21st Century

Literature from the

Philippines and the
World

Ms. Rhenlyn O. Reluya

Subject Teacher
DIFFERENT PERIODS
OF PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE
Literature

Literature is a term used to describe

written and sometimes spoken material.

Derived from the Latin

word litteratura meaning "writing formed
with letters," literature most commonly
refers to works of the creative imagination,
including poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction,
and in some instances, journalism, and
song.
I. PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD (BC to 1564)

A. Characteristics

1. Based on oral traditions

2. Crude on ideology and phraseology
BELOW ARE SOME IMPORTANT
MOTIFS AND FEATURES OF PRECOLONIAL
LITERATURE:

• The beginning of life and of earth

• Daily encounters and activities in life
• Accounts about great people or supernatural
heroes
• The inclusion of gods and goddesses
• The inclusion of mythical creatures like
duwende,aswang, tikbalang and the like.
• Themes on morality; good and bad practices in
life
B. Literary Forms
1. Oral Literature
a) Riddles (bugtong) –
battle of wits among
participants
Tigmo –Cebu
Paktakon – Ilonggo
Patotdon – Bicol
1. Baboy ko sa pulo,
ang balahibo’y pako.
2. Sinampal ko muna
bago inalok.
3. Ulan nang ulan,
hindi pa rin mabasa
ang tiyan.
4. Hayan na si kaka
bubuka-bukaka.
5. Bumili ako ng alipin,
mataas pa sa akin.
6. Isa ang pasukan,
tatlo ang labasan.
Can you guess
the answers to
Gollum's riddles?
Riddle 1:

What has roots as nobody

sees,
Is taller than trees,
Up, up it goes,
And yet never grows?
Riddle 2:

Voiceless it cries,
Wingless flutters,
Toothless bites,
Mouthless mutters.
Riddle 3:

It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,

Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes out first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.
Riddle 4:

Alive without breath,

As cold as death;
Never thirsty, ever drinking,
All in mail never clinking.
Riddle 5:

This thing all things devours;

Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats mountain down.
 b) Proverbs (salawikain)
– wise sayings that contain a
metaphor used to teach as a
food for thought etc.
Let’s differentiate!

SALAWIKAIN (PROVERBS)

Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo.

Pag binato ka ng bato batuhin mo ng tinapay.
Pag hindi ukol, hindi bubukol.
Sa pagkahaba- haba ng prusisyon sa simbahan din ang tuloy

SAWIKAIN (IDIOMATIC EXPRESSION)

butas ang bulsa - walang pera

ilaw ng tahanan - ina, nanay
bukas ang palad - matulungin
ibaon sa hukay - kalimutan

KASABIHAN (SAYING)
Walang umaani ng tuwa, na hindi sa hirap nagmula.
Ang tunay na kaibigan sa ligaya at kalungkutan, ikaw ay sasamahan.
Walang mahirap na gawa kapag dinaan sa tiyaga.
c) Tanaga - a mono-riming
heptasyllabic quatrain
expressing insights and
lessons on life, is "more
emotionally charged than the
terse proverb, and thus, has
affinities with the folk lyric.
Example:

GAYUMA

Tahak ng tingin, tulak

ng sulyap, yakap, lapat
ng titig sa balikat,
hatak pa, kindat, hatak.
 Palay

Tanim siyang matino

Nang humangi’y yumuko
Ngunit muling tumayo,
At nagbunga ng ginto.

-Ildefonso Santos
2. Folk Songs-It is a form of folk lyric which expresses
the hopes and aspirations, the people's lifestyles as well
as their love. These are often repetitive and
sonorous,didactic, and naive.

a) Hele or oyayi – lullaby

b) Ambahan (Mangyan) – 7-syllable per line poem
that are about human relationships and social
entertainment
c) Kalusan (Ivatan) - work songs that depict the
livelihood of the people.
d) Tagay (Cebuano and Waray) – drinking song
e) Kanogan (Cebuano) – song of lamentation for
the dead
3. Folk Tales
a) Myths – explain how the world
was created, how certain animals
possess certain characteristics,
why some places have
waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains,
flora,or fauna.
b) Legends – explain the origin
of things; examples are Why the
Pineapple Has Eyes and The
Legend of Maria Makiling.
c) Fables – use animal
characters and allegory
d) Fantasy stories – deal with
underworld characters such as
“tiyanak,”“aswang,” “kapre,”
and others.
e) Epics - these are “narratives of
sustained length based on oral tradition
Revolving around supernatural events
or heroic deeds.” -Arsenio Manuel
Examples:
Lam-ang (Ilocano)
Hinilawod (Panay)
Kudaman (Palawan), and
Darangen (Maranao)
Question:

Why is understanding
Pre-colonial literature
important?
PRE-COLONIAL Literature
• The literature of the pre – colonial Filipinos
bore the marks of the community.
• Most of these primitive forms of the literature
revealed our ancestor’s way of life, belief system,
traditions, norms, and mores.
• Legends and myths provided temporary answers
to man’s curiosity as to the existence of things
around him.
• These were also taught not just for amusement
but also to teach positive behavior among the
young.
Sagutan ang mga sumusunod na bugtong.

