Saga including the popular genre in the Malay community by the number of stories a lot. The emergence of this genre is the continuation of the story that developed solace in the oral tradition in the community, and then enriched and beautified by adding foreign elements, elements of Hinduism and Islam. In the Malay community life everyday saga serves as a didactic medium (education) and entertainment.
Based on historical phase, long saga in Malay literature can be divided into three, namely: (1) element of Hindu saga, (2) saga element of Hindu-Muslim, and (3) the saga element of Islam. Element of Hindu saga berinduk on two main saga: Tale of Sri Rama and Mahabharata. Of the two stories, such as the growing saga saga saga Pandawa Lima and Sri Rama. Saga that contains elements of Hinduism and Islam is a tale from Hindu tradition, was amended in accordance with Islamic elements. For example, The Tale of Poor, Inderaputera Saga and Saga Jaya improbable. Saga saga element of Islam is derived from the Arabic-Persian literary tradition. For example Tale and Tale of 1001 Nights Qamar al-Zaman.
Based on the content, the saga can be classified into three types: (1) types of fiction, for example Hikayat Malim Dewa, (2) the type of history, for example Hikayat Hang Tuah, Hikayat Pattani and Kings Saga Pasai, (3) type of biography, Saga Saga eg Abdullah and Sultan Ibrahim bin Adam.
Intrinsic elements of the saga is as follows.
a. Theme, an idea that became the basis of the preparation of the story and the story goals
b. Flow, is a series of events that contains a causal link
c. Characters and characterizations, the story and the actors associated with properties owned by actors to shape the story
d. Background, a picture of the place, time, and social circumstances of the event in the story
e. Mandate, is the message the author to the reader
f. Point of view, is the way the author puts himself in the story.
Extrinsic Elements of an element that build the story out literature. Extrinsic Elements are as follows.
a. Religion (religion)
b. Socio-cultural background
c. Educational background
d. Mores
e. Economics.
