21 st
Century
Literature
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the students
should be able to:
A. Identify the geographic,
linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of
Philippine literary history from Pre-
colonial period.
B. Appreciate the importance of
knowing one’s origin.
Introduction to
Study
Literature
Literature:
“litera” which means
letter.
In 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.
Why study Literature?
We can better appreciate our own
literary heritage.
We can understand ourselves
better and take pride in being a
Filipino.
Time Frame:
•Pre-Colonial Period
• Spanish Period
•American Period
•Japanese and Post-war Periods
•Late 20 Century Period
th
Pre-Colonial
Period
Literary Forms/Genres:
1. Riddles 5. Legends
2. Proverbs 6. Fables
3. Epics 7. Lullabies
4. Myths
Riddles
Bugtong or Palaisipan in Tagalog.
Made up of one or more measured
lines with rhymes and may consist of
4 to 12 syllables.
Involves reference to one or two
images that symbolize the
Examples:
Bugtong-pala-bugtong,
kadenang umuugong. (Riddle me,
riddle me, here comes a roaring
chain.)
- Tren/Train
Proverbs
“Kasabihan”, “Salawikain” or
“Sawikain” in Tagalog.
A simple and concrete saying,
popularly known and repeated, that
expresses a truth based on common
sense or experience.
Examples:
New King, new character.
Bagong hari, bagong ugali.
- New leadership always
brings new ways.
Epic
Opposite end of riddles and
proverbs.
Most prominent literary genre of
the pre-colonial period.
Story of one hero’s adventures.
Example:
• Biag ni Lam-ang ( Ilocano epic)
• Kabunian and Bandian (Ibaloy
epic)
•Kumintang (Tagalog epic)
Myths
Traditional stories occurring in
a timeless past.
Involve supernatural elements
and beyond the frontiers of logic.
Examples:
• The Gods and Goddesses (Ilocos)
• Why There is a High Tide during a Full
Moon (Ibanag)
• Why the Dead Come Back No More
(Ifugao)
• Mag-asawang Tubig (Tagalog)
• How the Moon and the Stars Came To
be (Bukidnon-Mindanao)
Legends
Most commonly known literary
form in Philippine Literature.
A story from the past that is
believed by many people but
cannot be proved to be true.
Fables
Short tales that usually
highlighted animals.
They were meant to teach
lessons.
Examples:
1.The Monkey and The
Crocodile
2.The Horse and The Carabao
Lullabies
These are sung to
put babies to sleep.
Literature
during the
Spanish
Period
The Spanish Period
The Filipinos were then
called “Ladinos”, meaning
they were latinized.
“Taga-bayan” and “Taga-
bukid” or “Taga-bundok”.
“Taga-bayan” is considered urbane
and civilized and were in easy range
of the church and state.
“Taga-bukid” or “Taga-bundok” is
called a Bruto Salvage (Salvage
Brute) or Indio and were the ones
who lived far from the center of the
Spanish power.
Forms:
1. Religious Literature
2. Secular or Non-
Religious Literature
3. Propaganda Literature
4. Revolutionary
Literature
1. Religious Literature
• Revolves around
the life and the
death of Jesus
Christ.
Forms of Religious Literature:
1. Pasyon
2. Senakulo
3. Komedya
Pasyon
• it is about the
passion (journey
and suffering) and
the death of Jesus
Christ.
Senakulo
• it is the re-actment
of the Pasyon.
Komedya
• it depicts the European society
through love and fame, but can also
be a narrative about journey, just like
Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. It is
also considered religious because it
usually depicts the battle between
Christians and the Saracens or the
Moros.
2. Secular or Non-Religious Literature
• Revolves around
tales of valiance
and adventure.
Forms of Secular or Non-Religious
Literature:
1. Awit
2.Korido
3.Prose Narratives
Awit
• these are takes of chivalry
where a knight saves a
princess.
Example:
Florante at Laura
Korido
• is a metrical tale or a tale
that follows the structure
of poem.
Example:
Ang Ibong Adarna
Prose Narratives
• easy to understand instructional
materials that in a literary light that
teaches Filipinos on proper decorum.
Example:
Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na
si Urbana at Feliza (1864)
3. Propaganda Literature
• These were in the forms of satires,
editorials and news articles that
aimed to attack the Spanish Rule.
•The propaganda trinity is composed
of Dr. Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar
and Graciano Lopez Jaena.
