PHILIT REVIEWER
government, to his surroundings, to his fellowmen and
Midterm
Module I. INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
A. Concepts and Definitions of Literature introduces us
to new worlds of experience. We learn about books and
literature; we enjoy the comedies and the tragedies of
poems, stories, and plays; and we may even grow and
evolve through our literary journey with books.
According to Perez (2015), literature, a common term
and concept in our vocabulary, seems to defy any
simplistic, single-sentence definition through the years.
It remains to be so even up to the present, and whether
or not such a definition can really be phrased to
everybody’s occurrence, only time can tell. Doubtlessly,
however, literature has fascinated and continues to
interest not only the literary-inclined, but so those who
may not, provided they are properly introduced and
initiated to art. Indeed, there should be no reason why
anybody should have any aversion to the art which, at
close analysis, is nothing but something that concerns
her or him for as long as he breathes---life. After all,
“literature is life itself”, as a rather loose definition of it
goes. What is literature? Literature is derived from
Latin word litera which means letters, that deals with
ideas, thoughts, and emotions of man, thus, literature
can be said as the story of man (Kahayon, 1998).
Another origin of literature is from a French phrase
“belles-letters” which means beautiful writing (Barugo,
et al, 2004). Hence, it is a faithful reproduction of man’s
manifold experiences blended into one harmonious
expression. Broadly speaking, "literature" is used to
describe anything from creative writing to more
technical or scientific works, but the term is most
commonly used to refer to works of the creative
imagination, including works of poetry, drama, fiction,
and nonfiction. Ang (2006) describes literature as man’s
life story including struggles, ideas, failures, sacrifices,
and happiness (Ang, 2006). Literature represents a
language or a people: culture and tradition. But,
literature is more important than just a historical or
cultural artifact. Literature introduces us to new worlds
of experience. Literature is an interpretation of life. The
writer of literature is not only interested in facts, but
also in the beauty of these facts. Deals with ideas,
thoughts and emotions of man. Man’s loves, grieves,
thoughts, dreams, and aspirations coached in beautiful
language is Literature. Helps understand the real spirit
of a nation. Brother Azurin, said that “literature
expresses the feelings of people to society, to the
to his Divine Creator.” The expression of one’s feelings,
according to him, may be through love, sorrow,
happiness, hatred, anger, pity, contempt, or revenge.
For 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.
In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by Atienza, Ramos,
Salazar and Nazal, it says that “true literature is a piece
of written work which is undying. It expresses the
feelings and emotions of people in response to his
everyday efforts to live, to be happy in his environment
and, after struggles, to reach his Creator.”
B. Importance of Studying Literature People read
literature for information, for amusement, for higher
and keener pleasure, for cultural upliftment and for
discovery of broader dimensions in life( . Nuggets,
2004). According to Gutierrez-Ang (2016), it is
important to study Philippine literature in order to
appreciate our own literary heritage. Also, it is for us to
realize our literary limitations conditioned by certain
historical factors so we can take steps to overcome
them. Moreover, Philippine literature helps us to
understand that we have a great and noble tradition
which can serve as means to assimilate other culture.
Lastly, to show that as Filipinos who truly love and take
pride in our own culture, we have to manifest our deep
concern for our own literature and this we can by
studying the literature of our country.
C. Literature and History In order to know the history of
a nation’s spirit, one must read its literature. Hence it is,
that to understand the real spirit of a nation, one must
“trace the little rills as they course along down the ages,
broadening and deepening into the great ocean of
thought which men of the present source are presently
exploring.” Literature and history are closely
interrelated. In discovering the history of a race, the
feelings, aspirations, customs and traditions of a people
are sure to be included . . . and these feelings,
aspirations, customs and traditions that are written is
literature. History can also be written and this too, is
literature. Events that can be written down are part of
true literature. Literature, therefore, is part of history.
Literature and history, however, also have differences.
Literature may be figments of the imagination or events
devoid of truth that have been written down, while
history is made up of events that really happened. Real
events were recounted as stories to teach the younger
generation wisdom or lessons about their origins. These
stories sometimes stretched the truth to entertain the
audience or make them reflect further. The main
difference between history and literature is the purpose
of each: History intends to record events as accurately
as possible, while literature interprets historical or
everyday events in an imaginative way.
