Philippine Literature during the American Period
During the first year of the American period, the languages used in writing were Spanish
and Tagalog and the dialects of the different regions, but Spanish and Tagalog predominated. In
1910, a new group started to write in English. Hence, Spanish, Tagalog, the Vernaculars and
finally, English, were the mediums used in literature during these times. While the three groups
were one in their ideas and spirit, they differed in their methods of reporting. The writers in
Spanish were wont to write on nationalism like honoring Rizal and other heroes.
Major contribution brought to the Philippine Literature during the American Regime is the
production of the Philippine Literature to English, which is divided into three different time
frames:
1. The Period of Re-Orientation ( 1898-1910)
2. The Period of Imitation ( 1910-1924)
3. The Period of Self- Discovery and Growth ( 1925- 1941)
1. The Period of Re-orientation (1898-1910)
English as a literary vehicle came with the American occupation in August 13, 1898 and as
they say, a choice bestowed on us by history. By 1900, English came to be used as a medium of
instruction in the public schools. From the American forces were recruited the first teachers of
English. By 1908, the primary and intermediate grades were using English. It was also about this
time when UP, the forerunner in the use of English in higher education, was founded.
Writers of this period were still adjusting to the new found freedom after the paralyzing
effect of repression of thought and speech under the Spanish regime. They were adjusting the
idea of democracy, to the new phraseology of the English language and to the standards of the
English literary style. Writers had to learn direct expression as conditioned by direct thinking.
They had to learn that sentence constructions; sounds and speech in English were not the same
as in the vernacular. They had to discard sentimentality and floridity of language for the more
direct and precise English language.
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2. The Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
By 1919, the UP College Folio published the literary compositions of the first Filipino writers
in English. They were the pioneers in short story writing.
They were then groping their way into imitating American and British models which resulted
in a stilted, artificial and unnatural style, lacking vitality and spontaneity. Their models included
Longfellow and Hawthorne, Emerson and Thoreau, Wordsworth and Tennyson, Thackeray and
Macaulay, Longfellow, Allan Poe, Irving and other American writers of the Romantic School.
Writers of this folio included Fernando Maramag (the best editorial writer of this period) Juan F.
Salazar, Jose M. Hernandez, Vicente del Fierro,and Francisco M. Africa and Victoriano Yamzon.
They pioneered in English poetry.
ESSAYS The noted essayists of this time were: Carlos P. Romulo, Jorge C. Bocobo, Mauro
Mendez, and Vicente Hilario. Their essays were truly scholarly characterized by sobriety,
substance and structure. They excelled in the serious essay, especially the editorial type.
3. 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.
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.
Philippine literary production during the American Period in the Philippines was spurred by
two significant developments in education and culture:
1. The introduction of free public instruction for all children of school age .
Free public education made knowledge and information accessible to a greater number of
Filipinos. Those who availed of this education through college were able to improve their social
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status and joined a good number of educated masses who became part of the country’s middle
class.
2. The use of English as medium of instruction in all levels of education in public schools.
The use of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American modes
of thought, culture and life ways that would be embedded not only in the literature produced
but also in the psyche of the country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be
the wellspring of a vibrant Philippine Literature in English.
True 1. Writers of the period of Re- Orientation were still adjusting to the new found freedom.
False 2. During the first year of the American period, the languages used in writing were British
and Tagalog.
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False. 3.Worst contribution brought to the Philippine Literature during the American Regime is
the production of the Philippine Literature to English.
False 4. American period was divided into two different time frames such as the period of re-
orientation and the period of self- discovery.
True 5. Writers of the Period if Imitation were imitating American and British models which
resulted in a stilted, artificial and unnatural style.
True 6. By 1900, English came to be used as a medium of instruction in the public schools.
True 7. Writers on the period of Self-Discovery and Growth had acquired the mastery of English
writing.
False 8.Mindanao State University was one of the founded Universities during American Period.
False 9. Filipino Writers went only in the form of poetry during the period of self- discovery and
growth.
True 10. During American Regime, Jose GarciaVilla became famous for his free verse.