Examples:
Graciano Lopez Jaena
1. Ang Fray Botod
2. La Hija Del Fraile (The
Child of the Friar) and
Everything is Hambug
(Everything is mere show)
Marcelo H. Del Pilar
1. Kaiingat Kayo
2. Dasalan at Tocsohan
3. Ang Cadaquilaan ng
Dios (God’s Goodness)
Dr. Jose Rizal
1.Noli Me Tangere
4. Revolutionary Literature
• Exposes that sparked
revolution and
resistance in the
hearts of Filipinos.
Examples:
Andres Bonifacio
1. Katungkulang Gawin ng mga
Anak ng Bayan (Obligations of
our Countrymen)
2. Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga
Tagalog (What the Tagalogs
should Know)
Emilio Jacinto
1. Liwanag at Dilim
(Light and Darkness)
Apolinario Mabini
1. El Desarollo y Caida de
la Republica Filipina
(The Rise and Fall of the
Philippine Republic)
Dr. Jose Rizal
1. El Filibusterismo
Literature
During
American
Period
The Filipino revolutionist won against
the Spaniards who colonized Philippines
for more than 300 years.
The Philippine flag was hoisted on June
12, 1898 as a symbol of independence.
Americans colonized the country, and in
1901, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
surrendered to the Americans.
Historical Background
The creation of Philippine
literacy works during the
American Period in the
Philippines was advanced by
two significant developments
in education and culture.
Three frames:
1.The Period of Re-
orientation (1898-1910)
2.The Period of Imitation
(1910-1925)
3.The Period of Self-
Discovery (1925-1941)
The Period of Re-orientation
• ENGLISH is the medium of
instruction in Public Schools.
• EL RENACIMIENTO by Rafael
Palma (1901)
•SURSUM CORDA by Justine
Juliano (1907) – first work
published in English.
The Period of Imitation
•1919 – UP College Folio
•1920 – Bulletin, Philippine Herald
• 1924 – The Philippine Review, The
Independent, Rising Philippines
and Citizens, and The Philippine
Education Magazine
The Period of Self-Discovey
• Filipino writers had
acquired the
mastery of English
writing.
Forms of Literature During American
Period
1. Poetry
2. Drama
3. Remake Novels
Poetry
Poetry under the American
rule still followed the style of
the old, but had contents that
ranged from free writing to
societal concerns under the
Americans.
Poetry
Jose Corazon de
Jesus - popularly
known as “Batute”,
created his own
generation with his
first book of poems.
“Mga Gintong Dahon”
• were poems pre-occupied
with such non-traditional
themes as passion-slaying,
grief-induced, insanity and
lover’s suicide.
“Sa Dakong Silangan”
• returned to the awit form,
retelling the history of
Philippines under Spain, the
coming of the U.S under the
guise of friendship to take
over from Spain.
Drama
Usually used in the
American period to degrade
the Spanish rule and to
immortalize the heroism of
the men who fought under the
Katipunan.
Drama
“Walang Sugat”
•Is a sarsuwela (drama in the
form of singing) drawn from
the period of Revolution,
depicting the cruelty and
corruption of friars and the
heroism of the soldiers of the
Katipunan.
Remake Novels
Took up Dr. Jose
Rizal’s portrayal of
social conditions by
colonial repression.
Inigo Ed. Regalado
•“Madaling Araw” was his
first novel showing the
complex interrelations if
issues and people in
contemporary Philippine
society.
Literature
During
Japanese and
Post-war
Periods
Brief History:
• In 1941-1945 – The empire of
Japan conquered the
Philippines.
• The Japanese banned
English newspapers.
• There was a minimal freedom
of speech and of the press.
• The Japanese censored Filipino
writers’ works strictly.
• Theaters were used to show
English play translated into
Filipino.
• The weekly LIWAYWAY was
placed under strict surveillance
until it was managed by Japanese
named Ishiwara.
Three Types of Poems:
1. Haiku
2. Tanaga
3. Usual Form
HAIKU
• a poem of free verse.
• it is made up of 17 syllables
divided into three lines.
• is allegorical in meaning.
• short and covers a wide
scope in meaning.
TANAGA
• short but has a measure
and a rhyme.
• consists of 17 syllables
and it also has allegorical
in meaning.
USUAL FORM (Karaniwang Anyo)
• the usual
common form of
poetry.
EXAMPLES:
Usual forms
• “Through a Glass Darkly” in This Week
magazine – Francisco Arcellana
• Same outlet featured the essays of Pura
Santilla-Castrence, Amador Daguio and
Estrella D. Alfon
• “Where a Country Begins” - Yay Panlilio-
Marking in the Weekly Women’s
magazine from 1955 to 1961.
