Ancient and unique traditions of the Moldavian literature have their origins in the XIV century, while the origins of the folklore go back to prehistoric times. Literature, being the most significant province of the Moldavian cultural heritage, reflects the history of the Moldavian people since the foundation of the Moldavian state throughout the duration of 650 years. The Moldavian literature demonstrates us the concrete reality of social and economic relations of every epoch, the prevailing ideas, moral norms and aesthetic tastes of the Moldavian people, public interests and motivations.

The Moldavian literature is a powerful reflection of the national spirituality, national identity, mentality and specific strains. Over the centuries it has been influenced by the literatures of other nations. The originality, national identity and creative personality are reflected in the works of the most prominent Moldavian writers of different eras and these works have become the part of the golden fund of world literature.

The Moldavian literature can be classified according to the historical periods, social structure, literary schools, creative techniques, forms and genres, as follows:

• Folklore;
• Ancient Literature;
• Literature of the late XVIII century - early XIX century;
• Literature of the XIX century - early XX century;
• Literature of the XX century, which can be divided into several periods:

1. Literature of the MASSR,
2. Literature of Bessarabia,
3. Literature of Postwar Period,
4. Modern Literature,
5. Postmodern Literature.