P

1946 - 1970
LITE RATU R E
PHILIPPINE

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
GROUP 3
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THE REBIRTH OF
FREEDOM
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Americans returned in 1945. Filipinos rejoiced and guerillas
who fled to the mountain joined the liberating American Army.

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines regained is freedom and the
Filipino flag waved joyously alone. The chains were broken.
 P
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The early post-liberation period was marked by a
kind of “struggle of mind and spirit” posed by the
sudden emancipation from the enemy, and the
wild desire to see print.

There was a proliferation of

newspapers like the;
FREE PRESS

The state of Literature MORNING SUN, 

of Sergio Osmeña Sr.,

during this period DAILY MIRROR

of Joaquin Roces, 
 EVENING NEWS
of Ramon Lopezes
BULLETIN

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
of Menzi

Journalists had their day. They

indulged in more militant attitude in
their reporting which bordered on
the libelous.
 P
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 P
​ hilippines 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-

The New opened like the Bulaklak, Liwayway, Ilang Ilang and
Sinag Tala.

Filipino Literature  Tagalog poetry acquired not only rhyme but

during this period substance and meaning.

 Short stories had better characters and events based

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
on facts and realities and themes were more
meaningful.

 Novels became common but were still read by the people for
recreation.
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POETRY

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
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Most of his masterpieces

centered on his social and
political beliefs which was said
to be brought by his experience
POET

as an intelligence officer for the

underground guerilla resistance

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
during the Japanese invasion in
the country in the 1940’s.
Wrote the poems:
Song Between War
Landscape without Figure
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Wombed in the wounds of war Imperial their coin still is

grow golden boys and girls when other currencies are
whose green hearts are imperilled; when peace
peacocks perched upon apes is for every man and woman
and pigs that feed on pearls a labyrinth; and war
or sour grapes. the bull that’s human.
But we are old–we are only War is the Minotaur
a point, a pause and we are the waters
in the earth’s decay–we are bearing for him to devour
lonely the young, the beautiful–
but no day dies
in the eyes we dare not close
our sons and daughters:
the tax we pay to the Bull. Song Between Wars
1946
lest we flock with flies. The maze we made they shall
Bankrupt by war, travel,
let us mine the honey its winding ways unwind

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
that’s ored in udders that are and the riddle unravel
this lad, that lass, till they come to the end of
because they are molten money the thread:
and their bones are cash. the labyrinth behind
and the Beast ahead.
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Nick Joaquin speaks of the costs of war; it is not just the generation that was during the war, but
the generation that follows. Joaquin himself has witnessed all of the wars during the 20th century,
I NTE R PR ETATI O N

up until the second Iraq War, and so he has seen the costs of war.

The generation that comes after the war bears the burden of rebuilding what has been lost,
because the generation that began and fought during the war is already too old to do so; hence,
Joaquin compares that process to (in paraphrase) mining the next generation (“because they are
molten money and their bones are cash”). He then compares the process of war itself to that of
the Greek myth of the labyrinth of Minos; the generation that began and fought the war are the
waters that wash the next generation onto the shores of Minos, and into the labyrinth; war is the
Minotaur that will devour those brought by the waves (the older generation).

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
In the end, he concludes by saying that the older generations create the maze (war), but it is the
generations that follow that will have to go through it, but there is no salvation at the end of the
maze; only the Beast (another name for the devil), a symbol of how the younger generations will
suffer because of the mistakes of the past generations.
P
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The Future's rapping at the door
How looms the landscape of the future
and rattling the venetian blind
where even man will be vile:
while flat upon the bathroom floor
big shot and small fry, straw man, moocher--
the Grass of Fashion fumes to find
all transferred underground to file
she can no longer, like the starfish,
the Age of Airline and Airwaves
survive upon the glittering surface.
among the Neolithic caves.