1.Ate mo, ate ko, ate ng lahat ng tao.

2.Ang anak ay nakaupo na, ang ina’y gumagapang pa.
3.Kung tawagin nila ay “Santo” pero hindi naman ito
milagroso.
4.Ako ay may kaibigan,Kasama ko kahit saan.
5.Isang balong malalim,Puno ng patalim.
6.Nagbibigay na,Sinasakal pa.
7.Dalawang magkaibigan,Mahilig mag-unahan.
8.Ito’y kailangang basagin,Bago maaaring gamitin.
9.Araw-araw bagong buhay,Taon-taon namamatay.
10.Kung gusto mong tumagal pa ang aking
buhay,Tanggapin mong ako ay kailangang mamatay.
II. SPANISH COLONIZATION
PERIOD (1565 – 1863)

A. Characteristics - It has two

distinct classifications: religious and
secular. It introduced Spanish as
the medium of communication.
1. O

Believe it or not, the Filipino word for

“or” is also the Spanish term for “or.” So
when Filipinos say “Kutsara o tinidor?”
(“Spoon or fork?”), they’re speaking
Filipino but they’re also speaking fluent
Spanish, although maybe unknown to
them.
2. Masyado

In Filipino, masyado means “too much.”

This term originated from the Spanish
word, demasyado, which also means
“too much.” Over the years, Filipinos
dropped the “de.”
3. Sibuyas

The Filipino word for “onion” is sibuyas,

which is a nod to the Spanish
counterpart, cebolla (pronounced as
“seboya” and in plural would be
cebollas).
4. Tito/Tita

In both Spanish and Filipino, tito and

tita mean “uncle” and “aunt”
respectively. Another version of these
would be tío and tia, which have the
same meaning in Spanish and Filipino
as well.
5.Tsuper

Tsuper is the Filipino word for

“driver,” but it is derived from the
Spanish word chofer which also
means “driver.”
6. Bruha

If a Filipino calls you bruha, they’re

either calling you a witch or
someone who has very messy hair.
But its literal translation is “witch,”
just like the Spanish version bruja.
7. Ensayo

In Spanish, ensayo means

“rehearsal,” which is very similar
to the Filipino word that mainly
means “to practice” or “to train.”
8. Baka

In Filipino, baka has two different meanings:

“maybe” and “cow.”

For this item, we’re translating the word

“cow.” Most Filipinos know that carne
(meat) was derived from Spanish, but not a
lot know that baka also roots from the
Spanish word vaca, also meaning “cow.”
9. Kotse

Kotse means “car” in Filipino,

similar to Spanish. However, in
Spanish, it’s spelled as coche.
10. Basura

In both Spanish and Filipino,

basura means “trash” or
“garbage.”
Basic Spanish words

Hola (Hello)
Adios (Goodbye)
Gracias (Thank you)
Por favor (Please)
Si (Yes)
Claro (Of course)
No (No)
Amor (Love)
Todo (All)
Basic Spanish Questions

1.Cómo te llamas? (What is your name?)

2.Qué hora tienes? (What time is it?)
3.De dónde viene? (Where are you from?)
4.Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
5.Puede ayudarme? (Can you help me?)
6.Podría ayudarle? (Can I help you?)
7.Cuánto cuesta eso? (How much does it cost?)
8.Entiende? (Do you understand?)
B. Literary Forms
1. Religious Literature -
Religious lyrics written by ladino
poets or those versed in both
Spanish and Tagalog were
included in early catechism and
were used to teach Filipinos the
Spanish language.
a. Pasyon – long narrative
poem about the passion
and death of Christ. The
most popular was “Ang
Mahal na Passion ni Jesu
Cristong Panginoon Natin”
by Aguino de Belen
b. Senakulo – dramatization
of the pasyon; it shows the
passion and death of Christ
 2. Secular
(non-religious) Literature

Revolves around tales of

valiance and adventure.
A. Awit

Metrical romance in
dodecasyllabic quatrain
(12 syllables)

An example of an Awit.

Florante at Laura by Francisco

Baltazar
Florante at Laura

(Full title: Pinagdaanang Buhay ni

Florante at ni Laura sa Kahariang
Albanya;

English: The History of Florante and

Laura in the Kingdom of Albania)

is an 1838 awit written by Tagalog poet

Francisco Balagtas a.k.a Francisco
Baltazar. It is considered one of the
masterpieces of Philippine literature.
B. Korido (Corrido)

Ibong Adarna is an example

of a Korido. It is fun and full
of action; made for singing
and chanting.

A metrical tale written in

octosyllabicquatrains (a line
of verse with 8 syllables)
Remember!