D. Genres of Literature Swales (1990) defined as " a
class of communicative events that share some set of
communicative purposes." In literature, it means a type
of art, literature, or music characterized by a specific
form, content, and style. All of these genres have
particular features and functions that distinguish them
from one another. Literature could be divided into
countless genres and subgenres, but there are three
main genres which preside over most subgenres.
Basically, there are three major genres in literature.
These are the prose, poetry, and drama. The diagram
below shows the genre and sub-genres of literature’.
I.Prose. It is the most typical form of language, applying
ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of
speech rather than rhythmic structure (as in traditional
poetry). While there are critical debates on the
construction of prose, its simplicity and loosely defined
structure has led to its adoption for the majority of
spoken dialogue, factual discourse as well as topical and
fictional writing. It is commonly used, for example, in
literature, newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias,
broadcasting, film, history, philosophy, law and many
other forms of communication.
Types of Prose
1.Fiction. It is the form of any narrative or informative
work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or
events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary, that
is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a
major branch of literary work, it may also refer to
theatrical, cinematic or musical work. Fiction contrasts
with nonfiction, which deals exclusively with factual (or,
at least, assumed factual) events, descriptions,
observations, etc. (e.g., biographies, histories).
Examples of Fiction
Fairytale- It is a story about kings, queens, princes
and princesses with a touch of magic.
Myth- It is a story about gods and goddesses.
Legend- It is a story about the origin of a place or a
thing.
Novel- It is a long narrative with an organized plot
usually with a maximum of 500 pagese.
Novelette- It is a narrative with an organized plot
usually with a maximum of 300 pages.
Short Story- It is a narrative with an organized plot
usually with a maximum of 100 pages.
Fable- It is a story that uses animals as characters
and with lesson.
Parable- It is a story used by Jesus in teaching the
Good News.
Allegory- It is a story that uses symbolism to
represent an idea.
2.Non-Fiction. It is a form of any narrative, account, or
other communicative work whose assertions and
descriptions are understood to be factual. This
presentation may be accurate or not-that is, it can give
either a true or a false account of the subject in
question, however, it is generally assumed that authors
of such accounts believe them to be truthful at the time
of their composition or, at least, pose them to their
audience as historically or empirically true. Note that
reporting the beliefs of others in a non-fiction format is
not necessarily an endorsement of the ultimate veracity
of those beliefs; it is simply saying it is true that people
believe them (for such topics as mythology, religion).
No-fiction can also be written about fiction, giving
information about these other works.

Examples of Non-fiction
Autobiography- It is about the life story of a person
written by himself.
Biography- It is about the life story of a person written
by another person.
Newspaper- It is a collection of news articles about
various current events.
Magazine- It is a collection of articles regarding the
lifestyle of man.
Journal- It is a book which is meant to keep track of
different personal things but can be considered a little
less personal than a diary.
Diary- It is a daily record of personal events and
experiences.
Planner- It is a daily record of business commitments.
Anecdote- It is a brief, revealing account of an individual
person or an incident.
Essay- It is a short analytic, descriptive, or interpretive
piece of literary or journalistic prose dealing with a
specific topic. It is a short literary composition which is
expository in nature. The author shares some of his
thoughts, feelings, experiences, or observations on
some aspects of life that have interested him.
History- It is a narration of the events which have
happened among mankind, including an account of the
rise and fall of nations, as well as of other great changes
which have affected the political and social condition of
the human race.
Letter- It is usually a professional communication, such
as recommendation letters, job cover letters,
resignation letters, legal correspondence, and company
communications.
Speech/Oration- It is a formal address or discourse
delivered to an audience.
II. Poetry. It is written with rhythm and is organized in
lines and groups lines called stanzas. It is highly
imaginative and written in condensed language, stylized
syntax, and figures of speech not found in ordinary
communication. It uses the aesthetic qualities of
language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place
of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.
Types of Poetry
1.Narrative Poetry. It is a form of poetry which tells a
story, often making use of the voices of a narrator and
characters as well; the entire story is usually written in
metered verse. The poems that make up this genre may
be short or long, and the story it relates to maybe
complex. It is usually dramatic, with objectives, diverse
characters, and meter. Narrative poems include the
following:
Epic- It is a narrative poem about supernatural powers
possessed by heroes and heroines.
Ballad- It is a narrative poem with harmony and rhythm.
Idyll- It is a narrative poem about rustic life. It is a short
poem of a pastoral or rural character in which
something of the element of landscape is depicted or
suggested.
