Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Meaning of Literature
Genres of Literature
Periods of Philippine
Literature and
Different Literary
Types
is derived from the Latin term
litera which means letter
printed matter written within
a book, a magazine, or
pamphlet
faithful reproduction of man’s
manifold experiences blended
into one harmonious
expression
story of man
man’s loves, griefs, thoughts,
dreams and aspirations
coached in beautiful language
anything that is printed, as
long as it is related to the
ideas and feelings of people
(Webster)
piece of written work which is
undying (Atienza, Ramos,
Salazar, and Nazal)
PROSE POETRY
Consists of Refers to
those written those
within the expressions in
common flow of verse, with
conversation in measure and
sentences and rhyme, line and
paragraphs stanza and
melodious tone
PROSE POETRY
Novel Narrative (epic,
Short story metrical tale, ballad)
Play Lyric (folksong,
Legend, fable sonnet, elegy, ode,
Anecdote psalm, awit, corrido)
Essay Dramatic (comedy,
Biography melodrama, tragedy,
News farce, social poem)
oration
Literature is ________________. It
can be divided into two general
classifications: p_____e and
p_____y. P_____e is characterized
by ________________________ while
p_____y. Examples of p_____e
include ________________________;
examples of p_____y include
p_____y
1. What literary titles do the
pictures signify? Justify your
answers.
2. Who are the leading characters
you remember in the stories
portrayed in the pictures?
3. What is the general setting or the
place where the stories happened
in each picture-story?
4. What are the themes or
main idea of these
picture-stories?
5. What Filipino values do
these stories tell about?
Philippine literature has
achieved a stature that is
phenomenal
The growth of written
literature is slow and
evolutionary
History and literature are
slowly unfolding before us
Time frames may not be
necessary in a study of
literature, but since they
are inescapably related it
has become facilitative to
map up a system which
will aid us in delineating
certain time boundaries
These time boundaries are
not exactly well-defined
1. Pre-colonization (--BC-
1564)
2. Spanish Colonization
(1565-1898)
a. Nationalistic/ Propaganda
(1864-1896)
b. Period of Enlightenment
(1872-1898)
c. Period of Active Revolution
(1896-1898)
3. American Colonization
(1898-1941)
a. Period of Reorientation (1898-
1910)
b. Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
c. Period of Apprenticeship
(1910-1930)
d. Period of Emergence (1920-
1930)
e. Period of Self-Discovery (1925-
1941)
4. Japanese Colonization (1941-
1945)
5. The Rebirth of Freedom (1946-
1970)
6. Period of the Third Republic
7. Period of Activism (1970-1972)
8. Period of the New Society (1972-
1981)
9. Contemporary Period (1986 to
present)
Based on oral traditions
Shows our customs and
traditions in everyday life
Ethnic literature may be
classified into three groups:
folk speech, folk songs, and
folk narratives
Riddle/ bugtong
(Tagalog)/ tigmo
(Cebuano)/ burburtia
(Ilocano)/ paktakon
(Ilongo)/ patototdon
(Bicol)
are like proverbs with one
main difference: demand an
answer and are used to test
the wits of those listening to
them
Rely on talinghaga
(metaphor)
called bugtong
flippant in nature
practical observation and
philosophy of everyday
Heto na si Kaka, bubuka- life
that
bukaka.is written in a
rhyming scheme
meant to entertain while
Sa araw ay bungbong,
teaching basic skills in
Sa gabi ay dahon.
surviving local life
called salawikain
Proverbs and aphorisms/
salawikain or kasabihan
(Tagalog)/ aramiga or
sasabihan (Bicol)/ panultihon
or pagya (Cebuano)/ humbaton
or hurobaton (Ilongo)/
pagsasao (Ilocano)/ kasebian
(Pampango)
are practical observations
and philosophy of everyday
life that are written usually
in a rhyming scheme
meant to entertain while
teaching basic skills in
surviving local life
called salawikain
practical observation and
philosophy
Kung ano ang ofpuno,
everyday life
that
siya angisbunga.
written in a
rhyming scheme
meant to entertain while
Kung walang tiyaga,
teaching basic skills in
Walang nilaga.
