Frye's "Masterplot" and the "Theory of Modes"
| Romance (Summer) | Tragedy (Autumn) | Comedy (Spring) | Irony/Satire (Winter) |
| Conflict | Catastrophe | Triumph | Disorder and Confusion |
| Protagonist's Power | Mode | Character Type |
| Superior in kind to humans and nature | Myth | Gods |
| Superior in degree to humans and nature | Romance | Heroes |
| Superior in degree to humans but not to nature | Epic or tragedy | Leaders |
| Equal to humans and of ordinary nature | Comedy and realism | Ordinary people |
| Inferior to humans and of inferior nature | Irony | Antiheroes |