Pre-Colonization

Oral and written literatures were present in our culture even before colonizers came. We had our own
alphabet that our Malayan ancestors used. The written literary forms did not last because of the
materials used such as:

1)leaves,
2)bamboo canes, and
3) the ground.

Such materials did not last long because of its organic composition. But the oral literature continued by
word of mouth like:

1) riddles,
2) proverbs,
3) folksongs and folktales,
4) myths and legends, etc.

The way our ancestors lived during the early days is evident in the contents of these literary forms. Work
and activity songs described how people earn their livelihood like farming, fishing, pottery and a lot
more. An example is the popular song by the Tagalogs-
―Magtanim ay di Biro (Planting Rice is Never Fun).

Riddles

Riddles are generally poetic in form and come in one, two, three or four lines. During the pre-colonial
period, riddles serve as a form of folk speech and are about the battle of the wits. Riddles use one or
more images to refer to an object to be guessed. The use of obscure words has been invented for the
purposes of rhyme and meter.

-obscure or vague words appear as proper names

-fictitious names of animals, also to meet the need of rhyme.
-Sometimes the riddle may be in the form of a direct question.
-These riddles are called is tigmo inCebuano, bugtong in Tagalog, paktakon in Ilongo and patototdon
in Bicol.

Metaphor

is a figure of speech that uses direct comparison of two unlike things or ideas without using the
words ―like or ―as.
Example: Dear Lord:

Let thou be the street cleaner Whilst I be the road

(Prayer by NVM Gonzales)

In the example above, the Lord is being compared t a street cleaner and the one praying compared
himself to the road.

Damiana L. Eugenio
-Considered the mother of Philippine Folklore.

Proverbs
-Are brief instructive that suggest specific action, behavior, or judgment.

-Written in poetic two-liners with rhyme.

-Are able to effect quickly a change in view or disposition.

 *Six Categories of Proverbs*

1. Proverbs expressing a general attitude towards life and the laws that govern life.
ex. -Ang kapalaran ko di ko man hanapin, dudulog lalapit kung talagang akin. (Tagalog)

2. Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning certain vices.

ex. Walang utang na di pinagbayaran. (Tagalog)

3. Proverbs expressing a system of values.

ex. Every drop of perspiration of an industrious man will be rewarded accordingly.

4. Proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life and human nature.
ex. -Ing mayap a babai, maiguit ya karing rubi. (Pampango)

5. Humorous proverbs.
ex. After shopping for a long time, he ended up with a poor purchase.

6. Miscellaneous proverbs (typically expressive of specific realities to a certain area).

ex. The sleeping boatman does not know the streams he has passed.

Philippine Folk Narratives

(Folktales and Epics)

Philippine folk narratives

are varied and distinct. They depict the people’s livelihood, customs, and traditions.

1. Folktale – This is a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated

orally among a people.

2. Fable – This features animal characters or inanimate objects that behave like people.

3. Legend – This is presented as history but is unlikely to be true.

4. Myth – This is told to explain a belief, a practice, or a natural phenomenon.

5. Epic – This narrative poem celebrates the adventures and achievements of a hero.

FOLKSONGS
-Leron-Leron Sinta (Tagalog)
-Pamulinawen (Iloko)
-Dandansoy (Bisaya)
-Sarong Banggi (Bicol)
-Atin Cu Pung Singsing (Kapampangan

Periods of Philippine Literature

1.Pre-historic Period
2.Spanish Period
3.American Period
4.Japanese Period
5.Philippine Republic
6.Martial Law
7.Contemporary Period
 PRE-HISTORIC PERIOD
Literature was principally oral in as much as writing was not yet invented and more of the works
were concise poetic.

Bugtong (Riddles) Salawikain (Proverbs)

Kasabihan (Saying) Kantahing bayan (Folk song)
Oyayi (Lullaby) Soliranin (Boat Song)
Kumintang (War Song) Diona (Wedding Song
Dalit (Religious Song) Kundiman (Love Song)
Dipayanin (Drinking song) Hibais (Travel Song)
Bung-aw (Funeral Song) Bansal (Courting Song)

Prose and Works

Alamat (Legends) Kwentong bayan (folk tales)

Pabula (Fables) Myth(Mito)

Parabola(Parables

The oral works are able to translate in Written Work through The use of SYLLABARY called
BAYBAYIN.