surviving local life
called salawikain
beautiful songs that are
informal expressions of our
ancestor’s experiences in
life
range from courtship songs
(harana) or serenade, to
lullabies, harvests,
funerals, and others
Lullabyes
Love songs
Drinking songs
Work songs
Religious songs
Death songs
Sung to put children to
sleep
Called oyayi (Tagalog)/ ili-ili
(Ilongo)/ duayya (Ilocano)/
tumaila (Pampango/
baliwayway (Isinay and
Ilongot)/ andang (Aeta)
May be sung and danced to
Sometimes senseless,
always playful and light
Reflect the child’s carefree
world
Frequently concern romantic
love (form or strengthen
bonds between lovers)
Some are about unrequited
love
Courtship songs are many in
ethnic literature
Panawagon and balitao, aliri
(Aeta), diona (Tagalog), harana
(Cebuano), ambahan (Mangyan)
Ambahan, a poem with seven
syllables per line, the ending
syllables following a rhyme
scheme; used as a form of
social entertainment and as a
tool for teaching the young
Sung during carousals
Brief, always merry, almost
hedonistic
Many originated in the
Bicol area where they are
called tigsik/ tagay
(Cebuano and Waray)
Foster cohesiveness within
the community
Depict the different forms
of livelihood
Sung to synchronize the
movements of workers
Songs for solemn affairs
Prayer of thanksgiving
(ambaamba)
Exorcism chant (bugyaw)
Deaths occasion the singing
of dirges or lamentations, in
which the deeds of the dead
are recounted
Generally called kwentong
bayan (myths, legends,
fables, and trickster tales)
Myths are regarded as
sacred, explain origin and
goal of the cosmos
Legends (alamat) are
believed to be about more
recent events
used to explain certain
events or phenomena in
our ancestors’ lives that
cannot be explained by the
limited practical kind of
science they knew back
then
Fables are short tales,
usually involving animals,
which teach a moral lesson
Trickster tale recounts the
adventures of a clever hero
who outwits authority
figures, usually coming from
the upper classes
long-winded poems about a
hero (usually male) and his
adventures and
misadventures
the hero is usually born with
all the pleasing qualities that
the ancestors like and has
superhuman capabilities
the hero is usually paired with
a beautiful young maiden
Colonization was brought
about by Industrial
Revolution
Two great European powers
(Spain and Portugal)
Age of Voyages and
Explorations)
Competition over
accumulation of raw
materials, land and
territories
Propelled by 3Gs
Treaty of Tordesillas-
Western Hemisphere
(Spain)
1565 Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi reached Samar
Blood compact with Datus
Sikatuna and Gala in Bohol
Established 1st Spanish
settlement in Phil. Soil at
Cebu (Ciudad del Santisimo
Nombre de Jesus)
Spain’s style was different
To change the native’s
personhood and way of life
To be “civilized” meant to
stay in a pueblo under the
control of the Spanish king,
and be a Christian
Reduccion (resettlement)
The Spaniards colonized the
Philippines for more than
three centuries
Changes in the lives of
Filipinos: they embraced
Catholic religion, changed
their names, and were
baptized
Changes in the lives of
Filipinos: change in
lifestyles, e. g. house and
means of transportation,
fiestas, forms of recreation;
rise to the formation of
classes of society, access to
education
Replacement of the alphabet
(ALIBATA to Roman
alphabet)
Teaching of the Christian
Doctrine became the basis
of religious practices
Spanish language became
the literary language
European legends and
traditions brought here
became assimilated in our
songs, corridos, and moro-
moros
Ancient literature was
collected and translated to
Tagalog and other dialects
Many grammar books were
printed in Filipino, like
Tagalog, Ilocano and
Visayan
Periodicals during these
times gained a religious tone
Two distinct
classifications: religious
and secular
Written literature is a
legacy of Spanish
colonial rule
Writing during this time may be
classified into religious prose and
poetry and secular prose and
poetry
Religious poetry may be grouped
into lyrics and narratives
Lyrics include complimentary
verses written by so-called ladino
Another type is the meditative
verses attached to religious
works, such as novenas and
catechisms
Religious narrative poetry is
primarily the pasyon
Gaspar Aquino de Belen’s Ang
Mahal na Pasion ni Jesu Cristong
Panginoon Natin na Tola (1704) is
the earliest known Filipino pasyon
Casaysayan nang Pasiong Mahal
ni Jesucristong Panginoon Natin
na Sucat Ipag-alab nang Puso
