LESSON 2

History of Philippine Literature

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Name the authors and literary works that shaped the
literary repertoire of the Philippines.
Sequence historical and cultural events in to show how
each period developed.

BEFORE READING

The Journey of Philippine Literature: From

Precolonial to Contemporary Period
An Essay by Marlon T. Salvador
ABOUT THE ESSAY

The essay gives us an overview of how Philippine

literature shaped and was shaped by our country’s
cultural traditions and socio-political histories. It
outlines the journey of Philippine literature through
different periods: Precolonial era, Spanish colonial
period, American colonial period, Japanese colonial
period, Martial Law regime, and the Contemporary
period.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

If you could go back in time, what time and place would you visit? Why?

If I could travel back in

time, how I would love to visit the time where the Spanish Colonial period

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has ended. I want to relived the victories of our Filipino heroes from
fighting the war against injustices and abuses of the Spanish colonizers and
experience the change that the education system brought to the country by
the Americans.

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Literary Periods

Literary period is basically defined as a span of time for literature that

shares intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. In Philippine
context, describing the evolving patterns of our literary heritage prompts us to
recount also the socio-cultural milieu that produced it in the process. Philippine
historical and literary periods are: Precolonial Period, Spanish Colonial Period,
American Colonial Period, Japanese Regime, Martial Law Period, and
Contemporary Period.

Precolonial Period: The Philippines already had its own rich literary tradition,
written and oral, long before the Spaniards came. This oral literary tradition in
particular plays a crucial role in reproducing the structure of native society
(Quiros, 2019).

Spanish Colonial Period: Literature during this period may be classified as

religious prose and poetry, and secular prose and poetry (Godinez-Ortega). This
period also includes literature produced by the Propaganda Movement.

American Colonial Period: The introduction of free public instruction for all
children of school age, and the use of English as medium of instruction in all
levels of education in public schools encouraged literary production during this
period (Quindoza-Santiago).

Japanese Colonial Period: Philippine Literature was interrupted in its

development during this period. Philippine Literature in English came to a halt,
and most publications in English were stopped. The use of Filipino language was
also mandated.

Contemporary Period: The flowering of Philippine literature in the various

languages continues especially with the appearance of new publications after the
Martial Law years and the resurgence of committed literature in the 1960s and
the 1970s. Commission on Higher Education mandated the teaching of Philippine
Literature in all tertiary schools in the country emphasizing the teaching of the
vernacular literature or literatures of the regions (Godinez-Ortega).

USE READING SKILLS: Analyze Sequence of Events

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 Sequence of events refers to the order of events as they happen. As you
read the essay, keep track of the sequence of events by completing the Sequence
Map below. Draw the order of events as they are explained. Include a short
caption under each image.

Sequence Map

oral literature like epics

and folksongs were chanted

Paganistic rituals were The printing press was set up Cenaculo began to play on
performed and led by and the Doctrina Christiana stage which depicts the life
babaylans was the first yield in 1593. and passion of Christ.

The three martyr priest Pedro Paterno first When Rizal was captured the
were executed in 1872 published Ninay in 1885. Katipunan was shaped with its
paper Kalayaan.

The signing of the Treaty The American teachers known Haiku poetry become popular
Of Paris
DURING READINGended the Spanish as Thomasites arrived in the during the World War II
colonial period. Philippines. because of scarcity of paper.

The Journey of Philippine Literature: From

Precolonial to Contemporary Period

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 An Essay by Marlon T. Salvador

Analyze Literature
Before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, Literary Periods: Describe the kind
our forefathers had already their own of literature produced in precolonial
literature, which can be described as oral times. Identify also the contributions
because they were handed down by word of the Negritoes, Indons, and Malays
of mouth from one generation to another. to the literary heritage of the
The vagrant Negritoes contributed songs Philippines.
and superstitious beliefs. They did not have
a system of government unlike the Indons Oral literature were produced
who brought literary genres or forms like during precolonial era, they were
folktales, epics, paganistic faith, and passed down by the word of
legends. The Malays contributed the mouth. The Negritoes contributed
baybayin, the syllabary with seventeen
songs and superstitious beliefs,
symbols. They also brought legends,
folktales, the “balangay” system of the Indos brought folktales, epics,
government, and the brief statements of paganistic faith and legends, and
practical wisdom called proverbs which are the Malays presented the alphabet
based on long experience about life. system called and proverbs.