The trend being steadily underground

(bomb-shelter, catacomb, foxhole
As diplomats debate, debate,
and fear prepares more and more fiery Landscape
and fathoming's ever more profound),
explosions to illuminate
mankind's eventual hegira, Without
man may out mimic mouse and mole
and find his live limbs eagerly
your sad eyes, staring, make this room Figure
1952
the memory's viaticum.
intruding on Persephone.
A stone heart's in the stricken flesh
The quodams angels of the air

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
that craves a miner's axes-- unless
turned earthworms anguishing to locate
Christ, with his customary stealth,
some hollow at the globe's core where
comes cleaving through the heart's
the flag poles do not penetrate,
material
will bless the Devil for a berth
the twin caves of his birth and
within the bowels of the earth.
burial.
 P
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I NTE R PR ETATI O N

The poet locates the future underground, in “Neolithic caves” instanced by “bomb-shelter,
catacomb, fox-hole/ and fathoming's ever more profound”- a future “where even man will not
vile.” With the fourth stanza, the focus shifts from the movement underground to the surface:
“The Future’s rapping at the door.”

The poet then abandons the impersonal allegory, unable to sustain the rhetorical tirade
reminiscent of genteel New Yorker moralizing. In “mankind’s eventual hegira” to a future cursed
with nuclear destruction, “your sad eyes, staring, make this room / the memory’s viaticum.”
Whose “sad eyes”? This strange hiatus is passed over in the last stanza where the metaphor of
burrowing underground is sustained.

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
The conception of “the heart’s material” and its due; usefulness informs the thematic center of “O
Death Be Proud” (dated 1947), reversing Donne’s famous sonnet “Death Be Not Proud.”
 P
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Most of his masterpieces

centered on his social and
political beliefs which was said
to be brought by his experience
POET

as an intelligence officer for the

underground guerilla resistance

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
during the Japanese invasion in
the country in the 1940’s.
Wrote the poem:
Isang Dipang Langit
P
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Sintalim ng kidlat ang mata ng tanod,

Ako’y ipiniit ng linsil na puno hangad
sa pintong may susi’t walang makalapit;
palibhasang diwa ko’y piitin,
sigaw ng bilanggo sa katabing moog,
katawang marupok, aniya’y pagsuko,
anaki’y atungal ng hayop sa yungib.
damdami’y supil na’t mithiin ay supil.
Ikinulong ako sa kutang malupit:
bato, bakal, punlo, balasik ng bantay; Ang maghapo’y tila isang tanikala Isang
Dipang
lubos na tiwalag sa buong daigdig na kala-kaladkad ng paang madugo
at inaring kahit buhay man ay patay. ang buong magdamag ay kulambong luksa
ng kabaong waring lungga ng bilanggo.
Langit
Ika-22 ng Abril 1952
Sa munting dungawan, tanging abot-malas Kung minsa’y magdaan ang payak na yabag,
ay sandipang langit na puno ng luha, kawil ng kadena ang kumakalanding;
maramot na birang ng pusong may sugat, sa maputlang araw saglit ibibilad,

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
watawat ng aking pagkapariwara. sanlibong aninong iniluwa ng dilim.
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Kung minsan, ang gabi’y biglang magulantang

sa hudyat – may takas! – at asod ng punlo;
kung minsa’y tumangis ang lumang batingaw,
Ang tao’t Bathala ay di natutulog
sa bitayang moog, may naghihingalo.
at di habang araw ang api ay api,

At ito ang tanging daigdig ko ngayon –

tanang paniniil ay may pagtutuos,
habang may Bastilya’y may bayang gaganti.
Isang
bilangguang mandi’y libingan ng buhay; Dipang
sampu, dalawampu, at lahat ng taon
Langit
At bukas, diyan din, aking matatanaw
ng buong buhay ko’y dito mapipigtal. sa sandipang langit na wala nang luha,
Ika-22 ng Abril 1952
sisikat ang gintong araw ng tagumpay…
Nguni’t yaring diwa’y walang takot-hirap layang sasalubong ako sa paglaya!
at batis pa rin itong aking puso:

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
piita’y bahagi ng pakikilamas,
mapiit ay tanda ng di pagsuko.
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The poetic vision talks about the persona’s (evidently Hernandez himself) physical,
psychological, and emotional struggles inside his cell. The poem seemed to be the writer’s
“imaginative diary” that narrated all that happened around him. Mimetic theory as defined
I NTE R PR ETATI O N

considers literary works as an imitation, a copy, or a representation of whatever it copies in

nature or to the world. The speaker’s internal pain and fear of torture and death rolled in one
is clearly manifested by this line: “ang buong magdamag ay kulambong luksa ng kabaong
waring lungga ng bilanggo”

The poem’s tone streams from melancholic to fearsome and to oblivion. On the readers or
critics’ point of view, we locate the meanings of the images portrayed in the poem in the
nature it imitates and copies. We have this “collective consciousness” as human beings and this
is the reason why we think similarly with other people regardless of location, race, affiliations,
and other factors.