Metrical Romance- It is a narrative poem dealing with
the emotions or phase of life and the story is told in a
simple, straightforward and realistic manner. It is
composed of a long rambling love story in verse
centered around the adventure of knights and lords and
their royal ladies during the age of chivalry. Metrical
Tales- It is written in verse and classified as either ballad
or metrical romance. It is a narrative poem consisting
usually of a single series of connective events that are
simple idylls or home tales, love tales, tales of
supernatural or tales written for a strong moral purpose
in verse form.
2. Lyric Poetry. It is a genre of poetry that expresses
personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world,
lyric poems were sung, accompanied by a lyre. Lyric
poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to
be set to music or a beat. Lyric Poetry includes:
Haiku- It is a form of Japanese poetry with 17 syllables
in three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables,
often describing nature or a season.
Song- It is a lyric poem in a regular pattern to set music
composed of twelve Syllables (dodecasyllabic) and
slowly sung to the accompaniment of guitar or
banduria.
Corrido/Kurrido- It has a measure of eight syllables
(octosyllabic) and recited to a material beat.
Sonnet- It is a short poem with 14 lines, usually ten-
syllable rhyming lines, divided into two, three, or four
sections. There are many rhyming patterns for sonnets,
and they are usually written in iambic pentameter (five
beat poetic line).
Ode- It is a serious lyric poetry which commemorates
important public events. It consists of stanzas with the
same pattern of rhythm and rhyme.
Elegy- It is a common lyrics that deals with life and
death. It mourns the death of a loved one.
3. Dramatic Poetry. It tells stories in dialogue of play
rhymes, repeating rhymes and other poetic elements. It
includes the following:
Poetic play- It includes the following:
Comedy- The word comedy comes from the Greek term
“komos” meaning festivity or revelry. This form usually
is light and written with the purpose of amusing, and
usually has a happy ending.
Melodrama- This is usually used in musical plays with
the opera. Today, this is related to tragedy just as the
farce is to comedy. It arouses immediate and intense
emotion and is usually sad but there is a happy ending
for the principal character.
Tragedy- This involves the hero struggling mightily
against dynamic forces; he meets death or without
success and satisfaction obtained by the protagonist in a
comedy.
Farce- This is an exaggerated comedy. It seeks to arouse
mirth by laughable lines; situations are too ridiculous to
be true; the characters seem to be caricatures and the
motives undignified and absurd.
Social Poems- This form is either purely comic or tragic
and it pictures the life of today. It may aim to bring
about changes in the social conditions.
Masque- A dramatic performance, often performed at
court as a royal entertainment, consisting of dancing,
dialogue, pantomime and song. It is a type of theatre
entertainment including poetry, singing, and dancing
performed in England.
Dramatic Monologue/ Soliloquy- It refers to a type of
poetry that has a theatrical quality; that is, the poem is
meant to be read to an audience. To say that the poem
is a monologue means that these are the words of one
solitary speaker with no dialogue coming from any
other characters.
4. Minor Poetry Forms. It includes the following:
Descriptive Poetry- It is the poetic equivalent of a
portrait or a landscape painting. It Is realistic and does
not delve into emotions and metaphor. Description in
most poems is ornamentation, but in descriptive poetry,
it becomes the center of attention. It includes:
Pastoral- It refers to a literary work dealing with
shepherds and rustic life. Pastoral poetry is highly
conventionalized; it presents an idealized rather than
realistic view of rustic life.
Idyll- a short poem of a pastoral or rural character in
which something of the element of landscape is
depicted or suggested.
Didactic Poetry- It is a form of verse the aim of which is,
less to excite the hearer by passion or move him by
pathos, than to instruct his mind and improve his
morals.
Satiric Poetry- From the word satire, it is “the use of
humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and
criticize people’s stupidity or vices.”
III. Drama. It is an exciting, tense, and gripping events
and actions, or an exciting, tense, and gripping quality,
either in a work of art or in a real-life. It is a serious play
written for performance on stage, television, or radio.
Kinds of Drama
Tragedy- It is a play which the leading character
overcomes trouble of some kind.
Comedy- It is a play which the leading character
overcomes obstacles placed in his way and wins in the
conflict; Tends happily.
Farce- It is a comedy which the situations are too
ridiculous; situations are beyond reality.
Pantomime-The entire story is told by action. It can be
comedy or tragedy.
Historical Play- It dramatizes some events of history.