Puzzles that usually consist of two lines that

rhyme called riddles are considered as the Culture Note
early forms of poetry, which is now Riddle or bugtong abounds in
developed in various forms that usually many ethnolinguistic groups
appear in stanzas. Early drama, now in the Philippines. Give one
performed onstage, was in the form of example of riddle from your
paganistic rituals led by babaylan, a priest culture or group.
or priestess.
“Bulikata ang imoha kay
When the Spaniards set their feet on the isod nako ang akoa”
Philippine soil, they found out that
- Batones
literature had been existing in two
forms: prose and poetry. The riddles, proverbs
and sayings were in the form of poetry , while Use Reading Skills
the legends, fables and folktales were in
prose. The conquerors destroyed written Analyze Sequence of Events
literature in perishable materials because Use the Sequence Map to write
they believed that these were the handicraft four events that occur on this
Note the Facts
page of the essay. Write each
of evil. Later, the printing press was set up
event in a complete sentence.
and Doctrina Christiana was the first output What literary genres or forms
became popular during the
Spanish Colonial Period?
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Metrical romance like wait

and corrido, prose in the
in 1593. The pasyon, which relates the life
and death of Christ, was used to replace
the old epics. The most popular of this type
was Gaspar Aquino de Belen. There also
born forms of metrical romance of
European origin, namely: awit and corrido,
examples of which are the Florante at Laura
and Ang Alamat ng Ibong Adarna.

The first printed literary work in Tagalog

Analyze Literature
was the poem May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim
(1605) while the first known published Literary Periods: Name
prose was in the form of letter, the authors and their literary
Ang Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini works during Spanish Colonial
na sina Urbana at Feliza by Modesto de Period.
Castro. Meanwhile, the first recorded epic
Pedro Paterno – “Ninay”
(only in 1889) was the Biag ni Lam-ang
among the Christian Ilokos. They noticed
that Filipinos were fond of plays so they Jose Rizal – “Noli Me
began to stage the Cenaculo, which depicts Tangere” and “El
the life and passion of Christ; the
Filibusterismo”
Santacruzan, which portrays Reyna Elena’s
search for the cross where Christ died;
and others. Marcelo H. del Pilar –
“Dasalan at Tocsohan”

In 1872, the three priest-martyrs were

executed. From then, a clamor for change
against Spanish abuses began to bloom.
The event anchored the launching of the
Propaganda Movement in Spain that aimed
to clarify issues, denounce abuses and Use Reading Skills
injustices, and refute accusations. Its
newspaper La Solidaridad became the organ Analyze Sequence of Events
that projected the views of the group where Use the Sequence Map to write
essay found its place. Meanwhile, in 1885, five events that occur on this
page. Write each event in a
Pedro Paterno published the first novel
complete sentence.
Ninay which awakened national
Note the Facts
consciousness. It became the precedent for
Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and its sequel, the
El Filibusterismo. Marcelo H. del Pilar’s What poems were published
Dasalan at Tocsohan is considered as his by the Katipunan during the
Spanish Colonial Period?
most daring work against the friars.
The “Katapusang Hibik ng
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Pilipinas” and “Pag-ibog sa
Tinubuang Lupa” were
published by the Katipunan.
When Rizal was captured and exiled in
Dapitan, the Katipunan was formed with
its paper Kalayaan where Katapusang
Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa were printed to campaign
for freedom.

Note the Facts

In 1899, the Spaniards formally turned
over the Philippines under the governance What event ended Spanish
of America in conformity with the Treaty Rule in the Philippines?
of Paris. The first group of American
teachers known as Thomasites who were The signing of the Treaty of
aboard a ship named Thomas, arrived and Paris resulted to the end of
brought changes to the educational system. the Spanish regime in the
Hence, Filipino writers began writing in
Philippines.
English because The Philippine Free Press
(1905) and the College Folio (UP school organ,
1910) had been circulated.
Analyze Literature
The outbreak of the World War II caused the
Literary Periods: Which
scarcity of paper. In this period, the haiku
literary period is considered
became popular because it does not need much the Golden Age of Filipino
space for it only contains three lines and a total literature where in writing in
of seventeen syllables. English was prohibited and
writers in Filipino and in
The Declaration of Martial Law in 1972 greatly vernacular languages
affected literature. From this period to the flourished?
present, writers and different artists continue to
flourish with the aim of bringing social reform -The Spanish Colonial era.
and subscribing to freedom of expression.
All this just proves that the history of a nation
affects its literature.