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
Mimetic criticism can be approached by archetypes. The archetypes present in Hernandez’s
poems are as follow: rock, steel, and bullets (can be read on second stanza) which apparently
prevalent in conventional jails and are symbolizing fierce and violations; the golden sun (at the
last stanza) means hope and aspiration; and sky which means freedom, a wide space to fly like
a bird, and a solitary.
 P
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The second stanza’s first line tells us of the persona’s sadness and sorrows as he was confined
in a dark, bitter cell having only what it seemed to be arm’s length distance to the sky outside.
The second line, on the other hand, gives us the hope and optimism in life as the persona
I NTE R PR ETATI O N

imposes to himself that there can still be a brighter tomorrow.

Expressive theory considers the literary work as an expression of the author’s innermost being.
As the poem progresses, we seem also to journey into different levels of emotions with the
persona. The theory also helps us explain the writer’s social, political, and religious beliefs.
With this poem, we understand more Hernandez’s milieu and moments– that he experienced a
traumatic and oppressing period in his life. Then, we tend to agree with his beliefs for we also
have experienced same scenarios in life either literally or figuratively.

It successfully delineated the sad reality during that time through the usage of jail as a symbol

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
for oppression. But the last stanza would tell us that despite of the anguish and fears, hope is
still at hand.
 
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D R A M A
16

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
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A Portrait of the
Artist as Filipino
An Elegy in Three Scenes

MANILA, Philippines—National Artist

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
Nick Joaquin’s “Portrait of the Artist as
Filipino” occupies an unparalleled
place of honor in the history, not only
of Philippine dramatic literature but in
all of Philippine literature as well.
 C I N E MATI C P
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PRODUCTION
14

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
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The play is about Manila before the outbreak of World

War II. The Marasigan family composed of the dying Don
Lorenzo el Magnifico and his two spinster daughters, 43-y/o
Candida and 40-y/o Paula are still living in their old ancestral
house located inside Intramuros, the walled city located
inside the city. The house is already in its decayed state and
the two daughters are now collecting bills. Candida and Paula
confronted their father and blame him for their suffering.
Manolo and Pepang used to support the financial needs of
their father and two younger sister until they want to
convince them to sell the house.

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
Candida has a talent on catching rats so she applies at the
Bureau of Health as a Chief of Rat Control but she is
suspected by the government people as a government spy.
Paula, on the other hand, knows how to play the piano and
speaks Spanish so she displays poster in front of the house for
interested students. However, both plans go kaput.
 P
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Their only hope now is to sell the famous painting that

their dying father painted and given to them as a gift called
“Portrait of an Artist as Filipino.” The characters in the
painting are Aeneas carrying at his back his father Anchises as
they flee the burning Troy.

However, instead of the actual faces of these Greek

mythological characters are the actual faces of young and old
Lorenzo. So, it is like the young Lorenzo carrying the now old
himself. An American painting collector is interested to buy it
for $1,000 which during that time translates to P2,000 and is
enough for Paula and Tony Javier, their lodger, the to go to

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
Europe and see Spain, Italy and France.
 P
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ELEMENTS OF THE

Set in the living room of the

Maralinga house in
Intramuros just before the
World War II

SETTINGS
STORY

THEME
Nationalism

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
Filipino cultural
predicament
 P
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CHARACTER ANALSYIS
Candida A 42 years old woman who grows radiant with girlish charm and
ELEMENTS OF THE

Marasigan innocence. Younger daughter of Don Lorenzo Marasigan.

