Welcome to Philippine Literature!

Philippine literature reflects a diverse group of works

which are mostly grounded on traditional folktales, socio-political histories, and real-life
experiences. Such books have since promoted Filipino cultural values, told daily struggles of
locals, and have instilled a remarkable lesson.

The importance of Philippine Literature is it allows people to learn about where they
came from and how past events work to shape the different cultures. Through studying literature
look at poems, essays, stories it can improve our reading skills and through reading it can
enhance your knowledge. Philippine literature introduces real life situations within the
experiential background of the youth to the featured literary pieces. This is bringing us into such
issues as environmental awareness, peace education and others. This is also telling us to the real
human being, a human being having dual nature which is not only doers of actions but also
dreamers of dreams.

OBJECTIVES

Welcome to LIT2! The content of this course stresses on the historical transition of Philippine
Literature through representative compositions of different genres-short stories, poetry, plays and
essays for literary absorption both for appreciation and for interpretative analysis to develop
interest in the value of nationality in literature. As you go through the different lesson, you will
be able to analyze and reflect the important of the Philippine Literature.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Trace the historical transition of Philippine Literature from the Pre-Spanish Period up to
the present;
2. Explain the significant features of the various literary pieces from different periods;
3. Actively participate in all activities from group discussions to portrayal of plays and
drama;
4. Inculcate value, awareness of and appreciation for a Filipino literary legacy;
5. Write a wholesome critique paper in one of the selected readings;
6. Participate in a stage play to give life to certain literary genres.
 LESSON 1

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Discuss the importance of literature;

 Differentiate the differences between a novel and a short story; and
 Appreciate the literary pieces

What is Literature?

The word literature is derived from the Latin term “litera” which means “letter”. It has
been defined differently by various writers. Others define literature as a faithful reproduction of
man’s manifold experiences blended into one harmonious expression.

Because literature deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man, literature can be said
to be the story of man. Man’s loves, grief’s, thoughts, dreams and aspirations coached in
beautiful language is

literature.

Did you know that______________

 Literature is about life and a product of life.

 It offers us an experience in which we should participate as we read, testing what we read
by our own experience

In order to know the history of a nation’s spirit, one must read its literature. Hence it is,
that to understand the real spirit of a nation, one must “trace the little rills as they course along
down the ages, broadening and deepening into the great ocean of thought which men of the
present source are presently exploring.”

For Webster, literature is anything that is printed, as long as it is related to the ideas and
feelings of people, whether it is true, or just a product of one’s imagination.

In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal, it says that
“true literature is a piece of written work which is undying. It expresses the feelings and
emotions of people in response to his everyday efforts to live, to be happy this environment and,
after struggles, to reach his Creator”.

WHY WE NEED TO STUDY PHILIPPINE LITERATURE?

Philippine Literature

 is a diverse and rich group of works that has evolved side-by-side with the country’s
history. Literature had started with fables and legends made by the ancient Filipinos long
before the arrival of Spanish influence. The main themes of Philippine literature focus on
the country’s pre-colonial cultural traditions and the socio-political histories of its
colonial and contemporary traditions.

We can enumerate many reasons for studying literature.

Here are but a few:

 We study literature so that we can better appreciate our literary heritage. We cannot
appreciate something that we do not understand. Through a study of our literature, we can
trace the rich heritage of ideas handed down to us from our forefathers. Then we can
understand ourselves better and take pride in being a Filipino.

 We need to understand that we have a great and noble tradition which can serve as the
means to assimilate other cultures.

 Through such a study, we will realize our literary limitations conditioned by certain
historical factors and we can take steps to overcome them.

 Above all, as Filipinos, who truly love and take pride in our own culture, we have to
manifest our deep concern for our own literature and this we can do by studying the
literature of our country.

 Whatever nationality you are it is always very important to study the literature of your
country. In doing so you are not only learning about the historical aspects of your land,
but you are also keeping alive the thoughts, beliefs and cultural variations of your
ancestors that differentiate your country from the rest of the world.

 A country's literature also tells us about its civilization in a form other than straight fact.
Literature is usually one person's description of a situation told through their own
personal feelings; eyewitness testimony to historical events that we were not present at.
Writers have a talent for bringing the past back to life with emotive language and
 metaphor, helping us to imagine scenarios that may have happened decades, or even
centuries ago.

Literary Compositions that Have Influenced the World.

Among them are:

1. The Bible or the Sacred Writings

 This has become the basis of Christianity originating from Palestine and Greece.

2. Koran
 The Muslim Bible originating from Arabia.

3. The Iliad and the Odyssey

 These have been the source of myths and legends of Greece. They were written by
Homer.
4. The Mahabharata
 The longest epic of the world. It contains the history of religion in India.

5. Canterbury Tales
 It depicts the religion and customs of the English in the early days. This originated from
England and was written by Chaucer.

6. Uncle Tom’s Cabin

 Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of the US. This depicted the sad fate of slaves; this
became the basis of democracy later on

7. The Divine Comedy

 (by Dante of Italy) This shows the religion and customs of the early Italians.

8. El Cid Compeador
 This shows the cultural characteristics of the Spaniards and their national history.

9. The Song of Roland

 This includes Doce Pares and Roncesvalles of France. It tells about the Golden Age of
Christianity in France.

10. The Book of the Dead

 This includes the cult of Osiris and the mythology and theology of Egypt.
 11. The Book of the Days
 This was written by Confucius of China. This became the basis of the Christian religion.

12. One Thousand and One Nights or The Arabian Nights-

 from Arabia and Persia (Iran). It shows the ways of government, of industries and of the
society of the Arabs and Persians

General Types of Literature

Literature can generally be divided into two types; PROSE AND POETRY.

Prose consists of those written within the common flow of conversation in sentences and
paragraphs, while poetry refers to those expressions in verse, with measure and rhyme, line and
stanza and has a more melodious tone.

PROSE

There are many types of prose. These include the following:

a. Novels.
 A long narrative divided into chapters and events are taken from true-to-life stories.

Example: WITHOUT SEEING THE DAWN by Stevan Javellana

b. Short story.
 This is a narrative involving one or more characters, one plot and one single impression.

Example: THE LAUGHTER OF MY FATHER by Carlos Bulosan

c. Plays.
 This is presented on a stage, is divided into acts and each act has many scenes.

Example: THIRTEEN PLAYS by Wilfredo M.Guerrero

d. Legends.
 These are fictitious narratives, usually about origins.