AFTER READING

Name: Wendy V. Palero Subject: EL111A: Literature of the Philippines

Yr/Cr/Sec: 3 AB English- A Date: Sept. 13, 2021

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READING CHECK

A. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is considered the earliest form of drama in Philippine

literary history?
A. folksongs C. cenaculo

BB. rituals D. legends

.
2. Which historical and literary period in the Philippines is considered the Epic
Age?

A. Precolonial
A C. American
.
B. Spanish D. Contemporary

3. Which of the following is the Christian epic which talks about the life and
suffering of Christ?

A Pasyon
A.
. C. bodabil
B. cenaculo D. awit

4. Which of the following is NOT a product of the Spanish period?

A. Doctrina Christiana CC. Footnote to Youth

.
B. Dasalan at Tocsohan D. Urbana at Feliza

5. Who among the following propagandists used the pen name Plaridel?

AA. Marcelo H. del Pilar C. Jose P. Rizal

B. Pedro Paterno D. Graciano Lopez Jaena

6. Which of the following is NOT a work of Jose Rizal?

A. Noli Me Tangere C. Sa Aking Mga Kabata

B. El Filibusterismo DD. Ninay

.

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7. Who wrote Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa?
A. Marcelo H. del Pilar C. Pedro Paterno

B
B. Andres Bonifacio D. Apolinario Mabini

8. Who among the following are the first American teachers in the Philippines?

A. Dominicans C C. Thomasites

B. Augustinians D. Jesuits

9. Which of the following did NOT emerge during the Pre-Spanish period?

AA. Haiku C. Proverbs

B. Folksongs D. Riddles

10. Which of the proverbs does NOT talk about hypocrisy?

A. She seems to be a saint, but her heart is naughty.

B. The ant is where the sugar is.

B

C. When she turns her back she looks like a virgin, but when she faces
you she looks like a ‘sigbin’.
D. It is hard to wake a person who pretends to be asleep.

B. Identify the period of Philippine literature which is characterized by items 1-

10. Write the letter on your answer on the space provided before each number.

A. Precolonial B. Spanish C. American D. Japanese E. Contemporary

A 1. Literature was handed down by word of mouth.

B. 2. Pre-colonial epics were changed.
B 3. First work of prose was written.
C. 4. Short story flourished.
B 5. There were metrical romances.
B. 6. There were religious and rebellious literatures.
D. 7. The short poem of three lines was known.
D. 8. Liwayway magazine was under strict supervision.
E. 9. Filmmaking has become the most popular art form.

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E.10. There are vast literary works in different literary forms.

Name: Wendy V. Palero Subject: EL111A: Literature of the Philippines

Yr/Cr/Sec: 3 AB English- A Date: Sept. 13, 2021

USE READING SKILLS: Analyze Sequence of Events

1. Review the Sequence Map you created. Briefly retell the sequence of events in
writing as they occur.
 During the precolonial period, oral literature had already been
prevalent in the Philippines. Early Filipino civilization had already
contributed a lot of literary genres, they also performed paganistic
rituals on stage led by the babaylans. Later on when Spanish
colonizers arrived, printing press was set up in 1593 and Doctrina
Christiana was the first output. The Cenaculo was played on stage
depicting the life and passion of Christ because of the fondness of
Filipinos to plays. The execution of the three Filipino martyr priests
happened in 1872, because of this it bound the launching of the
Propaganda Movement in Spain. Later on 1885, a novel called Ninay
published by Pedro Paterno, awakened the national consciousness.
When Rizal was ousted in Dapitan, the paper Kalayaan formed the
Katipunan and we’re printed to campaign for freedom. The Spanish
Colonial period has finally come to an end when the signing of the
Treaty of Paris in 1899. Shortly after that, American teachers called
Thomasites arrived in the Philippines and brought new educational
system. The popularity of the haiku poetry began during the World
War II because of the scarcity of paper since haiku does not use
much space.

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2. After looking into the events that shaped Philippine literary landscape, we may
find that we have become a society of various or heterogeneous traditions. Is this
an advantage or disadvantage? Explain your answer.

 In my opinion, it is an advantage for us because the events that had

happened has brought change and growth to the Philippine
traditions, literature and culture that made the Philippines identity
who it is today. It also paves way in showing the resiliency of the
Filipinos in adapting through the changes brought by those events.

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