PHILIPPINE

LITERATURE
(The Spanish Period)
Historical Background
 Spanish colonization of the Philippines started in 1565 during the
time Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. (they colonized Philippines for 333
years.)
 Literature flourished during his time.

Changes in the lives of the Filipinos

 They embraced the Catholic religion
 They changed their names
 They were baptized.
 They built houses made of stones and bricks.
 They used beautiful furniture like the piano and used kitchen utensils.
 Carriages, trains and boats were used as means of travel
 They held fiestas to honor the saints, the pope and the governors.
 They had cockfights, horse races and the theatre as means of recreation.
A. Spanish Influences on Philippine Literature

1. The first Filipino alphabet called ALIBATA was replaced by the

Roman alphabet.
2. The teaching of the Christian Doctrine became the basis of
religious practices.
3. The Spanish language which became the literary language during
this time lent may of its words to our language.
4. European legends and traditions brought here became assimilated
in our songs, corridos and moro-moros.
5. Ancient literature was collected and translated to Tagalog and
other dialects.
6. Many grammar books were printed in Filipino, like Tagalog, Ilocano
and Visayan.
7. Our periodicals during these times gained a religious tone.
 B. The First Books
1) ANG DOCTRINA CRISTIANA
 first book printed in the Philippines in 1593 in xylography
 written by Fr. Juan de Palencia (Tagalog) and Fr. Domingo Nieva (Spanish)
It contained the following:
Pater Noster (Our Father)
Ave Maria (Hail Mary)
Regina Coeli (Hail Holy Queen)
Ten Commandments of God
Commandments of the Catholic Church
Seven Mortal Sins
How to Confess
Catechism
2)Nuestra Señora del Rosario
 the second book printed in the Philippines written by Fr.
Blancas de San Jose
in 1602
 printed at the UST Printing Press with the help of Juan De Vera
 It contains the biographies of saints, novenas, and questions
and answers on religion

3) Libro de los Cuatro Postprimeras de

Hombre
 The first book printed in typography.
4) ANG BARLAAN AT JOSEPHAT
 A Biblical story printed in the Philippines and
translated to Tagalog from Greek by Fr. Antonio de
Borja.
 It is believed to be the first Tagalog novel published
in the Philippines even if it’s only a translation.

5) THE PASION
 A book about the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ.
 There were four versions of this in Filipino (Pilapil,
de Belen, de la Merced and the de Guia version)
6) Urbana at felisa.
 a book by Modesto de Castro, the so-called Father of classic
prose in Tagalog
 These are letters between two letters Urbana and Felisa.
 It has influenced greatly the behaviour of people in society
because the letters dealt with good behavior.

7) ang mga dalit kay maria (psalms for mary)

 collection of songs praising the Virgin Mary
 written by Fr. Mariano Sevilla in 1865
C. LITERARY COMPOSITIONS
1) Artes y reglas de la lengua tagala
(Arts and rules of the Tagalog language)
 written by Fr. Blancas de San Jose and translated into
Tagalog by Tomas Pinpin in 1610

2) Comprendio de la lengua tagala

(Understanding the Tagalog language)
 written by Fr. Gaspar de San Agustin in
1703
3) vocabulario de la lengua tagala
(Tagalog vocabulary)
 the first Tagalog dictionary written by Fr.
Pedro de San Buenaventura in 1613

4) vocabulario de la lengua Pampanga

(Pampango vocabulary)
 the first book in Pampango written by Fr.
Diego in 1973
4) vocabulario de la lengua bisaya
(Bisayan vocabulary)
 the best language book in Visayan by
Mateo Sanchez in 1711

5) arte de la lengua ilokana

(The Art of the Ilocano Language)
 the first Ilocano grammar book by
Francisco Lopez
7) arte de la lengua bicolano
(The Art of the Bicol Language)
 the first book in the Bicol language and
written by Fr. Marcos Lisbon in 1754
D. FOLK SONGS
Folk songs became widespread in the Philippines.
They truly manifest the artistic feelings of the
Filipinos. They show the Filipinos’ innate
appreciation for love and beauty.