Example: THE BIKOL LEGEND by Pio Duran

 e. Fables.
 These are also fictitious and they deal with animals and inanimate things who speak and
act like people and their purpose is to enlighten the minds of children to events that can
mold their ways and attitudes.
Example: THE MONKEY AND THE TURTLE

f. Essay.
 This expresses the viewpoint or opinion of the writer about a particular problem or event.
The best example of this is the Editorial page of a newspaper.

g. Biography.
This deals with the life of a person which may be about himself, his autobiography or that
of others.
Example: CAYETANO ARELLANO by Socorro O. Albert

h. News.
 This is a report of everyday events in society, government, science and industry, and
accidents, happening nationally or not.

i. Oration.
 This is a formal treatment of a subject and is intended to be spoken in public. It appeals to
the intellect, to the will or to the emotions of the audience

POETRY

There are three types of poetry and these are the following:

A. Narrative Poetry.
 This form describes important events in life either real or imaginary.

Types of Narrative Poetry

1. Epic.
 This is an extended narrative about heroic exploits often under supernatural control.
Example: THE HARVEST SONG OF ALIGUYON translated in English by Amador T.
Daguio
2. Awit (Song)
 These have measures of twelve syllables (dodecasyllabic) and slowly sung to the
accompaniment of a guitar or banduria.
Example: FLORANTE AT LAURA by FrancisoBalagtas

3. Corridos (Kuridos)
 These have measures of eight syllables (octosyllabic) and recited to a martial beat.
Example: IBONG ADARNA
4. Ballads.
 Of the narrative poems, this is considered the shortest and simplest. It has a simple
structure and tells of a single incident. There are also variations of these: love ballads,
war ballads, and sea ballads, humorous, moral, and historical or mythical ballads. In the
early time, this referred to a song accompanying a dance.

B. Lyric Poetry
 Originally, this refers to that kind of poetry meant to be sung to the accompaniment of
alyre, but now, this applies to any type of poetry that expresses emotions and feelings of
the poet. They are usually short, simple and easy to understand.

5. Folksongs (Awiting Bayan)

 These are short poems intended to be sung. The common theme is love, despair, grief,
doubt, joy, hope and sorrow.
Example: CHIT-CHIRIT-CHIT

6. Sonnets
 This is a lyric poem of 14 lines dealing with an emotion, a feeling, or an idea. These are
two types: the Italian and the Shakespearean.
Example: SANTANG BUDS by Alfonso P. Santos
7. Elegy
 This is a lyric poem which expresses feelings of grief and melancholy, and whose theme
is death.
Example: THE LOVER’S DEATH by Ricaredo Demetillo

8. Ode
 This is a poem of a noble feeling, expressed with dignity, with no definite number of
syllables or definite number of lines in a stanza.

9. Psalms (Dalit)
 This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing a philosophy of life.
C. Dramatic Poetry

1. Comedy

 The word comedy comes from the Greek term “komos” meaning festivity or revelry. This
form usually is light and written with the purpose of amusing, and usually has a happy
ending.

2. Melodrama

 This is usually used in musical plays with the opera. Today, this is related to tragedy
justas the farce is to comedy. It arouses immediate and intense emotion and is usually sad
but there is a happy ending for the principal character.

3. Tragedy

 This involves the hero struggling mightily against dynamic forces; he meets death or ruin
without success and satisfaction obtained by the protagonist in a comedy

4. Farce

 This is an exaggerated comedy. It seeks to arouse mirth by laughable lines; situations are
too ridiculous to be true; the characters seem to becaricatures and the motives undignified
and absurd.
 LESSON 2

THE PRE-SPANISH PERIOD

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature

Introduction

This topic about Pre-Spanish Period is a very exciting one because it will bring us back to
the time when our ancestors are still enjoying the blessings of freedom to carve their own destiny
under the heavens. The days when they are but free to move elsewhere, free to explore their
environs, free to discourse with their fellow freemen and free to chart their own lives. So, join
me as we explore the beauty and unique features of Philippine Literary pieces produced during
this period.

Long before the Spaniard and other foreigners landed on Philippine shores, our
forefathers already had their own literature stamped in the history of our race. Our ancient
literature shows our customs and traditions in everyday life as trace in our folk stories, old plays
and short stories. Our ancestors also had their own alphabet which was different from that
brought by the Spaniards. The first alphabet used by our ancestors was similar to that of the
Malayo-Polynesian alphabet.

Whatever record our ancestors left were either burned by the Spanish friars in the belief
that they were works of the devil or were written on materials that easily perished, like the barks
of trees, dried leaves and bamboo cylinders which could not have remained undestroyed even if
efforts were made to preserve them. Other records that remained showed folk songs that proved
existence of a native culture truly our own. Some of these were passed on by word of mouth till
they reached the hands of some publishers or printers who took interest in printing the
manuscripts of the ancient Filipinos.
The Historical Background of Pre-Spanish Period

Our forefathers already have a body of literature even before the arrival of the Spaniards. They
have customs and traditions comparable to other parts of the globe. They have their own system
of writing, alphabet, and other nuance of a working body of literature. They are trading with the
neighboring countries of Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Arabia. In short, they are
not savages nor uncivilized as maliciously declared by some friars during the Spanish
colonization.

Our many language are related to the Malaya-Polynesian Family of Languages spoken
in vast areas covering mainland Southeast Asia, East Timor, Polynesia, Micronesia and South
Pacific Islands. We have our own system of writing called Baybayin consisting of 3 vowels and
14 consonants. Baybayin came from the word “baybay” which means “spelling”. The image
below shows the Baybayin characters and the corresponding sound represented.

Now, going back to our Philippine literary pieces during the Pre-Spanish period. Majority
of these are in oral traditions. Our ancestors love to communicate as evidenced by a great deal
of surviving records. Their written accounts are not inferior too. They used leaves, barks of trees,
bamboo cylinders, dried muds and jars as stationery. Their pen would be any pointed metal,
stick, knife and others used to engrave and imprint their message. However, the exposure to
elements destroyed a great majority of these works. The invading Spaniards destroyed and
burned them too, thinking that these were works of the devil. One interesting artifact that
endured the test of longevity is the Laguna Copperplate Inscription.

1. Legends.
 Pre-Spanish legends are fictitious narratives which explain the origin of things, places, or
names. The early Filipino customs are also depicted in them as it entertains the people
during gatherings and occasions.

A. Examples include “The Legend of the Tagalog” of the Tagalogs and

B. “The Legend of the Philippine Archipelago” of the Visayans.

2. Folktales.
 Folktales are stories made up about life, adventures, love, horror and humor where one
can derive lessons about life.

A. Popular examples include “The Sun and the Wind” and

“The Sun and the Wind”

One day the sun and the wind were just talking. The wind boasted “I am stronger than
you”. The sun just smiled.
“If you don’t believe me let’s have a competition," said the wind. The sun reluctantly
agreed.
Just then they saw a man wearing a jacket passing by. The wind said, “whoever separates
the jacket from the man is stronger”. The sun agreed and asked the wind to try first.
The wind started to blow as hard as he could. The man held his jacket tightly. The wind
blew harder and harder. But the stronger the wind blew the tighter the man held onto his
jacket. The wind blew until it was exhausted, but couldn’t remove the jacket from the
man.
Next, it was the sun's turn. At first, the sun shone very gently on the man. The man
started feeling a bit warm. As the sun went on shining brighter and brighter the man felt
warmer and warmer. Finally, he took off his jacket.
The sun came out as a clear winner in the challenge.
 B. “The Boy who became a Stone” of the Tingguians

“The Boy who Became a Stone”

Elonen lived with his grandmother. One day, he was making a bird snare in his courtyard.
Suddenly, a small bird appeared and challenged Elonen to catch it. He quickly finished making
the snare and ran behind the bird. After a while, he was able to trap the bird and put it inside a
large jar.

