21st LITERATURE
21st LITERATURE
21st LITERATURE
Introduction to
Philippine Literature
Lesson 1: Exploring Philippine Literary Forms,
Genres, Elements and Traditions
What’s New
Traditionally, literature was strictly viewed as any form of written works especially during the
18th century.
Literature
"littera" - means "a letter of the alphabet"
defined as body of written works associated to imaginative and creative works of poetry and
prose and can be classified according to variety of systems such as language, national origin,
historical period, genre and subject matter.
can either be in oral or written form.
Literary text
products of written literature
considered literary if it has the elements of psychological characterization and chronology.
literature uses literary devices such as metaphor and symbolism
Literary Structure
organizational method used in literature
narrative - most common type
the general features or characteristic of genre, style, a specific literary trend, literature as
an art form, and finally, art as a whole
arrangement of various elements according to purpose, style, and genre to effectively
convey the intended meaning for the audience [Murphy (n.d.)]
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Two Major Forms of Literature
Poetry
1. Narrative
Epic
Ballad
Metrical Tales
2. Dramatic
Dramatic Monologues
Soliloquy
3. Lyric
Haiku
Ode
Elegy
Sonnet
Song
Prose
1. Fiction
Short Story
Novel
Play
Legend
Fable
2. Non – Fiction
Biography / Autobiography
Narrative Essay
Memoir
Diaries / journal
Genre
refers to the forms of literature
general ones are oral and written
main types are prose and poetry
Literary elements
to particular identifiable characteristics of a whole text
Traditions
specific traits of literary works that define a generation or period in history
A literary tradition
“is a collection of works that have an underlying interconnectedness and coherence that
makes them more than simply a group of works sharing geography or group”
Pre-Colonial:
chants, proverbs, songs, and folk narratives
mostly of oral traditions
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noted for being music lover as more than ten types of songs in various Philippine languages
were discovered
valued words of wisdom for teaching values as evidenced by numerous proverbs or
salawikain
Story telling - was used to explain phenomenon and to teach lessons as well
bugtong / riddles - favorite past time
Spanish Period:
morality and religion
Corrido, Pasyon, and Cenaculo
production of printed materials started
develop sense of nationalism
oppression, corruption, and other social ills
American Period:
developments in education and culture
free public education
During the apprenticeship period, the Filipino writers imitated English and American
models
short stories - most prevalent literary form
Jose Garcia Villa - “Poet of the Century"
1521 - certain events in the Philippines during pre-colonial period started to be recorded
Filipinos were ruled by chieftains of different barangay.
Other forms:
proverbs (salawikain)
riddles (bugtong)
chant (bulong)
maxims - rhyming couplets of 5, 6, or 8 syllables
sayings (kasabihan)
idiom (sawikain)
Tanaga - favorite poem consisting of four rhyming lines of 7 syllables each.
What’s More
Proverbs - are brief expressions that serve as a norm which are commonly uttered by elders based
on their everyday experiences to encourage positive behaviors among young people.
Damiana L. Eugenio - "Mother of Philippine Folklore"
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Europeans and North Americans are quite expressive and have high regards for one's own
decision-making
Christian doctrine - was manifested through various types of texts which replaced stories about
heroes and animated creatures to Biblical characters and saints as evidenced by novenas, prayer
books, and other printed materials
literature during the Early Spanish Period didactic or intended for teaching morality and conduct
for good behavior
American colonizers used democratic approach as manifested by allowing a Filipino to lead the
country through elections where Manuel Quezon won over Aguinaldo.
Tagalog language was favored by the Japanese which made Tagalog stories and dramas flourish at
the time
Love for music was evident through exposure to opera and classical music
Life struggles, nationalism, and patriotism were the common themes and subjects but were
secretly published
[ Books ]
"Doctrina Cristiana" (The Christian Doctrine) - In 1593, book written by Fr. Juan de Placencia and
Fr. Domingo Nieva was first printed.
"Nuestra Señora del Rosario" by Fr. Blancas de San Jose
"Barláan at Jósaphát" (first published in 1708) - translated from Greek to Tagalog by Fr. Antonio
de Borja
"Urbana at Felisa" by Modesto de Castro
Modesto de Castro - Father of Classic Prose in Tagalog
Folk Songs - these were songs modified based on the folkways of Filipinos during this period.
Recreational Plays - these were mostly poetic in nature and intended to be performed during the
Spanish era. Examples: Cenaculo, Carillo, Zarzuela, Moro-Moro, Balagtasan, Duplo, and Karagatan
Novels - these are fictitious prose usually lengthy and complex in nature..
"Ninay" by Pedro Paterno - first novel published by a Filipino author (was originally written in
Spanish language and translated into English and Tagalog in 1907 and 1908)
Newspapers - there has been a debate on whether newspapers should be categorized as literature
or not (can be considered as literature for as long as they achieve a certain level of satisfaction
under aesthetic, chronological, and psychological characterization)
Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862) - "Master of Traditional Tagalog Poetry".
Florante at Laura (1838–1861) is regarded as the most famous metrical romance of the country.
Pedro Paterno (1857–1911) - was the first Filipino who wrote poetry collection in Spanish
entitled Sampaguitas y poesias varias (1880)
Jose Rizal (1861–1896) - a prominent ilustrado and the country’s national hero, is famous for the
novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo =these novels portray the corruption and abuse of
the Spanish officials and the clergy.
Andres Bonifacio (1863–1897) - the founder of the Katipunan, wrote the poem “Pag-ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa” which appeared in the official newspaper of the Katipunan called Kalayaan in
March 1896.
Leona Florentino (1849–1884) - “Mother of Philippine Women’s Literature,” was a poet in both
Ilocano and Spanish. Twenty of her poems were preserved and exhibited in Europe and were
included in the Encyclopedia Internationaldes Oeuvres des Femme in 1889.
Leona Florentino (1849–1884) - “Mother of Philippine Women’s Literature,” was a poet in both
Ilocano and Spanish. Twenty of her poems were preserved and exhibited in Europe and were
included in the Encyclopedia Internationaldes Oeuvres des Femme in 1889.
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AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1898-1941)
period of apprenticeship (1910-1930)
period of emergence (1920-1941)
In 1935, Aguinaldo was soundly defeated by Manuel L. Quezon as the first President of the
Commonwealth
Short stories became the most prevalent literary form during the latter part of American colonial
period
Common theme in plays was all about nationalism
Short Stories - these are stories that can typically be read in one sitting revolving around one
subject and may range between 1,000 up to 20,000 words. The first short story written in English
is entitled "Dead Stars" by Paz Marquez Benitez
Juan C. Laya - won first prize for his novel "His Native Soil" in the First Commonwealth Literary
Awards in 1940.
Zoilo M. Galang - is work entitled "A Child of Sorrow" in 1921 is considered as the first Filipino
novel in English
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Influence of both Spanish and American styles could be observed in the work of Nick Joaquin where
his flashback technique was highly appreciated by critics.