Lesson 1

The Geographic, Linguistic, & Ethnic Dimensions of Philippine Literary History from Pre-Colonial to
Contemporary

Literature is a word used to describe written and spoken materials (at times). Originally from the Latin word litera
meaning “letters”, literature most commonly means works of the creative imagination. This includes poetry, drama,
fiction, non-fiction, and on some occasions, journalism.

To put it simply, literature symbolizes the culture and tradition of a language or a group of people. Many have tried to
define the concept in precise terms, but the accepted definition of literature has been constantly changing, just like life
continuously changes.

For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page doesn’t necessarily equate to
creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a given author. Some works of literature are considered
canonical, that is, culturally representative of a genre (poetry, prose, or drama).

Philippine Literature: A Timeline

I. Pre-Colonial Period (B.C. – 1564)
A. Characteristics
1. Based on oral tradition
2. Crude on ideology and phraseology
3. Consisted of both written and oral literature
4. Language of oral literature was the language of daily life.
5. Earliest alphabet (Alibata), of Asokan origin, consisted of 17 letters (3 vowels + 14 consonants).
B. Literature
1. Oral Literature
a. Bugtong (Riddles) – a puzzling question to be solved or guessed.
b. Salawikain (proverbs) – witty sayings using metaphors aimed at teaching virtues.
c. Tanaga – a mono-riming heptasyllabic quatrain expressing insights and lessons.
2. Folk Songs
a. Hele/ Uyayi – a lullaby
b. Kumintang – a war song
c. Harana – serenade
d. Diona/Ihiman – wedding song
e. Talindaw – boating song
f. Balitaw – love song
3. Folk Tales
a. Myths – explain how the world was created and other phenomena
b. Legends – explain the origin of things
c. Epics – narratives revolving around supernatural events or heroic deeds
C. Notable Works
1. Biag ni Lam-ang – an epic centered on the life and adventures of Ilocos folk hero named Lam-ang
2. Hinilawod – an epic from Panay which recounts the exploits of three Sulodnon demigod brothers

II. Colonial Period (1565-1863)

A. Characteristics
1. It has two distinct classifications: religious and secular.
2. Spanish became the medium of communication.
3. The alibata was replaced by the Roman script.
4. The Filipinos were introduced to an education system.
B. Literature
1. Early colonial literature was limited to religious topics.
2. Filipinos were introduced to religious materials such as prayer books, novenas, doctrines, crucifixion, and
the lives of saints.
3. The once highly imaginative folk narratives were replaced by sober and religious writings.
4. Poetry developed in form and structure but the religious undertones were evident.
 5. The epics were overshadowed by the emergence of awit (heroic poem) and the corrido (legendary religious
poem).
6. Early forms of Philippine drama during the Spanish colonial period were the duplo and the Karagatan.
7. More popular dramas were later introduced such as the cenaculo (reenactment of life and sufferings of
Christ), the moro-moro (a play about the conflict between Christians and Muslims), and the zarzuela (music
comedy).
C. Notable Works
1. Gaspar Aquino de Belen’s “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesucristong Panginoon Namin”, an outstanding
Christian narrative poem intended by the religious authorities to replace the heathen epics.
2. Bernardo Carpio – a myth about the legendary strongman of Montalban.
3. Ibong Adarna – a corrido about the mythical bird with healing powers and the three brothers in the quest for
the magical bird.
4. Florante and Laura – an awit on the struggle and love of the Duke Florante and Princess Laura of Albania.

III. Revolutionary Period (1864-1910)

A. Characteristics
1. Planted seen of nationalism.
2. Language shifted from Spanish to Tagalog.
3. Addressed the masses instead of the elites.
B. Literature
1. Propaganda Literature – reformatory in objective
a. Political essays – Satires, editorials and news articles were written to expose the evils of Spanish rule.
b. Political novels – Rizal’s novels were meant to awaken the minds of the Filipinos.
2. Revolutionary Literature – more propagandistic than literary in nature
a. Political essays helped inflame the spirit of revolution.
b. Poetry – poems of the period focus on love for the country.
C. Notable Works
1. Diariong Tagalog founded by Marcelo H. del Pilar
2. La Solidaridad – the famous publication by the propagandists
3. Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, two novels written by jose Rizal that paved the way to the
revolution.
4. El Verdadero Decalogo (The True Decalogue) Apolinario Mabini’s literary masterpiece which aims to
propagate nationalism.