One day, while Elonen was away, his greedy grandmother ate up the bird. When Elonen returned
home and came to know that his bird had died, he was heartbroken. He ran away from the house.
On his way, he came across a stone and asked it to eat him up. The stone was magical and did as
it was asked to.

Meanwhile, his grandmother started searching for Elonen everywhere.

One day, while walking past the stone, she heard it say, “Your grandson is inside me.” She
begged the stone to return her grandson but Elonen remained inside the stone forever.

PRE-SPANISH POETRY

1. Epics.
 Epics are long narrative poems in which a series of heroic achievements or events usually
of a hero involving supernatural forces/phenomena. Listed below are some of the epics
celebrated among the various groups in the country.

Examples of Epics:

Biag ni Lam-ang (Ilokanos)

Pedro Bukaneg
(Summary)

Don Juan and his wife Namongan lived in Nalbuan, now part of La Union in the northern
part of the Philippines. They had a son named Lam-ang. Before Lam-ang was born, Don
Juan went to the mountains in order to punish a group of their Igorot enemies. While he
was away, his son Lam-ang was born. It took four people to help Namongan give birth.
As soon as the baby boy popped out, he spoke and asked that he be given the name Lam-
ang. He also chose his godparents and asked where his father was.

After nine months of waiting for his father to return, Lam-ang decided he would go look
for him. Namongan thought Lam-ang was up to the challenge but she was sad to let him
go.
 During his exhausting journey, he decided to rest for a while. He fell asleep and had a
dream about his father’s head being stuck on a pole by the Igorot. Lam-ang was furious
when he learned what had happened to his father. He rushed to their village and killed
them all, except for one whom he let go so that he could tell other people about Lam-
ang’s greatness.

Upon returning to Nalbuan in triumph, he was bathed by women in the Amburayan river. All the
fish died because of the dirt and odor from Lam-ang’s body.

There was a young woman named Ines Kannoyan whom Lam-ang wanted to woo.  She lived in
Calanutian and he brought along his white rooster and gray dog to visit her. On the way, Lam-
ang met his enemy Sumarang, another suitor of Ines whom he fought and readily defeated.

Lam-ang found the house of Ines surrounded by many suitors all of whom were trying to catch
her attention.  He had his rooster crow, which caused a nearby house to fall.  This made Ines look
out. He had his dog bark and in an instant the fallen house rose up again. The girl’s parents
witnessed this and called for him. The rooster expressed the love of Lam-ang. The parents agreed
to a marriage with their daughter if Lam-ang would give them a dowry valued at double their
wealth. Lam-ang had no problem fulfilling this condition and he and Ines were married.

It was a tradition to have a newly married man swim in the river for the rarang fish.
Unfortunately, Lam-ang dove straight into the mouth of the water monster Berkakan. Ines had
Marcos get his bones, which she covered with a piece of cloth. His rooster crowed and his dog
barked and slowly the bones started to move. Back alive, Lam-ang and his wife lived happily
ever after with his white rooster and gray dog.

Hudhod ni Aliguyon (Ifugaos)

(Summary)
In the mountainous regions of Northern Luzon, a hudhud is a long tale sung during special
occasions. This particular long tale is sung during harvest. A favorite topic of the hudhud is a
folk hero named Aliguyon, a brave warrior.

Once upon a time, in a village called Hannanga, a boy was born to the couple named Amtalao
and Dumulao. He was called Aliguyon. He was an intelligent, eager young man who wanted to
learn many things, and indeed, he learned many useful things, from the stories and teachings of
his father. He learned how to fight well and chant a few magic spells. Even as a child, he was a
leader, for the other children of his village looked up to him with awe.
 Upon leaving childhood, Aliguyon betook himself to gather forces to fight against his father’s
enemy, who was Pangaiwan of the village of Daligdigan. But his challenge was not answered
personally by Pangaiwan. Instead, he faced Pangaiwan’s fierce son, Pumbakhayon.
Pumbakhayon was just as skilled in the arts of war and magic as Aliguyon. The two of them
battled each other for three years, and neither of them showed signs of defeat. Their battle was a
tedious one, and it has been said that they both used only one spear! Aliguyon had thrown a
spear to his opponent at the start of their match, but the fair Pumbakhayon had caught it deftly
with one hand. And then Pumbakhayon threw the spear back to Aliguyon, who picked it just as
neatly from the air.

At length Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon came to respect each other, and then eventually they came
to admire each other’s talents. Their fighting stopped suddenly. Between the two of them they
drafted a peace treaty between Hannanga and Daligdigan, which their peoples readily agreed to.
It was fine to behold two majestic warriors finally side by side.
Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon became good friends, as peace between their villages flourished.
When the time came for Aliguyon to choose a mate, he chose Pumbakhayon’s youngest sister,
Bugan, who was little more than a baby. He took Bugan into his household and cared for her
until she grew to be most beautiful. Pumbakhayon, in his turn, took for his wife Aliguyon’s
younger sister, Aginaya. The two couples became wealthy and respected in all of Ifugao.

Alim (Ifugaos)

In the olden days, the people angered the gods and the goddesses because of their sins and
continued disobedience to the will of the gods.  The gods sent a great flood that submerged the
whole earth and destroyed all the living creatures, plants and animals alike.  There were only
two people who survived the flood: they were siblings, Wigan and Bugan respectively.  When
the water started to rise which later became the great flood, Wigan climbed the Amuyaw
Mountain to save himself.  Likewise, Bugan fled to the Kalawitan Mountain to take refuge.

Bugan stayed at the mountain until the water receded and the water soaked ground had dried
up.  He came down the mountain and discovered that he alone had survived.  Everybody got
drowned, even the animals.  Dead bodies were scattered everywhere, stinking.  As he walked
around looking for something to eat, he saw a woman half buried to the ground, waving her
hand at him.  Then he recognized her.

Bugan! he said happily as he opened his arms to embrace her.

Wigan, my brother, she said choking because of the feeling she could not contain.  She let him
hug and embraced her and she leaned her head on her chest.
Where are the others?  Wigan asked her after the embrace.
Dead, she answered, all dead.  It seems that we are the only ones who survived the flood.”

They walked around to see if they cound find some more survivors but they did not find any.
All they saw were dead bodies of men, animals and even plants.

They scouted for a place where they could comfortably stay.  They found a place near the
shore where plants starting to grow.  They built a small hut from the woods scattered around
by the great flood.  Then they buried the stinking dead bodies the found near the shore.