Puppet Play- It is a kind of drama in which some parts
are acted by puppets or marionettes.
Plays of Fantasy- It is a kind of drama which actions
could not take place in real life but only in the
imagination of the writer; full of improbable actions.
E. Forms of Literature. According to Darren Joe G
Follero, there are three forms of literature. These are
the oral literature which the literary works are
transmitted from one generation to another verbally.
Another is visual literature which the literary works are
presented in front of an audience. Lastly, the written
literature which the literary works are in printed form
F. Critical Approaches to Literature Ultimately, we may
discover meaning in literature by looking at what the
author says and how he/she says it. We may interpret
the author's message. In academic circles, this decoding
of the text is often carried out through the use of
literary theory, using a mythological, sociological,
psychological, historical, or other approach. According
to Kaskon et al (2009), critical approaches to literature
reveal how or why a particular work is constructed and
what its social and cultural implications are.
Understanding critical perspectives will help you to see
and appreciate a literary work as a multilayered
construct of meaning. Reading literary criticism will
inspire you to reread, rethink, and respond. Soon you
will be a full participant in an endless and enriching
conversation about literature.
1.Reader-Response—Focuses on the reader (or
"audience") and his or her experience of a literary work,
in contrast to other schools and theories that focus
attention primarily on the author or the content and
form of the work.
2. Feminist Criticism—Focuses on female
representation in literature, paying attention to female
points of view, concerns, and values. Three underlying
assumptions in this approach are: Western Society is
pervasively patriarchal, male centered and controlled,
and is organized in such a way as to subordinate
women; the concept of gender is socially constructed,
not biologically determined; and that patriarchal
ideology pervades those writings which have been
considered “great works of literature.”
3.Queer Theory—Combined area of gay and lesbian
studies and criticism, including studies of variations in
biological sex, gender identity, and sexual desires.
Emphasis on dismantling the key binary oppositions of
Western culture: male/ female, heterosexual/
homosexual, etc. by which the first category is assigned
privilege, power, and centrality, while the second is
derogated, subordinated, and marginalized.
4.Marxist Criticism—Focuses on how literary works are
products of the economic and ideological determinants
specific to that era. Critics examine the relationship of a
literary product to the actual economic and social
reality of its time and place (Class stratification, class
relations, and dominant ideology).
5.Historical Criticism—Focuses on examining a text
primarily in relation to the historical and cultural
conditions of its production, and also of its later critical
interpretations. Cultural materialism, a mode of NHC,
argues that whatever the “textuality” of history, a
culture and its literary products are always conditioned
by the real material forces and relations of production
in their historical era.
6. Psychological Criticism—Focuses on a work of
literature primarily as an expression, in fictional form, of
the state of mind and the structure of personality of the
individual author. In other words, a literary text is
related to its author’s mental and emotional traits.
Furthest extension is Psychoanalytic Criticism, emphasis
on phallic symbols, wombs, breasts, etc. Theorists
include Lacan and Klein.
7.New Criticism—The proper concern of literary
criticism is not with the external circumstances or
effects or historical position of a work, but with a
detailed consideration of the work itself as an
independent entity. Emphasis on “the words on the
page.” Study of poetry focuses on the “autonomy of the
work as existing for its own sake,” analysis of words,
figures of speech, and symbols. Distinctive procedure is
close reading and attention to recurrent images; these
critics delight in “tension,” “irony,” and “paradox.”
(Similar to Formalism or Neo-Aristotelian)
8.Deconstruction—Focuses on the practice of reading a
text in order to “subvert” or “undermine” the
assumption that the text can be interpreted coherently
to have a universal determinate meaning. Typically,
deconstructive readings closely examine the conflicting
forces/meanings within the text in order to show that
the text has an indefinite array of possible
readings/significations.
9.Archetypal/Mythic Criticism—Focuses on recurrent
narrative designs, patterns of action, character types, or
images which are said to be identifiable in a wide
variety of literary works, myths, dreams, and even
ritualized modes of behavior. Critics tend to emphasize
the mythical patterns in literature, such as the death-
rebirth theme and journey of the hero.
10. Cultural Criticism—This lens examines the text from
the perspective of cultural attitudes and often focuses
on individuals within society who are marginalized or
face discrimination in some way. Cultural criticism may
consider race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality or
other characteristics that separate individuals in society
and potentially lead to one feeling or being treated as
“less than” another. It suggests that being included or
excluded from the dominant culture changes the way
one may view the text.