Examples of which are:

Leron-Leron Sinta (Tagalog)
Pamulinawen (Iloko)
Dandansoy (Bisaya)
Sarong Banggi (Bicol)
Atin Cu Pung Singsing (Kapampangan)
E. RECREATIONAL PLAYS
1. Tibag

Tibag means “to
excavate”.
 It reminds us about
the search of St.
Helena for the Cross
on which Jesus died.
2. Lagaylay
 a special occasion for the
Pilarenos of Sorsogon during
Maytime to get together.
 The participating ladies are chosen
and sometimes, mothers volunteer
their girls in order to fulfil a vow
made during an illness or for a
favour received.
 praise, respect and offering of
love to the Blessed Cross by St.
Helena on the mound she had dug
in
3. The Cenaculo
 a dramatic performance to
commemorate the passion
and death of Jesus Christ.
 Two kinds: the Cantada and
the Hablada
 This is written in octosyllabic
verse, with 8 verses to the
stanza. The full length
versions take about 3 nights
of staging.
4. Panunuluyan
 Presented before 12:00
on Christmas Eve.
 a presentation of the
search of the Virgin
Mary and St. Joseph for
an inn to deliver baby
Jesus
 Video: https://
www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=vQM1axyOcs4
5. The Salubong (or Panubong)
 An Easter play
that dramatizes
the meeting of
the Risen Christ
and His Mother.
6. Carillo (Shadow Play)
 a form of a dramatic entertainment performed
in a moonless night during a town fiesta or on
dark nights after a harvest.
 this shadow play is made by projecting
cardboard figures before a lamp against a
white sheet.
 Various names:
Carillo – Manila, Rizal, Batangas and
Laguna
TITRES in Ilocos Norte, pangasinan,
Bataan, capiz and Negros
TITIRI- Zambales
GAGALO/ KIKIMUT – Pampanga and Tarlac
ALIALA – La Union
7. The Zarzuela
 considered as the “father of the
drama”
 a musical comedy or melodrama in
three acts which dealt with man’s
passions an demotions like love,
hate, revenge , cruelty, avarice or
some social or political problem
 these were originally performed by
travelling dramatic troupes
organized by royal mandate of
Governor Narciso Claveria to
stimulate dramatic performances.
8. The Sainete

a short musical comedy
popular during the 18th
century.
 They were exaggerated
comedies shown
between acts of long
plays and were mostly
performed by characters
from the lower classes.
F. The Moro-Moro
MORO MORO
 performed during town fiestas to
entertain the people and to remind
them of their Christian religion.
 The plot is usually the same that of
a Christian princess or a nobleman’s
daughter who is captured by the
Mohammedans. The father
organizes a rescue party where
fighting between the Moros and the
Christians ensue.
 The Mohammedans are defeated
by some miracles or Divine
Intercession and the Mohammedans
G. KARAGATAN
 This is a poetic vehicle of a socio-religious nature celebrated
during the death of a person.
 In this contest, more or less formal, a ritual is performed
based on a legend about a princess who dropped her ring
into the middle of the sea and who offered her hand in
marriage to anyone who can retrieve it.
 A leader starts with an extemporaneous poem announcing
the purpose.
 He then spins a “lumbo” ot “tabo” marked with a white line.
 Whoever comes in the direction of the white line when the
spinning stops gets his turn to “go into the sea to look for
the ring”. This means a girl will ask him a riddle and if he is
able answer, he will offer the ring to the girl.
H. DUPLO
 This replaced the Karagatan.
 This is a poetic joust in speaking and
reasoning. The roles are taken from
the Bible and from proverbs and
sayings.
 It is usually played during waakes for
the dead.
I. THE BALAGTASAN
 This is poetic joust
or a contest of skills
in debate on a
particular topic or
issue.
 This replaced the
Duplo and is held to
honor Francisco
“Balagtas” Baltazar.
J. THE DUNG-AW
 a chant in free verse by a
bereaved person beside the corpse
of the dead
 No definite meter or rhyming
scheme is used. The person is
chanting it freely recites in poetic
rhythm according to his feeling,
emotions and thoughts. It is
personalized and usually deal with
the life, sufferings and sacrifices of
the dead and includes apologies for
his misdeeds.
K. THE AWIT AND
CORRIDO
AWIT CORRIDO
 Dodecasyllabic verse  Octosyllabic verse
 are fabricated stories  were usually legends or
from writers’
stories from European
imagination although
the setting and countries like France,
characters are Spain, Italy and Greece.
European  refers to narration
 refers to chanting
They are both referred to as narrative poetry.
Ibong Adarna Florante at
Laura
THANK YOU AND
GOD BLESS!