Im hungry, said Bugan when they were already resting after burying the dead bodies.
Me too, said Wigan.  Stay here and I'll see if I can catch some fish in the sea.
Do you think there are fish there? Bugan asked him.
The plants are already growing abundantly.  Perhaps the gods' wrath have been pacified
and the school of fishes have come back to the sea.

There were fishes in the sea all right.  That night, they ate a sumptuous supper of boiled fish.
They spent the night sleeping together.  After several days, Bugan found herself pregnant.  She
went to the shore to drown herself because she was ashamed of herself getting pregnant by his
brother.  But before she could get near the deep part of the angry sea, an old man appeared
before her.  He told her that he was Makanungan, the gods of the Ifugaos.  Makanungan
solemnized their marriage and they had nine children, five boys and four girls.

Then came a great famine.  The soil produced poor harvest.  They killed a rat and offered it to
Makanungan but the poor harvest continued.

What shall we do? Bugan asked Wigan one night while they were about to sleep.  We will all
die of hunger if this poor harvest continues.
I don't know why Makanungan is angry with us.  Perhaps he didn't like the rat we offered
him.

Why don't we offer him our son, Igon?

They all decided to kill Igon, the youngest, and offered him to Makanungan.  True enough, the
poor harvest was abated.  But Makanungan once again appeared before them and told them
 that what they did to Igon was outrageous.  Then Makanungan scattered them to the four
corners of the earth, to the East and West and to the North and South.  And as a curse to what
they did to Igon, they would fight everytime they come near each other.

Other Example of Epics:

 Ibalon, Handiong,. Hinilawod – Bicol

 Maragtas, Haraya, Lagda, Hari sa Bukid – Visayan
 Kumintang, Bernardo Carpio – Tagalog
 Parang Sabir, Darangan,. Indarapatra at Sulayman – Moro
 Dagoy, Sudsod – Tagbanua
 Tatuaang – Bagobo

2. Folksongs.
 Folksongs are the oldest forms of Philippine Literature that emerged which are composed
mostly of 12 syllables per line of four in a verse. These songs mirrored the culture of each
group singing specific song per occasion/celebration/activities. Listed below are some of
these songs and the corresponding occasion/celebration/activities.

Examples:

 Kundiman – Awit ng Pag-ibig

 Kumintang – War/Battle songs

 Dalit – Worship songs

 Oyayi/Hele – Lullaby songs

 Diana/Danaya – Wedding songs

 Soliraning – Laborer/Workmen songs

 Talindaw – Fisher/Fishing songs

 3. Epigrams.
 Epigrams are more commonly called Salawikain. These have been customarily used and
served as laws or rules on good behavior. These are like allegories or parables that impart
lessons for the youth consisting of couplets (2-lines) which usually have rhyming end-
syllables. These lessons in life that they wish to impart are usually implied.

Example: “Aaanhin pa ang damo, kung patay na ang kabayo.”

“Sa marunong umunawa, sukat ang salita.”

4. Riddles
 They are called “Bugtong” by the Tagalogs and “Burburtia” among the Ilokanos. These
are made up of one or two measured lines which may consist of 4 to 12 syllables. They
are often used to stir a thought-provoking questions. They are often used for
entertainment purposes during gatherings and celebrations. Each group/region feature
unique riddles.
Example of riddles:
“Maliit pa si kumpare, umaakyat na sa tore.” Answer: Langgam (ant)

“Isda ko sa Mariveles, nasa loob ang kaliskis.” Answer: Sili (bell pepper)

5. Chants.
 Chants are customarily called “Bulong” or “Pasintabi” by the Tagalogs and referred to
as “Bari-bari” by the Ilokanos. These are sometimes in witchcraft or enchantment often
with an accompanying “Anting-anting” (amulet or talisman).

Examples are:

 Among the Visayans: “Ikaw na nagnakaw ng mais ko, lumuwa sana ang mga mata mo,
mamaga sana ang kamay mo, parusahan ka ng mga anito.”
 Among the Tagalogs: “Tabi-tabi po kayo, ako’y magbubuhos ng tubig at mainit ito, kung
masaktan ko kayo, pagpasensiyahan niyo na po.”

6. Sayings. (Kasabihan). They are used to emphasize lessons for the youth and these lessons
are explicitly stated. Examples are:
 “Pag may itinanim, may aanihin.”
 “Ang maglakad ng matulin, pag natinik ay malalim.”
7. Sawikain (Sayings with no hidden meanings)
 Nasa Diyos ang awa
Nasa tao ang gawa.

LESSON 3

THE SPANISH PERIOD

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Describe the Philippine literature during the period;

 Enumerate writers who contributed to the flourishing of literature during this period;
 Name literary genres and pieces; and
 Analyze literary piece

INTRODUCTION

It is an accepted belief that the Spanish colonization of the Philippines started in 1565
during the time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general in the
Philippines. Literature started to flourish during his time. This spurt continued unabated until the
Cavite Revolt in 1872. The Spaniards colonized the Philippines for more than three centuries.
During these times, many changes occurred in the lives of Filipinos. They embraced the Catholic
religion, changed their names, and were baptized.

Their lifestyles changed too. They built houses mad of stones and bricks, 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 theater as means of recreation.

This gave rise to the formation of the different classes of society like the rich and the
landlords. Some Filipinos finished courses like medicine, law, and agriculture and teaching.
Many Filipinos finished their schooling already had been established

Did you know that:

  Printing was introduced by the Dominicans in 1593

What the colonizers brought anew in Philippine Literature?

 Introduction of theater, playlets and drama

 Teaching of the Christian Doctrine
 Ancient literature was collected and translated to Tagalog and other dialects
 Periodicals this time gained religious tone
 Literature: religious prose and poetry and secular prose and poetry

A. SPANISH INFLUENCES ON PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

Due to the long period of colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards, they have exerted a
strong influence on our 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 many 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 (THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE).

 This was the first book printed in the Philippines in 1593 in xylography. It was written by
Fr. Juan de Placencia and Fr. Domingo Nieva, in Tagalog and Spanish. It contained the
 Pater Noster, Ave Maria (Hail Mary), Regina Coeli (Hail Holy Queen), the Ten
Commandments of God, the Commandments of the Catholic Church, the Seven Mortal
Sins, How to Confess, and the Cathecism. Three old original copies of this book can still
be found at the Vatican, at the Madrid Musem and at the US Congress.
2. Nuestra Señora del Rosario
 The second book printed in the Philippines was written by Fr. Blancas de San Jose in
1602, and printed at the UST Printing Press with the help of Juan de Vera, a Chinese
mestizo. It contains the biographies of saints, novenas, and questions and answers on
religion.

3. Ang Barlaan at Josephat

 This is a Biblical story printed in the Philippines and translated to Tagalog from Greek by
Fr. Antonio de Borja.