nang Sinomang Babasa (Pasyong
Genesis) became the most popular
and was translated into other
languages
Religious narrative prose consists
of the various kinds of prose
narratives written to prescribe
proper behavior
These were channels for
instruction in the Catholic faith
and for colonialization
Include forms as the dialogo
(dialogue), the manual de
urbanidad (conduct book), ejemplo
(exemplum), and the tratado
(polemical tract)
Religious narrative prose consists
of the various kinds of prose
narratives written to prescribe
proper behavior
These were channels for
instruction in the Catholic faith
and for colonialization
Include forms as the dialogo
(dialogue), the manual de
urbanidad (conduct book), ejemplo
(exemplum), and the tratado
(polemical tract)
narrative poem about the life
of Jesus Christ, beginning
from his birth up to his death
usually sung during Lenten
season
Written in octosyllabic verse
dramatization of the passion of
Christ
highlights the sufferings and
death of Jesus Christ
done during the Lenten season
Set in dodecasyllabic
quatrains
Metrical romance
Colorful tale of chivalry
made for singing and
chanting
E. g. Florante at Laura
Set in octosyllabic quatrains
Metrical romance
Colorful tale of chivalry made
for singing and chanting
E. g. Ibong Adarna
Comedia de Capa y Espada
blood-and-thunder melodrama
depicting the conflict of
Christians and Muslims
usually about battles to the
death and the proofs of faith
play that uses shadows as its
main spectacle
A form of dramatic
entertainment performed on a
moonless night during a town
fiesta
created by animating figures
made from cardboard, which
are projected onto a white
screen
dramatic reenactment of St.
Helena’s search for the Holy
Cross
St. Helena is the mother of
Constantine and is oftentimes
credited to have influenced
her son to be the great
Christian leader he is known
today
A poetic vehicle of a socio-
religious nature celebrated
during the death of a person
A ritual is performed based
on a legend about a princess
who dropped her ring into the
middle of the sea who offered
her hand in marriage to
anyone who can retrieve it
Replaced the Karagatan
Poetic joust in speaking and
reasoning
The roles are taken from the
Bible and from proverbs and
saying
Usually played during wakes
for the dead
Deabate in verse
Replaced the duplo and is
held to honor Francisco
“Balagtas” Baltazar
Poetical joust done almost
spontaneously between
protagonists who debate over
the pros and cons of an issue
Considered the father of the
drama
one of the most famous forms
of entertainment back in the
Spanish era
musical comedies or
melodramas that deal with the
elemental passions of human
beings
follows a certain plot
Spearheaded mostly by the
intellectual middle-class;
three principal leaders
were Jose Rizal, Marcelo
del Pilar, and Graciano
Lopez Jaena
Sought reforms and
changes
1. To get equal treatment for the
Filipinos and the Spaniards under
the law
2. To make the Philippines a colony
of Spain
3. To restore Filipino representation
in the Spanish Cortes
4. To Filipinize the parishes
5. To give the Filipinos freedom of
speech, of the press, assembly
and redress of grievances
Known for his pen names
Laong Laan and Dimasalang
Died by musketry in the
hands of the Spaniards on
December 30, 1896 on
charges of sedition and
rebellion against the
Spaniards
NOLI ME TANGERE exposed
the evils in society
EL FILIBUSTERISMO
exposed the evils in the
government and in the
church
Known for his pen names
Plaridel, Pupdoh, Piping
Dilat, and Dolores Manapat
Established Diariong
Tagalog in 1883 where he
exposed the evils of the
Spanish government in the
Philippines
Known writer and orator in
the Philippines
Established LA
SOLIDARIDAD (which later
became the official voice of
the Assosacion Hispano de
Filipinas)
Because Filipinos did not get the
reforms they demanded, they
decided that there was no other
way except to revolt
The gist of literature contained
mostly accusations against the
government and was meant to
arouse the people to unite and to
prepare for independence
Noted leaders: Andres Bonifacio,
Emilio Jacinto, and Apolinario
Mabini
Father of Filipino
Democracy; Father of the
Katipunan
What he learned he got
from the school of
experience
Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa
Sublime Paralytic; Brains of
the Revolution
Became the right-hand of
Emilio Aguinaldo when the
latter founded his Republic
in Malolos
El Verdadero Decalogo (The
True Decalogue or Ten
Commandments)
Intelligent assistant of
Andres Bonifacio