Paula A 40 years old woman who is smaller, more delicate and timid, and the
Marasigan youngest daughter of Don Lorenzo Marasigan. She run away with the
portrait and destroy it after.
Don Lorenzo The painter who gave the portrait to his 2 younger daughters (Paula and
Marasigan Candida). He has not come out of his room since he tried to commit
suicide by jumping from the balcony a year ago, after he finished the
portrait.
Manolo The eldest son of Don Lorenzo Marasigan who is already married. He
Marasigan provide financial assistance of his father and 2 younger sister. He tries to
convince Candida and Paula to sell the old house.
STORY

Pepang The elder daughter of Don Lorenzo Marasigan who is already married.
Marasigan She also help with financial support of their father and 2 younger sister.

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
She is in favor with his brother about selling the house.
Bitoy Camacho He is a 25 years old man who is a Newspaper reporter. He came to visit
Candida and Paula with a hidden agenda. He is a family friend and a
nephew of the Marasigan siblings.
 P
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CHARACTER ANALSYIS
Tony Javier A 27 years old, masculine, sardonic man. He flirts and tried to fool Paula
ELEMENTS OF THE

and Candida. He is paying 15 pesos for renting a room in Marasigan’s

house. He used to break the rules of the house and talking behind the
back of Paula, Candida and Don Lorenzo. He knows an American who
wants to buy the portrait and offer him with a great percentage of
commision.
Pete A Sunday magazine editor and workmate of Bitoy.
Eddie A newspaper and article writer and workmate of Bitoy.
Cora A news photographer and workmate of Bitoy.
Susan and Vaudevile artist who works with Tony. They threaten Candida that they will
Violet spread the rumor about how Paula and Candida is seducing Tony.
STORY

Don Perico He is a senator, previous poet, and the Ninong of Paula and Candida. He
once convince Paula and Candida to give the portrait to the government
as a dedication of their father to honor the government, however they

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
refuse. He said he died 40 years ago as he was to change career to
support his family needs. He advised Paula and Candida to look out for
their father and not to be like him who gives up the inner artist in him.
 P
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MORAL LESSON
We should remember the sacrifices of our ancestors; that we
ELEMENTS OF THE

should treasure, and honor the beautiful gifts they have left us

Nick chose Aeneas as the model of the Filipino artist with great
wisdom. Aeneas has an adjective placed before his name in the whole
of Latin literature. It is "Pius Aeneas". The literal translation of "Pius" is
pious. But to the Romans it was crystal clear — exactly what that
adjective meant. It was devotion to the "Household Gods". The Gods
over the fireplace, in the heart of the home. It meant devotion to the
family. 
STORY

"Pius" also meant devotion to all the families together, loyalty to

the state. 

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
He was trying to preserve love in the home, mutual help,
cooperation, working together, sharing, caring, sacrificing for
each
other. Then, on the national level, all working together for the
same objective. And on the world level, justice, charity,
friendship.
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SHORT STORIES I

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
May Day Eve
Kwento ni Mabuti
 P 26
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She was a Filipino feminist

writer. One of her master piece
WRITER

is "Kwento ni Mabuti“ that won

the first ever Palanca Award for
Short Story in Filipino, for which
has been cited as the most

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
anthologized Tagalog language
short story.
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1948
19

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
Kwento ni Mabuti
 P
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SETTINGS Daughter of
ELEMENTS OF THE

In an Mabuti
old school A Six year old girl
whom Mabuti
wants to be a good
CHARACTER ANALSYIS doctor someday.
Mabuti
A typical teacher who
has a good outlook on
life. She inclined to say
STORY

“Mabuti" (good) so she Fe

was well-known by the Mabuti’s student

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
students. She had big who was caught
dreams for her one crying in the corner
child.  of their
classroom.
 P
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SUMMARY MORAL OF THE STORY

Fe is reminiscing about a teacher she used to know.  Problems are
ELEMENTS OF THE

The students used to called the teacher “Mabuti” (good). inevitable and its
She is a teacher in public school. One day, It is dawn weight cannot be
already and the student players were the only noise that measured by the
can be heard outside Fe tries to hide in the corner of the stage of life you are
classroom as she was crying about her problem. Mabuti into.
intended to hide and cry also in the corner of their
classroom. Mabuti caught Fe crying and she decided to  Expressing the
listen to Fe’s problem and comfort her. sadness is nothing to
As they are about to separate ways going home Fe be ashamed of.
STORY

remembered that Mabuti has a problem too. Fe tried to

ask Mabuti about the her problem and Mabuti just
responded that Fe is too young to understand. Mabuti’s “Only those who experienced