4. The Pasion
 This is the book about the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ. It is read only during Lent.
There were 4 versions of this in Tagalog and each version is according to the name of the
writer. These are the Pilapil version (by Mariano Pilapil of Bulacan, 1814), the de Belen
version (by Gaspar Aquino de Belen of Bat. in 1704), the de la Merced (by Aniceto de la
Merced of Norzagaray, Bulacan in 1856) and the de Guia version (by Luis de Guia in
1750)

5. Urbana at Felisa
 A book by Modesto de Castro, the so called Father of Classic Prose in Tagalog. These are
letters between two sisters Urbana at Felisa and have influenced greatly the behavior of
people in society because the letters dealt with good behavior.

6. Ang Mga Dalit kay Maria (Psalms for Mary)

 A collection of songs praising the Virgin Mary. Fr. Mariano Sevilla, a Filipino priest,
wrote this in 1865 and it was popular especially during the May time “Flores de Mayo”
festival.
C. LITERARY COMPOSITIONS

1. Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (Art and rules of the Tagalog language)

 Written by Fr. Blancas de San Jose and translated to Tagalog by Tomas Pinpin in 1610.

2. Compendio 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 (Pampanga vocabulary)

 The first book in Pampanga written by Fr. Diego in 1732.

5. Vocabulario de la Lengua Bisaya (Bisayan vocabulary)

 The best language book in Visayan by Mateo Sanchez in 1711.

6. Arte de la Lengua Ilokana (The Art of the Ilocano language).

 The first Ilocano grammar book by Francisco Lopez.

7. Arte de la Lengua Bicolana (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. Each region had its national song from
the lowlands to the mountains of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao

Folk songs truly manifest the artistic feelings of the Filipinos. They show the Filipinos’ innate
appreciation
for and love of beauty. The examples are Leron-Leron Sinta, Pamulinawen, Dandansoy, Sarong
Banggi
and Atin Cu Pung Singsing
 Folk songs truly manifest the artistic feelings of the Filipinos. They show the Filipinos’
innate appreciation for and love of beauty.
 The examples are Leron-Leron Sinta, Pamulinawen, Dandansoy, Sarong Banggi and Atin
Cu Pung Singsing

E. RECEREATIONAL PLAYS

 There are many recreational plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish times.
Almost all of them were in poetic form.

Here are examples:

1. Tibag

 the word tibag means to excavate. This ritual was brought here by the Spaniard to remind
the people about the search of St. Helena for the Cross on which Jesus died

2. Lagaylay
 this is a special occasion for the Pilareños of Sorsogon during Maytime to get together.
 As early as April, the participating ladies are chosen and sometimes, mothers volunteer
their girls in order to fulfill a vow made during an illness or for a favor received.
 In some parts of Bicol, a different presentation is made but the objective is the same –
praise, respect and offering of love to the Blessed Cross by St. Helen on the mound she
had dug in.
3. The Cenaculo
 this is a dramatic performance to commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
There are two kinds: the Cantada and Hablada. In the Hablada the lines are spoken in
a more deliberate manner showing the rhythmic measure of each verse and the
rhyming in each stanza and is more dignified in theme; the Cantada is chanted like
the Pasion .
 The Cenaculo is written in octosyllabic verse, with 8 verses to the stanza. The full
length versions take about 3 nights of staging. Performers come in costumes with
wigs and performers are carefully chosen for their virtuous life. One performs the role
of Jesus Christ and another the role of the Virgin Mary. Many famous Cenaculo
players come from the tagalog regions although there are also those from Ilocos,
Pampanga, Bicol and both Sibulanon and Hiligaynon.

4. Panunuluyan
 this is presented before 12:00on Christmas Eve. This is a presentation of the search of
the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an inn wherein to deliver the baby Jesus

5. The Salubong (or Panubong)

 The Salubong is an Easter play that dramatizes the meeting of the Risen Christ and
his Mother. It is still presented in many Philippine towns

6. Carillo (Shadow Play)

 this is a form of dramatic entertainment performed on 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. The figures are moved like
marionettes whose dialogues are produced by some experts. The dialogues are drawn
from a Corrido or Awit or some religious play interspersed with songs. These are
called by various names in different places: Carillo in Manila, Rizal and Batangas and
Laguan; TITRES in Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Bataa, Capiz and Negros; TITIRI in
Zambales; GAGALO or KIKIMUT in Pampanga and Tarlac; and ALIALA in La
Union.

7. The Zarzuela
 considered the father of the drama; it is a musical comedy or melodrama three acts
which dealt with man’s passions and emotions like love, hate, revenge, cruelty,
avarice or some social or political proble.
 8. The Sainete
 this was 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. Themes were taken from everyday life scenario

F. THE MORO-MORO

 Like the Cenaculo, the Moro-moro is presented also on a special stage. This is
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.

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 here
hand in marriage to anyone who can retrieve it.

H. DUPLO.

 The Duplo replace the Karagatan. This is a poetic just in speaking and reasoning. The
roles are taken from the Bible and from proverbs and saying. It is usually played
during wakes for the dead.

I. THE BALAGTASAN

 This is a poetic just or a contest of skills in debate on a particular topic or issue. This
is replaced the DUPLO and is held to honor Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar.

J. THE DUNG-AW

 This is a chant in free verse by a bereaved person or his representative beside the
corpse of the dead. No definite meter or rhyming scheme is used. The person chanting
 it freely recites in poetic rhythm according to his feelings, emotions and thoughts. It is
personalized and usually deals with the life, sufferings and sacrifices of the dead and
includes apologies for his misdeeds

K. THE AWIT and the CORRIDO

 The corrido is in octosyllabic verse, the awit is in dodecasyllabic verse. The corridos
were usually on legends or stories from European countries like France, Spain, Italy
and Greece. The AWITS are fabricated stories from writer’s imagination although the
setting and characters are European. The CORRIDO refers to narration. The AWIT
refers to chanting. The CORRIDO and the awit are both referred to as narrative
poetry.
 LESSON 4

THE PERIOD OF ENLIGHTENMENT

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature.
OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature.
INTRODUCTION

After 300 years of passivity under Spanish rule, the Filipino spirit reawakened when the 3
priests Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were guillotined without sufficient evidence of guilt. This
occurred on the 17th of February. This was buttressed with the spirit of liberalism when the
Philippines opened its doors to world trade and with the coming of a liberal leader in the person
of Governor Carlos Maria de la Torre.

The Spaniards were unable to suppress the tide of rebellion among the Filipinos

The once religious spirit transformed itself into one of nationalism and the Filipinos
demanded changes in the government and in the church. A. The Propaganda Movement (1872-
1896) This movement was spearheaded mostly by the intellectual middle-class like Jose Rizal,
Marcelo del Pilar; Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna, Mariano Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban,
and Pedro Paterno. The objectives of this movement were to seek reforms and changes like the
following:

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 give the Filipinos freedom of speech, of the press, assembly and for redress of grievances

Highlights of the Propaganda Movement There were three principal leaders of the Propaganda
movement. They were Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena. Here
are highlights about them and what they have done for our country.

