I.

Time Frame in Philippine Literature

II. Literature and History
A. Why?
1. History of a race includes the feelings, aspirations, customs, and traditions of a
people. These feelings, aspirations, customs and traditions are literature itself.
. Written history is literature itself.
B. Differences?
History! a"solute truth.
Literature! may not "e al#ays true $fictional literature%.
III. General Types of Literature
A. Prose
1. Novels& long narrati'e di'ided into chapters.
. Short Story& has one or more characters, one plot and one single impression. (.
Plays& presented in stage, di'ided into acts and each has many scenes.
). Legends& fictitious narrati'es, usually a"out origins.
*. a!les& fictitious narrati'es, deal #ith tal+ing animals or other inanimate o",ects
#hich enlighten the minds of children.
-. "necdotes& product of #riter.s imagination and the main aim is to "ring out
lessons to the reader.
/. #ssay& e0presses the 'ie#point of the #riter regarding a particular pro"lem or
e'ent.
1. Biography& 2eals #ith the life of a person #hich may "e a"out himself, his
auto"iography or that of others.
3. Ne$s& report of e'eryday e'ents in society, go'ernment, science and industry.
14. %ration& formal treatment of a su",ect and is intended to "e spo+en in pu"lic.
5. Poetry
A. 6arrati'e
1. #pic& e0tended narrati'e a"out heroic e0ploits often under supernatural control.
a. Ancient& un+no#n author
". 7odern& +no#n author
. &etrical Tales& narrati'e in 'erse.
(. Ballad& narrates a single e'ent in a short and simple manner.
5. Lyric Poetry
1. ol'songs& short songs intended to "e sung.
. Sonnet& a lyric poem of 1) lines dealing #ith an emotion, feeling or idea.
(. #legy& a lyric poem a"out death.
). %de& lyric poem a"out no"le feeling e0pressed #ith dignity.
*. Psal(s& a song praising 8od or the 9irgin 7ary and containing philosophy of
life.
-. "$it& has a measure of 1 sylla"les $dodecasylla"ic% and slo#ly sung to the
accompaniment of a guitar or "anduria.
/. )orridos& a measure of 1 sylla"les $octosylla"ic% and recited to a martial "eat.
:. 2ramatic Poetry
1. )o(edy& #ritten for amusement and usually has a happy ending.
. &elodra(a& usually arouses immediate and intensely sad emotion "ut there is a
happy ending for the character.
(. Tragedy& the protagonist meets tragic e'ents and has an unhappy ending.
). arce& e0aggerated comedy.
*. Social Poe(s& it depicts the life of today #ith the aim of "ringing changes in the
social condition.