11. Modernism/Post-Modernism—Modernism is a
rejection of traditional forms of literature (chronological
plots, continuous narratives, closed endings etc.) in
favor of experimental forms. They have nostalgia for the
past that they feel is lost so Modernist texts often
include multiple allusions. Post-Modernists follow the
same principles but celebrate the new forms of
fragmentation rather than lamenting them.
• Look for ironies within a text
• Analyze fragmentation and a mixing of genres and
forms
• Blurs the line between “high” literature (classics) and
popular literature (NY Times Bestsellers)
12. Mythological Criticism—This approach emphasizes
“the recurrent universal patterns underlying most
literary works.” Combining the insights from
anthropology, psychology, history, and comparative
religion, mythological criticism “explores the artist’s
common humanity by tracing how the individual
imagination uses myths and symbols common to
different cultures and epochs.” One key concept in
mythological criticism is the archetype, “a symbol,
character, situation, or image that evokes a deep
universal response,” which entered literary criticism
from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. According to Jung, all
individuals share a “‘collective unconscious,’ a set of
primal memories common to the human race, existing
below each person’s conscious mind”—often deriving
from primordial phenomena such as the sun, moon,
fire, night, and blood, archetypes according to Jung
“trigger the collective unconscious.” Another critic,
Northrop Frye, defined archetypes in a more limited
way as “a symbol, usually an image, which recurs often
enough in literature to be recognizable as an element of
one’s literary experience as a whole.” Regardless of the
definition of archetype they use, mythological critics
tend to view literary works in the broader context of
works sharing a similar pattern.
13. Post-Colonialism Criticism—Post-colonialism
literature is most commonly written about countries
that have been previously colonized. A post-colonial
lens would approach literature and look for what effects
colonization has left on a society or on individual
characters. This criticism looks through literature with
the post-colonial theory. It shows history and the effects
that colonization can leave on a civilization even after
they have gained independence. The post-colonialism
critical lens interprets the challenges and changes of a
previously colonized nation as the effects of
colonization. The major important symbols are
oppression and power. There is an identity between the
colonizer and the colonized. The goal of the critical lens
is to seek to understand the behavior of characters or
the society. It can be analyzed by the setting and the
actions or behaviors depicted by characters in literature
can be attributed to their country being previously
colonized. Characters or society can feel torn between
the identities of their native culture and the culture of
the colonizing country. A reader needs to have a good
grasp of historical knowledge in order to fully apply the
post colonialism lens to literature. A reader has to be
aware of the previous or current colonial status of any
countries or societies that are presented in a work of
literature.
14. Moral/Ethical Criticism—The moral/intellectual
critical approach is concerned with content and values.
The approach is as old as literature itself, for literature is
a traditional mode of imparting morality, philosophy,
and religion. The concern in moral/intellectual criticism
is not only to discover meaning but also to determine
whether works of literature are both true and
significant. To study literature from the
moral/intellectual perspective is therefore to determine
whether a work conveys a lesson or message and
whether it can help readers lead better lives and
improve their understanding of the world: What ideas
does the work contain? How strongly does the work
bring forth its ideas? What application do the ideas have
to the work’s characters and situations? How may the
ideas be evaluated intellectually? Morally? Discussions
based on such questions do not imply that literature is
primarily a medium of moral and intellectual
exhortation. Ideally, moral/intellectual criticism should
differ from sermonizing to the degree that readers
should always be left with their own decisions about
whether to assimilate the ideas of a work and about
whether the ideas—and values—are personally or
morally acceptable. Sophisticated critics have
sometimes demeaned the moral/intellectual approach
on the grounds that “message hunting” reduces a
work’s artistic value by treating it like a sermon or
political speech; but the approach will be valuable as
long as readers expect literature to be applicable to
their own lives.
Module II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
According to Solmerano (2019), there had been
evidences to support that our ancestors had already the
so –called “literature” even before the Spanish
colonizers came to the Philippines. One example is the
discovery of the “Tabon Caveman” in Palawan in 1962
by the archeologists. This served as a great help in
determining the culture of the early Filipinos. Prior to
the discovery, Westerners noted records have existed
even before 1521. Researches and writings about
Philippine history show that the preservation of the
indigenous culture, part of which is oral lore and the
literature of the Filipino ancestors were made possible
only by this people’s living beyond the control of the
Spanish colonizers.