DR. JOSE P. RIZAL

 Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonzo y Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 at
Calamba, Laguna.
 His first teacher was his mother Teodora Alonzo.
  He studied at the Ateneo de Manila, started medicine at UST and finished at the
Universidad Central of Madrid. He also studied at the University of Berlin, Leipzig
and Heidelberg.
 He died by musketry in the hands of the Spaniards on December 30, 1896 on charges
of sedition and rebellion against the Spaniards.
 His pen-name was Laong Laan and Dimasalang

His books and writings:

1. NOLI ME TANGERE.
 This was the novel that gave spirit to the propaganda movement and paved the way to the
revolution against Spain. In this book, he courageously exposed the evils in the Spanish-
run government in the Philippines.
 The Spaniards prohibited the reading of this novel but a lot of translations were able to
enter stealthily in the country even if it means death to those caught in possession of
them.
 The NOLI gave Philippine literature the immortal characters Maria Clara, Juan
Crisostomo Ibarra, Elias, Sisa, Pilosofong Tasio, Doña Victorina, Kapitana Maria, Basilio
and Crispin, Rizal had a powerful pen in the delineation of these characters

2. EL FILIBUSTERISMO.
This is a sequel to the NOLI. While the NOLI exposed the evils in society, the FILI
exposed those in the government and in the church. However, the NOLI has been dubbed
the novel of society while that of FILI is that of politics.

3. MI ULTIMO ADIOS (My Last Farewell).

This was a poem by Rizal while he was incarcerated at Fort Santiago and is one that can
compare favorably with the best in the world. It was only after his death when his name
was affixed to the poem.

4. SOBRE LA INDOLENCIA DE LOS FILIPINOS (On the Indolence of the Filipinos)

An essay on theso-called Filipino indolence and an evaluation of the rea sons for such
allegations.

5. FILIPINAS DENTRO DE CIEN AÑOS (The Philippines within a Century)

An essay predicting the increasing influence of the US in the Philippines and the
decreasing interest of Europe here. Rizal predicted that if there is any other colonizer of
the Philippines in the future, it would be the US.

6. A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA (To the Filipino Youth)

 A poem Rizal dedicated to the Filipino youth studying at UST.

7. EL CONSEJO DE LES DIOSES (The Council of the Gods)

An allegorical play manifesting admiration for Cervantes.

8. JUNTO AL PASIG (Beside the Pasig River)

Written by Rizal when he was 14 years of age.

9. ME PIDEN VERSOS (You asked Me for Verses); 1882 and A LAS FLORES DE
HEIDELBERG (To the Flowers of Heidelberg).

Two poems manifesting Rizal’s unusual depth of emotion.

10. NOTAS A LA OBRA SUCESOS DE LAS FILIPINAS FOR EL DR. ANTONIO DE

MORGA (Notes on Philippine Events by Dr. Antonio de Morga): 1889

MARCELO H. DEL PILAR

 Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán

 August 30, 1850 – July 4, 1896)
 Cupang, San Nicolas, Bulacan
 His pen-name was “Plaridel”, “Pupdoh”, “Dolores Manapat” and “Piping Dilat”

His books and writings:

1. Caiingat Cayo
A humorous and sarcastic dig in answer to Fr. Jose Rodriquez in the novel NOLI of Rizal.

2. Pag-Ibig Sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love of Country)

 Translated from the Spanish AMOR PATRIA of Rizal, published on August 20, 1882, in
Diaryong Tagalog.

3. Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayers and Jokes)

Similar to a cathecism but sarcastically done against the parish priests, published in
Barcelona in 1888.Because of this, del Pilar was called “filibuster.” Done in admirable tone
of supplication and excellent use of Tagalog.

4. Ang Cadaquilaan ng Dios (God’s Goodness)

Published in Barcelona, it was also like a cathecism sarcastically aimed against the parish
priests but also contains a philosophy of the power and intelligence of God and an
appreciation for and love for nature.

5. Sagot ng Espanya sa Hibik ng Pilipinas

A poem pleading for change from Spain but that Spain is already old and weak to grant
any aid to the Philippines. This poem is in answer to that of Hermenigildo Flores’ Hibik
sa Pilipinas (A Plea from the Philippines).

6. Dupluhan, Dalit at mga Bugtong

A compilation of poems on the oppression by the priests in the Philippines.

7. La Frailocracia en Pilipinas
This shows the injustices of the friars to the Pilipinos.

Graciano Lopez Jaena

 December 18, 1856 - January 20, 1896.

The Works of Graciano Lopez Jaena

1. Fray Botod
One of his works written in Jaro, Iloilo in 1876, six years after the Cavite Revolt
attacking the friars in the Philippines. He exposed how some of the friars were greedy,
ambitious and immoral.

2. SA MGA PILIPINO
A speech which aimed to improve the condition of the Filipinos to become free and
progressive.
 3. El Bandolerismo en Pilipinas
“Ipinagtanggol dito ni Jaena ang mga Pilipino na pinagbintangang mga bandido at mga
magnanakaw na mga Kastila”

4. Everything is Humbug
“ipinaliwanag dito ni Jaena ang mga kayabangan ng mga Kastila”

5. La Hija del Fraile

“Sinabi niya rito ang pangayayari sa mga Pilipina tungkol sa mga kapahamakan kung
magpapakasal sila sa isang Kastila”

OTHER PROPAGANDIST

MARCELO H. DEL PILAR

GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA
ANTONIO LUNA
MARIANO PONCE
PEDRO PATERNO
HIHLIGHTS OF THE ACTIVE REVOLUTION

ANDRES BONIFACIO
APOLINARIO MABINI
EMILIO JACINTO
JOSE PALMA
LESSON 5
 THE AMERICAN REGIME

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature.

Historical Background

The Filipino Revolutionists won against the Spaniards who colonized us for more than
300 years. Our flag was hoisted on June 12, 1898 as a symbol of our independence. Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo was elected the first President of the Philippine Republic but this was short-lived.

The Fil.-American was resulted in the defeat of Gen. Miguel Malvar in 1903. The peace
movements started as early as 1900. Many Filipinos started writing again and the nationalism of
the people remained undaunted.

Filipino writers went into all forms of literature like news, reporting, poetry, stories,
plays,essays, and novels. Their writings clearly depicted their love of country and their longings
for independence.

The active arousal in the field of literature started to be felt in the following newspapers.