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
dream for her only daughter is to be a good doctor, like hidden pain are the ones
the father of her child. One day, Fe heard that the father who may recognize the
of Mabuti’s child died but not laid in their house but to hidden joy.”
other woman’s house. And now, Fe understand why
Mabuti is not telling story about her husband. Mabuti
 P
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“May Day eve" is a short

story written after World War II,
WRITER

it became one of Joaquin's

“signature stories” that became
a classic in Philippine literature
in English because of lasting

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
worth or with a timeless quality.
May day eve was a story about
the man who forgot how he
loved the woman that he loved
in the past, and portraying a
bitter marriage.
 P
Badoy Montiya
L
The setting of The vain good looking man 23

the story was a who will do everything to

two-story house get what he wants. He was
with a big a vengeful fellow who
ELEMENTS OF THE

SETTINGS hanging antique married Agueda but never

mirror with a gold admitted he had loved her
frame in the sala. since the night he cornered
her in that dark room until
The story she died.
happened in CHARACTER ANALSYIS
the year Agueda
1847; on May the pretty young woman
Day Eve. Until who is curious, hardheaded, Anastasha
The old woman who is loyal
STORY

the year of brave and proud. She was

1890. married to Badoy Montiya to her mistress.
but never bowed down to She is accused for being a

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
admit her admiration for witch, she believes
Badoy. She died losing her supernatural beings and
youth and living a lonely superstitious belief.
married She taught Agueda the
life.  incantation which can make
her see the face of the
person she is
to marry
 P
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Girls in the
dormitory
ELEMENTS OF THE

MINOR CHARACTERS Some of them

Agueda’s convinced Agueda to
daughter try and not to try
A vain curious girl what Anastasia said
who is persistent
to know the past
Voltaire
of her mother.
Don Badoy and Donya
Agueda’s grandson. A
STORY

very curious child who

believes in superstitions.
He hard the story of

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
witches that bewitched,
drunk the blood and ate
the hearts of his
grandparents.
 P
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SUMMARY MORAL OF THE STORY

As Don Badoy Montiya comes home to his old home late  Love cannot be based on
ELEMENTS OF THE

at night he finds his grandson chanting an old spell oration in passion alone nor in
front of a mirror. He recalled how he fell in love with Agueda, superstitious beliefs and in
a young woman who resisted his advances. Agueda was fate.
taught that she would be able to know her future husband by
reciting an incantation in front of a mirror, “Mirror, mirror,  Lovers should nurture with
show to me him whose woman I will be,” Agueda saw Badoy. acceptance and respect
Badoy and Agueda got married. However, Don Badoy for each other
learned from his grandson that he was described by Doña
Agueda (through their daughter) as a "devil". In return, Don  Let us not wait and waste
Badoy told his grandson that every time he looks at the to only regret the time
STORY

mirror, he only sees a "witch" (Agueda). Don Badoy ponders spent.

on love that had dissipated. The truth was revealed, Badoy
and Agueda had a “bitter marriage”. The tragedy of the story  Marriage is an issue to be

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
is Badoy’s heart forgot how he loved Agueda in the past. seriously thought through
They were not able to mend their broken marriage because before it takes place, and
their love was a “raging passion and nothing more”. communication between a
wife and husband is vital
to the success of such a
union.
 P
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JOVILYN GUANZING ESTHER JOY HUGO ELLIAH GITO

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
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PowerPoint Designer
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THANK YOU 35

W W W.Y O U R C O M PA N Y. C O M
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Philippine Flag GIF

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Prose and Poems by Nick Joaquin

https://www.scribd.com/doc/178667603/Nick-Joaquin-pdf?
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UQh5XdTje78fB2QhnB

Nick Joaquin
Photo edited by: Sofia Alfonzo
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Isang Dipang Langit

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Amado V. Hernandez
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/796596.Amado_V_Hernandez
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Isang Dipang Langit (Interpretation)

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A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino

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Kwento ni Mabuti
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Nick Joaquin
Photo edited by: Sofia Alfonzo
Posted on: UST Literary Society (Facebook Page)
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type=3&theater

Nick Joaquin Stamp

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Isang Dipang Langit

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Amado V. Hernandez