IV. Post-Colonial Period – American Regime (1910-1912)

A. Characteristics
1. English was introduced in the second decade of the 20th Century.
2. Literary works were written in three languages – Tagalog, Spanish and English.
3. More Filipino writers emerged and free verses, plays and critical essays.
4. Philippine literature became commercialized in the 1920’s when weekly magazine Liwayway and Bisaya
published stories.
5. Most literary works centered on nationalism, love for country, sense of belongingness, loss of identity, and
heroism.
B. Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1912)
1. Filipino writers imitated English and American models.
2. Poems written during the period were amateurism and mushy.
C. Period of Emergence (1920-1942)
1. Highly influenced by Western literary trends like Romanticism and Realism.
2. Literary works were carefully and intelligently crafted.
D. Notable Works
1. Child of Sorrow by Zoilo Galang, the first Philippine novel in English.
2. Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez, the first short story in English written in the country
3. Footnote to Youth by Jose Garcia Villa, one of the early short stories during the period which tackles a
delicate subject matter on teenage marriage.
4. Ninay, the very first Filipino novel written in Tagalog.
V. Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)
A. Characteristics
1. Tagalog writers started to write in simple language and free verse.
2. Fiction prevailed over poetry.
3. The Japanese censured all publications, except Tribune and Philippine Review.
4. The Japanese language Nipponggo was introduced but not well-embraced by Filipinos.
B. Literature
1. Writers were exposed to new literary forms such as Haiku and Tanka.
a. Haiku – a free verse of Japanese origin, with 17 syllables divided into three lines (5-7-5).
b. Tanka – similar to Haiku but with 31 syllables divided into five lines (5-7-5-7-7)
2. Many Filipino writers wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. in Tagalog and other vernacular language.
3. Topics and themes were often life in the provinces ro escape Japanes control and censorship.
C. Notable Works
1. Suyuan sa Tubigan by Macario Pineda
2. Lupang Tinubuan by Narciso Reyes
3. Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa by Liwayway Arceo

VI. Liberation Period (1945-1960)

A. Characteristics
1. Filipino writers mastered English and familiarized themselves with diverse literary techniques.
2. Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama and essay.
3. Journalistic and literary criticism emerged.

B. Literature
1. Literary “giants” appeared like Nick Joaquin, NVM Gonzales, Bienvenido Santos, and Gilda Cordero Fernando
among others.
2. Literary guilds and awards were established to honor outstanding works.
3. Common themes focused on search for identity, homesickness, rural life and conditions in rural community.
C. Notable Works
1. Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio which dwells on love and marriage among local ethnic people.
2. Children of the City by Amadis Ma. Guerrero which centers on an abandoned child in the streets of Manila.
3. The Day the Dancers Came by Bienvenido Santos which talks about homesickness of an expatriate.

VII. Modern Period (1960-1999)

A. Characteristics
1. The declaration of Martial Law repressed Filipino writers to write delicate subject matters, particularly about
prevailing crisis during the period.
2. Writers used symbolisms and allegories to drive home their message.
3. Theater was used as a vehicle for protest such as the PETA and UP Theater.
4. Campus newspapers showed rebellious emotions.
5. Bilingual education was initiated in public and private schools.
6. From 80’s onward, writers continued dynamism and innovation.
B. Literature
1. The irreverence for the poor reached its peak during this period.
2. The Carlos Palanca Awards continued to give annual awards to literary masterpieces.
3. Almost all themes in most writings dealt with the development of progress of the country.
4. Themes of most poems dealt with patience, regard for native culture, customs, and the beauties of nature and
surroundings.
5. The government led in reviving old plays and dramas.
C. Notable Works
1. Dekada 70 by Lualhati Bautista which focuses on the life of Filipinos during the Martial Law regime
2. The Rosales Saga by F. Sionil Jose
3. The Flowers of May by Francisco Arcellana

VIII. The 21st Century (2001 to present)

A. Characteristics
 1. Themes have changed from sentimentalized romanticism to a more realistic and naturalistic delineation.
2. Gay and lesbian literature came out.
3. Strong feminist tendencies are evident.
4. More social problems tackled.
5. TV and films have become more popular.

B. Literature
1. Daring and controversial choice of subject matter.
2. Very innovative in structure and style.
3. Influence of different-isms and literary trends from the West.
4. Characters, plot structure and narrative techniques are more complex.

C. Notable Works
1. Ladlad by Danton Remoto chronicles the lifestyle of gays and dilemma they encounter in life.
2. Women Loving: Stories and a Play by Jhoanna Lynn Cruz, an anthrology of lesbian-themed stories.
3. Twisted Series by Jessica Zafra, a collection of essays about current events, technology, and life in the society.