He edited Kalayaan, a
Katipunan newspaper
Kartilya ng Katipunan
Treaty of Paris-ceded the Philippines
to the US, $20M
1901 public education was
institutionalized
600 educators in the SS Thomas
(Thomasites)
Changes: democracy; Westernization
of Filipino taste in food and clothing;
Americanized manners; deterioration
of close family ties; emancipation of
women; popular education
Period of Re-orientation
English as a literary vehicle came
with the American occupation in
August 13, 1898
Writers were still adjusting to the
newfound freedom after the
paralyzing effect of repression of
thought and speech under the
Spanish regime
Period of Imitation
By 1919, the UP College Folio
published the literary compositions
of the first Filipino writers in English
(pioneers in short story writing)
Writers were then groping their way
into imitating American and British
models which resulted in a stilted,
artificial and unnatural style
Models included Longfellow and
Hawthorne, Emerson and Thoreau,
Wordsworth and Tennyson, Thackeray
and Macaulay, Allan Poe, Irving, etc.
Writers of the folio: Fernando Maramag
(best editorial writer), Juan F. Salazar,
Jose M. Fernandez, Vicente del Fierro,
Francisco Africa, Victoriano Yamzon
(pioneered English poetry)
For informal essay, criticism and the
journalistic column: Ignacio
Manlapaz, Godefredo Rivera,
Federico Mangahas, Francisco B.
Icasiano, Salvador P. Lopez, Jose
Lansang and Amando G. Dayrit
Short Stories: DEAD STARS by Paz
Marquez Benitez stand out as a
model of perfection in character
delineation, local color, plot and
message
Period of Apprenticeship (1910-
1930)
New literary forms were
introduced, chiefly, free verse, the
modern short story, and the
critical essay
Filipino writers imitated English
and American models
Poems were amateurish and
mushy
Period of Emergence (1920-
1930)
Highly influenced by Western
literary trends (Romanticism
and Realism)
Short stories were the most
prevalent literary form
Period of Self-Dicovery and Growth
By this time, Filipino writers had
acquired the mastery of English
writing
Competently wrote on a lot of
subjects (although old-time
favorites: love and youth)
Went into all forms of writing like
the novel and the drama
Period of Self-Dicovery and
Growth
Poetry: not only love poems;
patriotic, religious, descriptive
and reflective
Free verse, in odes and sonnets
Poetry was original, spontaneous,
competently written, incorporated
social consciousness
Period of Self-Dicovery and Growth
The Short Story: flourished during
these times
Characteristics: still remnants of
Spanish influence in the use of
expressions that were florid,
sentimental, exaggerated and
bombastic
Influence of the W. culture was
also evident
Period of Self-Dicovery and Growth
Essays during this period improved
in quality and quantity, in content,
subject, and style
Essayists like Carlos P. Romulo
became even more eminent
editorial writers
Political, social reflective; critical;
personal or familiar
Philippine literature in English
came to a halt
This had an advantageous
effect on Filipino Literature
which experienced renewed
attention because writers in
English turned to writing in
Filipino
The common theme of poems
was nationalism, country, love,
life in barrios, faith, religion, and
the arts
Three types of poem emerged:
haiku (free verse with 17
syllables divided into 3 lines[5-7-
5]), tanaga (short but had
measure and rhyme, 17
syllables), karaniwang anyo
practical toobservation
Attributed Ildefonso Santos
and
Monorhyming heptasyllabic
philosophy of everyday life
quatrain which expresses
that is written in a
insights and lessons on living
rhyming scheme
Extended form of wise saying
meant to entertain while
Parang talang
teaching marikit
basic skills in
May taglay na pang-akit
surviving local life
Hangad niyang makamit
called salawikain
‘Wag sanang ipagkait
Drama experienced a lull
The field of the short story
widened because many wrote
short stories
Writings that came out during
this period were journalistic in
nature
Americans returned in 1945
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines
regained its freedom
“struggle of mind and spirit”
posed by the sudden
emancipation from the enemy
and the wild desire to see print
Filipinos had learned to express
themselves more confidently
Proliferation of newspapers
Gradually, as normality was
restored, the tones and themes of
the writings turned to the less
pressing problems of economic
survival
Some Filipinos who had gone
abroad came back to publish their
