples of didactic literature include:

• Instructions for Parish Priests by John Mirk.
• tracts by Tomas Stitny.
• New England Primer.
• Goody Two-Shoes.
• The Coquette.
• Jataka Tales.