 Ferdinand Magellan is the one who Discovered Philippines

 The mission of Spanish Friars is to spread the CHRISTIANITY
 DOCTRINA CRISTIANA (Catholic book of prayers and doctrines)
 FRANCISCO BALTAZAR (Ama ng Balagtasan) wrote the immortal allegorical work entitled
FLORANTE AT LAURA
 AWIT composed of dodecasyllabic monoriming quatrains
 KORIDO which is octasyllabic monoriming quatrains.
 CRISOSTOMO SOTTO (Father of Pampango Literature)
 PEDRO BUKANEG (Father of Ilocano Literature)
 Fr. MODESTO DE CASTRO wrote Urbana and Felisa (book of etiquette)

SPANISH PERIOD
 More productive part of the period
 The propagandist raised led by Dr. Jose Rizal batted for ASSIMILATION
 There were many recreational plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish times.
Almost all of them were in poetic form.

RECREATIONAL PLAYS

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

• CENAKULO-Dramatic performance of the passion and death of Christ

• ZARZUELA-The father of drama, a musical comedy or melodrama three acts which death with
men’s passion and emotions like love, hate, revenge, cruelty , avarice or some political problem.

• TIBAG-Dramatic performance for the purpose of manifesting devotion for the holy cross.
 • PANULUYAN-Philippine Christmas dramatic ritual narrating the whole family’s search for a place
to stay in Bethlehem for Jesus Christ‘s birth through songs.

• SALUBONG-Dramatizes the reunion of the risen Christ and his mother.

• CARILLO-A form of dramatic entertainment perform on a moonless night during a town fiesta or
on darknights after a harvest.

• SAINETE-A short musical comedy popular during the 18th century. They were exaggerated
comedy shown between acts plays and were mostly performed by characters from the lower
class.

GAT ANDRESS BONIFACIO

Head of the Revolutionists and the Supremo of Katipunan

LA SOLIDARIDAD, EL FILIBUSTERISMO ,NOLI ME TANGERE

PSEUDONYMS
RIZAL- Dimas Alang and Laong Laan
DEL PILAR- Plaridel
JAENA- Diego Laura
JOSE MA. PANGANIBAN- Jomapa

AMERICAN PERIOD
 American defeated Spaniards in Spanish-American War which resulted in TREATY OF
PARIS
 Introduced the public school system in the Philippines and English Language
 THOMASITES- first English teachers. The Filipino Learned language and used it in their
Writings
 Freedom of expression
 Freedom of press

List of periods of Philippine Literature in English

Period of Orientation- 1900-1910

Period of Apprenticeship- 1910-1920

Period of Experimentation- 1920-1940

Period of Discontent- !941-1944

Post-war Period- 1945-1950

Modern Period- 1951-1971

Martial Law Era- 1971-1986

Contemporary Period- 1986 to present

Similarities and differences of periods of the Philippine Literature

1.Period of Re-orientation- 1898-1910

2.Period of Imitation- 1910-1925

3.Period of Self discovery- 1925-1941

4.postwar- re-orientation- 1945

5.The rebirth of freedom- 1946-1970

6.Period of Activism- 1970-1972

7.Period of New Society- 1972-1981

8.Period of the Third Republic- 1981-1985

9.Contemporary period- 1986 to present

Writer Guides or Organization

P-oets
E-ssayist
N-ovelist

JAPANESE PERIOD

 The invaders saw to it that Filipino movements be limited

 The writers stop wielding pens and started wielding guns
 They introduce Nippongo and their literary arts and forms
 Ikebana- art of arranging flowers
 Origami- art of folding papers
 Tempura and sushi- cuisine

Poetic Forms
 Haiku
 Tanka
 senryu

HAIKU
-Short descriptive poem about nature
-Consisting 17 syllables
-5 syllables in the first line
-7 syllables in the second line
-5 syllables in the third line

SENRYU
-a 3 lines similar to haiku structure with 5-7-5 but differs from the latter in rhyme
-the subject is human nature The tone is satirical and ironical
TANKA
-The longest among three
-has 5 lines and 31 syllables
-5-7-5-7-7

The end of war spelled hope to the dormant writers who Woke up for their lethargy and began
creating outputs.

CARLOS PALANCA MEMORIAL AWARDS FOR LITERATURE

-known to be the most prestigious and longest-running award-giving body In the field of literature,
equivalent to the world-renowned Pulitzer Prize.

MARTIAL LAW BY MARCOS

-September 21, 1972
-the freedom of the press was curtailed in much the same way as the other freedoms
(speech, assembly) were suppressed.
January 1, 1981-after lifting of martial law

EDSA REVOLUTION

-the climax and most intense protest, Reform the Army Movement (RAM)
-Marcos loyalist soldiers