1. EL NUEVO DIA (The New Day)

 Established by Sergio Osmeña in 1900. The American censors twice banned this and
threatened Osmeña with banishment because of his nationalistic writings.
2. EL GRITO DEL PUEBLO (The Call of the Nation)
 Established by Pascual Poblete in 1900.
3. EL RENACIMIENTO (The Rebirth)
 Founded by Rafael Palma in 1901

A. Literature in Spanish
The inspiration of our Filipino writers in Spanish was Rizal not only because of his being a

national leader but also because of his novels NOLI and FILI. These two novels contained the

best qualities of a novel ever written, in English or in Filipino. Those who were inspired to

write in praise of him were Cecilio Apostol, Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Jesus Balmori, Manuel

Bernabe and Claro M. Recto

CECILIO APOSTOL

 Cecilio Apostol wrote poems dedicated to Rizal, Jacinto, Mabini and all other heroes but
his poem dedicated to Rizal is considered the best poem in praise of the hero of
Bagumbayan.

FERNANDO MA. GUERRERO

 It is believed that Fernando Ma. Guerrero shared with Apostol the reign in the balagtasan
in Spanish during their time. He also dedicated a poem to Rizal but he collected the best
of his poems in a book called CRISALIDAS, meaning, a kind of black, wooly caterpillar.
Here are a few stanzas of his call to Rizal which he wrote on June 19, 1901 to
commemorate Rizal’s birthday.

JESUS BALMORI

 Jesus Balmori is well-known for his pen name of Batikuling. He and Manuel Bernabe
participated in a debate on the topic – (Remembrance and Forgetfulness). He was elected
Poet Laureate in Spanish besting Manuel Bernabe.

MANUEL BERNABE

 Manuel Bernabe is a lyric poet and the fierceness of his nationalistic spirit was
unchanged in any topic he wrote about. In his debate with Balmori, he was more
attractive to the public because of the modious words he used. He defended OLVIDO
(Forgetfulness).

CLARO M. RECTO
  In nobility of speech and theme, Claro M. Recto can compare with the other writers of
Spanish. He collected his poems in a book entitled BAJO LOS COCOTEROS (Under
The Coconut Trees).

Other Writers in Spanish

1. Adelina Guerrea was the first woman poet in the Philippines who was good in Spanish.

She obtained the Zobel prize in her song El Nido. (The Nest).

2. Isidro Marpori became famous for his four books entitled Aromas de Ensueño (Scents of

Dreams).

3. Macario Adriatico wrote of a legend of Mindoro entitle La Punta de Salto (The Place of

Origin).

4. Epifanio de los Santos (known as Don PAnyong). He was a good leader and biographer

during the whole period of Spanish literature.

5. Pedro Aunario wrote the Decalogo del Proteccionismo

B. Filipino Literature

FLORANTE AT LAURA of Francisco Balagtas and URBANA AT FELISA of Modesto de

Castro became the inspiration of the Tagalog writers.

Julian Cruz Balmaceda classified three kinds of Tagalog poets:

They were:

1. Poet of the Heart (Makata ng Puso). These included Lope K. Santos, Iñigo Ed. Regalado,

Carlos Gatmaitan, Pedro Deogracias del Rosario, Ildefonso Santos, Amado V. Hernandez,

Nemecio Carabana, and Mar Antonio.

2. Poets of Life (Makata ng Buhay). Led by Lope K Santos, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florentino
Collantes, Patricio Mariano, Carlos Garmaitan, and Amado V. Hernandez.

3. Poets of the Stage (Makata ng Tanghalan). Led by Aurelio Tolentino, Patricio Mariano,

Severino Reyes, and Tomas Remigio.

Lope K. Santos

Lope K. Santos, a novelist, poet and author, and grammarian covered three periods of Tagalog
literature – American, Japanese and the contemporary period. If Manuel L. Quezon is called the
Father of the National Language, Lope K. Santos is called the Father of the National Language
Grammar. He was also called the “Apo” of the Tagalog writers. BANAAG AT SIKAT was his
masterpiece.

JOSE CORAZON DE JESUS

Jose Corazon de Jesus is very popularly known as “Huseng Batute”. He was also called the Poet
of Love in his time. ANG ISANG PUNONG KAHOY (A TREE), an elegy, is believed to be his
masterpiece.

AMADO V. HERNANDEZ

Amado V. Hernandez was dubbed “Makata ng mga Manggagawa” (Poet of the Laborers) in
our literature because he pictures in his poem the intense love for the poor worker or laborer. To
him, a poem is a scent, bittersweet memories, and a murmur of flowing water. The pen is
powerful and according to him, even a king can be bent by the pen. He contributed a lot of
writings to literature like ISANG DIPANG LANGIT (A Stretch of Heaven), BAYANG
MALAYA (A Free Nation), ANG PANDAY (The Black smith), and MUNTING LUPA (A
Small Plot), but his masterpiece is ANG PANDAY.

VALERIANO HERNANDEZ PEÑA

Together with Lope K. Santos he reached the summit of his novel-writing. He was known as
“Tandang Anong” and his pen name was “Kuntil Butil” (Small Grain). He considers NENA
AT NENENG his masterpiece.

IÑIGO ED. REGALADO

Iñigo Ed. Regalado was a son of a popular writer during the Spanish time known as Odalger. He
proved that he not only followed the footsteps of his father but also reached the peak of his
success by the “sumpong” (whim) of his pen. He also became a popular story-teller, novelist and
newspaperman.

THE TAGALOG DRAMA

During the advent of the American period, Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan started the
movement against the moromoro ( a play on the Spanish struggles against the Muslims) and
struggled to show the people the values one can get from the zarzuela and the simple plays. The
people one should not forget in the field of writing are the following:

1. Severino Reyes
 Father of the Tagalog drama and author of the immortal WALANG SUGAT.

2. Aurelio Tolentino
 The dramatist in whom the Kapampangans take pride. Included in his writings were
LUHANG TAGALOG, his masterpiece, and KAHAPON, NGAYONG AT BUKAS that
resulted in his incarceration

3. Hermogenes Ilagan
 Founded the group Campaña Ilagan that presented many dramas in Central Luzon.

4. Patricio Mariano
 Wrote the novel NINAY and ANAK NG DAGAT (Son of the Sea), his masterpiece.

5. Julian Cruz Balmaceda

 Wrote BUNGANGA NG PATING (Shark’s Mouth). This gave him much honor and
fame.

THE TAGALOG SHORT STORY

Two collections of Tagalog stories were published during the American Period. First was the
MGA KUWENTONG GINTO (Golden Stories) published in 1936 and %) KUWENTONG
GINTO ng 50 BATIKANG KUWENTISTA (50 Golden Stories by 50 Noted Storytellers) in
1939. The first was written by Alejandro Abadilla and Clodualdo del Mundo that contained the
25 best stories according to them.

The second was written by Pedrito Reyes. PAROLANG GINTO (Golden Lantern) and
TALAANG BUGHAW (Blue List) of Abadilla became popular during this period

TAGALOG POETRY
Almost all Tagalog writers during the American Period were able to compose beautiful poems
which made it difficult to select the best. Even if poetry writing is as old as history, poetry still
surfaces with its sweetness, beauty, and melody.

D. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925-1941)

By this time, Filipino writers had acquired the mastery of English writing. They now confidently
and competently wrote on a lot of subjects although the old-time favorites of love and youth
persisted. They went into all forms of writing like the novel and the drama.

1. POETRY Noteworthy names in this field include Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion, Jose Garcia
Villa, Angela Manalang Gloria, Abelardo Subido, Trinidad Tarrosa Subido and Rafael Zulueta
da Costa. They turned our not only love poems but patriotic, religious, descriptive and reflective
poems as well. They wrote in free verse, in odes and sonnets and in other types. Poetry was
original, spontaneous, competently written and later, incorporated social consciousness.

2. THE SHORT STORY (1925-1941) Probably because of the incentives provided by

publications like the Philippine Free Press, The Graphic, The Philippine Magazine and college
publications like the UP Literary Apprentice, poetryand the short story flourished during these
times. Other writers during this time includeOsmundo Sta. Romana, Arturo Rotor, Paz
Latorena’s Sunset, and Jose Garcia Villa’s Mirin-isa. From 1930 to 1940, the Golden Era of
Filipino writing in English saw the short story writers “who have arrived,” like Jose Lansang’s
The Broken Parasol, Sinai C. Hamada’s Talanata’s Wife, Fausto Dugenio’s Wanderlust,
Amando G. Dayrit’s His Gift andYesterday, Amador T. Daugio’s The Woman Who Looked Out
of the Window.

Characteristics of the short stories during these times: There were still remnants of Spanish
influence in the use of expressions that were florid, sentimental, exaggerated and bombastic. The
influence of the Western culture also was already evident.

3. ESSAYS AND OTHER PROSE STYLES (1925-1941) Essays during this period improved
with the years in quality and quantity, in content, subject and style. Essayists like Carlos P.
Romulo became even more eminent editorial writers. The notable writers of essays during this
period were: a. Political, social reflective essays.

LESSON 6
 THE JAPANESE PERIOD

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces to the present corpus of Philippine
Literature

Historical Background

Between 1941-1945, Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when the
Philippines was again conquered by another foreign country, Japan. Philippine literature in
English came to a halt. Except for the TRIBUNE and the PHILIPPINE REVIEW, almost all
newspapers in English were stopped by the Japanese. This had an advantageous effect on
Filipino Literature, which experienced renewed attention because writers in English turned to
writing in Filipino. Juan Laya, who use to write in English turned to Filipino because of the strict
prohibitions of the Japanese regarding any writing in English.

The weekly LIWAYWAY was placed under strict surveillance until it was managed by Japanese
named Ishiwara. In other words, Filipino literature was given a break during this period. Many
wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. Topics and themes were often about life in the provinces.

A. FILIPINO POETRY DURING THIS PERIOD

The common theme of most poems during the Japanese occupation was nationalism, country,
love, and life in the barrios, faith, religion and the arts.

Three types of poems emerged during this period.

1. Haiku
 a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It was made up of 17 syllables divided into
three lines. The first line had 5 syllables, the second, 7 syllables, and the third, five. The
Haiku is allegorical in meaning, is short and covers a wide scope in meaning.
2. Tanaga
  like the Haiku, is short but it had measure and rhyme. Each line had 17 syllables and it’s
also allegorical in meaning.
3. Karaniwang Anyo
 Also known as the USUAL FORM
 the usual and common form of poetry

B. FILIPINO DRAMA DURING THE JAPANESE PERIOD

The drama experienced a lull during the Japanese period because movie houses showing
American films were closed. The big movie houses were just made to show stage shows. Many
of the plays were reproductions of English plays to Tagalog. The translators were Francisco Soc
Rodrigo, Alberto Concio, and Narciso Pimentel. They also founded the organization of Filipino
players named Dramatic Philippines.

A few of playwriters were:

1. Jose Ma. Hernandez – wrote PANDAY PIRA

2. Francisco Soc Rodrigo – wrote sa PULA, SA PUTI

3. Clodualdo del Mundo – wrote BULAGA (an expression in the game Hide and Seek).

4. Julian Cruz Balmaceda – wrote SINO BA KAYO?, DAHIL SA ANAK, and HIGANTE NG
PATAY

C. THE FILIPINO SHORT STORY DURING THE JAPANESE PERIOD

The field of the short story widened during the Japanese Occupation. Many wrote short stories.
Among them were: Brigido Batungbakal, Macario Pineda, Serafin Guinigindo, Liwayway
Arceo, Narciso Ramos, NVM Gonzales, Alicia Lopez Lim, Ligaya Perez, and Gloria
Guzman. The best writings in 1945 were selected by a group of judges composed of Francisco
Icasiano, Josem Esperanza Cruz, Antonio Rosales, Clodualdo del Mundo and Teodoro Santos.
As a result of this selection, the following got the first three prizes: First Prize: Narciso Reyes
with his LUPANG TINUBUAN Second Prize: Liwayway Arceo’s UHAW ANG TIGANG NA
LUPA Third Prize: NVM Gonzales LUNSOD NAYON AT DAGAT-DAGATAN
 Lesson 7

THE REBIRTH OF FREEDOM

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the cultural, linguistic and aesthetic qualities of Philippine Literary pieces
produced during the Pre-Spanish period;
 Discuss the types of literature during Pre-Spanish period; and
 Appreciate the contributions of these literary pieces.

Historical Background

The Americans returned in 1945. Filipinos rejoiced and guerillas who fled to the mountain joined
the liberating American Army. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines regained is freedom and the
Filipino flag waved joyously alone. The chains were broken.

POETRY IN ENGLISH DURING THIS PERIOD

For the first twenty years, many books were published…both in Filipino and in English. Among
the writers during this time were: Fred Ruiz Castro, Dominador I. Ilio, and C.B. Rigor.

Some notable works of the period include the following:

1. HEART OF THE ISLANDS (1947) – a collection of poems by Manuel Viray

2. PHILIPPINES CROSS SECTION (1950) – a collection of prose and poetry by Maximo

Ramos and Florentino Valeros

3. PROSE AND POEMS (1952) – by Nick Joaquin

4. PHILIPPINE WRITING (1953) – by T.D. Agcaoili

5. PHILIPPINE HAVEST – by Amador Daguio

6. HORIZONS LEAST (1967) – a collection of works by the professors of UE, mostly in

English (short stories, essays, research papers, poem and drama) by Artemio Patacsil and
Silverio Baltazar The themes of most poems dealt with the usual love of nature, and of social and
political problems. Toribia Maño’s poems showed deep emotional intensity.
7. WHO SPOKE OF COU RAGE IN HIS SLEEP – by NVM Gonzales

8. SPEAK NOT, SPEAK ALSO – by Conrado V. Pedroche

9. Other poets were Toribia Maño and Edith L. Tiempo Jose Garcia Villa’s HAVE COME, AM
HERE won acclaim both here and abroad.