Awit vs. Korido

The awit is in dodecasyllabic (12 syllables)

verse called 'plosa.‘

The korido is in octosyllabic

(8 syllables) verse called 'hakira'
c) Prose Narratives – written to
prescribe proper decorum
(these prose narratives were
also used for proselytization)

* Dialogo (dialogue)
* Ejemplo (exemplum)
*Manual de Urbanidad (conduct book);
* Tratado (tratado)
III. NATIONALISTIC / PROPAGANDA AND
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD (1864 – 1896)

A. Characteristics
a. Planted seeds of nationalism in Filipinos
b. Language shifted from Spanish to
Tagalog
c. Addressed the masses instead of the
“intelligentsia”
B. Literary Forms
1. Propaganda Literature - Reformatory in objective

a) Political Essays – satires, editorials, and news

articles were written to attack and expose the evils of
Spanish rule
Diariong Tagalog – founded by Marcelo del
Pilar
La Solidaridad – editor-in-chief was
Graciano Lopez-Jaena

b) Political Novels –
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo –
Jose Rizal’s masterpieces that paved the way to the
revolution
2. Revolutionary Literature – more propagandistic than
literary as it is more violent in nature and demanded
complete independence for the country

a) Political Essays – helped inflame the spirit of

revolution
Kalayaan – newspaper of the society, edited by
Emilio Jacinto

b) Poetry
True Decalogue – Apolinario Mabini
Katapusan ng Hibik ng Pilipinas –Andres
Bonifacio
Liwanag at Dilim – Emilio Jacinto
IV. AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1910 – 1945)

A. Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1930)

1. Filipino writers imitated English and American models.
2. Poems written were amateurish and mushy, whose
phrasing and diction were awkward
and artificial.
⮚ Short Stories
1. Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez
2. The Key by Paz Latorena
3. Footnote to Youth by Jose Garcia Villa

⮚ Novels Example: Child of Sorrow – first novel in

English by Zoilo Galang
B. Period of Emergence (1920-1930)
*Highly influenced by Western literary
trends like Romanticism and Realism.
Short Stories – most prevalent literary
form
*Jose Garcia Villa – earned the
international title “Poet of the Century”
V. JAPANESE OCCUPATION (1942 - 1945)
War Years (1942-1944)

1. Tagalog poets broke away from the Balagtas tradition

and instead wrote in simple language and free verse
2. Fiction prevailed over poetry
a. 25 Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino
(1943) – compilation of the entries to the short story
contest by the military government.
b. Suyuan sa Tubigan by Macario Pineda
c. Lupang Tinubuan by Narciso Reyes
d. Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa by Liwayway Arceo
Period of Maturity and Originality (1945-
1960)

1. Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama,

and essay
2. Filipino writers mastered English and
familiarized themselves with diverse
techniques
3. Literary “giants” appeared
A. Palanca Awards for Literature
B. National Artist Awards
 VI. THE REBIRTH OF FREEDOM
(1945 – 1970)
1 Characteristics
- Americans came back to the
Philippines in 1945, and there was a lot
of palpable rejoicing among Filipinos.
- Filipinos regained their freedom on
July 4, 1946
State of Literature During This Period

“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. Filipinos had, by this time,
learned to express themselves more confidently, but post-war
problems beyond language and print like economic stability, the
threat of new ideas, and mortality had to be grappled with side by
side.”
(Kahayon and Zulueta)

The Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (headed by Carlos

Palanca, Sr.) was launched in 1950 and served as inspiration to
Filipino writers. Till now, The Palanca Awards are still being given
although Mr. Palanca had already died.
VII. CONTEMPORARY/MODERN PERIOD (1970 – PRESENT)
Characteristics
1. The seeds of activism resulted in the declaration of Martial Law by
Pres. Ferdinand Marcos in 1972.The youth became completely
rebellious during this period. This was proven not only in the
bloody demonstrations and in the sidewalk expressions, but also in
literature. Campus newspapers showed rebellious emotions. (Kahayon
and Zulueta)

2. Martial Law repressed and curtailed human rights, including

freedom of the press, and Filipino writers wrote about these dark days
in their writings.

3. Writers used symbolisms and allegories to drive home their

message, at the face of heavy censorship. Theater was used as a
vehicle for protest.
4. The period of the New Society lasted from 1972-1980, and this period
had writings about the theme of development and progress of the
country.

5. Though Martial Law was lifted on January 2, 1981, the oppression and
suppression being done by the Marcos government continued, and
rebellion was seething among Filipinos. History would turn a sudden twist
when Ninoy Aquino, one of Pres. Marcos’ critics, was assassinated on
August 21, 1983.

6. Cory Aquino, Ninoy’s widow, was elected in February 1986 through a

peaceful revolution, and People Power brought feelings of euphoria
among the Filipino people.

7. When before, the press was suppressed and censored, the restoration
of democracy during the time of Pres. Cory Aquino brought back not only
press freedom, but also freedom for the Filipino people to speak up and
express themselves.