works
The themes of most poems dealt
with the usual love of nature, and
of social and political problems
Longer and longer pieces were
being written by writers
Philippine literature in Tagalog was
revived during this period
Most themes in the writings dealt
with Japanese brutalities, of the
poverty of life under the Japanese
government and the brave guerilla
exploits
Newspapers and magazine
publications were re-opened
Tagalog poetry acquired not only
rhyme but substance and
meaning
Short stories had better
characters and events based on
facts and realities and themes
were more meaningful
Novels became common but
were still read by the people for
recreation
Plagued with postwar
problems:
Ravaged land
Cities and towns in ruins
Poems were romantic and
revolutionary; writers openly
wrote about their criticism
against the government
Songs dealt with themes that
were true-to-life
Sex films were unabated
Oppressed media
“Philippine literature is
definitely changing”—Isagani
Cruz
Change in direction of greater
consciousness in content and
form
Change in the number of
readers and writers and the
kind and class of writers
Resurgence of Balagtasismo
and the continued dominance
of Modernismo
Birth of a new poetic
movement still dims in outline
Apparent merging of the
erstwhile separate streams of
oral and written literature
According to Ponciano Pineda,
youth activism in 1970-72 was
due to domestic and worldwide
causes
Because of the ills of society,
the youth moved to seek reforms
Many young activists were
imprisoned in military camps
together with rebel writers
The seeds of activism resulted in
the declaration of Martial Law in
1972
The youth proved that it is not
the constant evasion that shapes
our race and nationalism
The youth became completely
rebellious (not only in bloody
demonstrations but also in
literature)
Almost all themes dealt with the
development or progress of the
country
Tried to stop pornography or those
writings giving bad influences on
the morals of people
All school newspapers were
temporarily stopped
Government took part in reviving
old plays
The CCP, Folk Arts Theater and
the old Metropolitan Theater were
rebuilt to have a place for plays
Singing in both Filipino and
English songs received fresh
incentives
Themes of most poems dealt with
patience, regard for native
culture, customs and the beauties
of nature and surroundings
The forms of literature that led
during this period were essays,
debates, and poetry
Short stories, novels, and
plays were the same as those
written before the onset of
activism
Life goes on and the world
continues in its process of
undergoing a real historical
transition…inevitably leaving its
imprint in literature
“Absolute divorcement from the
world by writers is impossible, for
literature is, in some way, rooted
in the earth of human experience”
–(Salvador Lopez)
The writer must be a man of
historic propensities
The years 1986-1999 (14 years)
cover the careers of three
presidents
Spates of literary enthusiasm
continue unabated, unhampered
by compelling handicaps, hard
times and the transient problems
of the period
The undaunted expression of the
Filipino propensities revealing the
Filipino psyche
Contemporary poetry manifests a
skillful manipulation of symbolic
representations and is more
insightful and abstract
Essays address societal issues,
are more free and daring, however
pointing out moral degradation
Popular topics were on happy (or
tragic) experiences—abortion,
separation, alternative routes in
life and new-found happiness
Short story is still the more
popular venue of writers
Scriptwriting, developing
literature form
Substantial awards in film-making
Expansion to cater to children’s
needs
Popularity of Taglish
Notion of seeking popularity and
ratings through exposure
Creative writing workshops
Novels did not continue to
flourish; novel writers settled in
their twilight years
Contemporary Philippine literature is a
product of troubled times, the see-
sawing balance between
cosmopolitanism and nationalism,
elitism and democracy, art and politics,
leaving a body of writing of
considerable variety.
Filipino today is no longer a sentimental
choice; it is necessary choice because
it is the language that allows writers to
communicate with the masses
“If you don’t know history, then
you don’t know anything. You
are a leaf that doesn’t know
that it is part of a tree” –
Michael Crichton
Work in groups.
Pick a particular
literary period 20 minutes
and make a
concept map to
describe such
period.
End