I.THE PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD (Early times- 1565) Before
the Spaniards and other foreigners landed on Philippine
shores, our forefathers already had their own literature
stamped in the history of our race. Our ancient
literature shows our customs and traditions in
everyday life as trace in our folk stories, old plays and
short stories. Our ancestors also had their own alphabet
which was different from that brought by the Spaniards.
The first alphabet used by our ancestors was similar to
that of the Malayo-Polynesian alphabet.
Whatever records our ancestors left were either burned
by the Spanish friars in the belief that they were works
of the devil or were written on materials that easily
perished, like the barks of trees, dried leaves and
bamboo cylinders which could not have remained
undestroyed even if efforts were made to preserve
them. Other records that remained showed folk songs
that proved existence of a native culture truly our own.
Some of these were passed on by word of mouth till
they reached the hands of some publishers or printers
who took interest in printing the manuscripts of the
ancient Filipinos.
The Spaniards who came to the Philippines tried to
prove that our ancestors were really fond of poetry,
songs, stories, riddles and proverbs which we still enjoy
today and which serve to show to generations the true
culture of our people. folksongs.
Pre-Spanish Literature is characterized by legends,
folktales, epics, and folksongs.
Legends are a form of prose the common theme of
which is about the origin of a thing, place, location or
name. The events are imaginary, devoid of truth and
unbelievable. Old Filipino customs are reflected in these
legends. Its aim is to entertain. Here is an example of a
legend is THE LEGEND OF THE TAGALOGS.
Folk tales are made up of stories about life, adventure,
love, horror and humor where one can derive lessons
about life. These are useful to us because they help us
appreciate our environment, evaluate our personalities
and improve our perspectives in life. An example of this
is THE MOON AND THE SUN.
Epics are long narrative poems in which a series of
heroic achievements or events, usually of a hero, are
dealt with at length. Nobody can determine which epics
are the oldest because in their translations from other
languages, even in English and Spanish. We can only
determine their origins from the time mentioned in the
said epics. Aside from the aforementioned epics, there
are still other epics that can be read and studied like the
following epics.
a. Bidasari-Moro epic
b. Biagni Lam-ang-Ilokano epic
c. Maragtas-Visayan epic
d. Haraya-Visayan epic
e. Lagda-Visayan epic
f. HarisaBukid-Visayan epic
g. Kumintang-Tagalog epic
h. ParangSabir-Moro epic
i. “Dagoy” at “Sudsod”-Tagbanua epic
j. Tatuaang-Bagobo epic
k. Indarapatra at Sulayman
l. Bantugan
m. Daramoke-A-Babay – Moro epic in “Darangan”
Folk songs are one of the oldest forms of Philippine
literature that emerged in the pre-Spanish period.
These songs mirrored the early forms of culture. Many
of these have 12 syllables. Examples of these folksongs
are Kundiman, Kumintang o Tagumpay, Ang Dalit o
Imno, AngOyayi o Hele, Diana, Soliraning, Talindaw.
Epigrams, Riddles, Chants, Maxims, Proverbs or
Sayings were other forms of pre-colonial poetry.
Epigrams (Salawikain) have been customarily used and
served as laws or rules on good behavior by our
ancestors. To others, these are like allegories or
parables that impart lessons for the young.
Riddles (Bugtong) or Palaisipan are made up of one or
more measured lines with rhyme and may consist of
four to 12 syllables.
Chant (Bulong) are used in witchcraft or enchantment.
Maxims are rhyming couplets with verses of 5, 6 or 8
syllables, each line having the same number of syllables.
Sayings (Kasabihan) are often used in teasing or to
comment on a person’s actuations. Idioms (Sawikain)
are sayings with no hidden meanings.
II. THE SPANISH PERIOD (1565-1898) It is an accepted
belief that the Spanish colonization of the Philippines
started in 1565 during the time of Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general in the
Philippines. Literature started to flourish during his
time. This spurt continued unabated until the Cavite
Revolt in 1872. The Spaniards colonized the Philippines
for more than three centuries. During these times,
many changes occurred in the lives of Filipinos. They
embraced the Catholic religion, changed their names,
and were baptized. Their lifestyles changed too. They
built houses mad of stones and bricks, used beautiful
furniture like the piano and used kitchen utensils.
Carriages, trains and boats were used as means of
travel. They held fiestas to honor the saints, the pope
and the governors. They had cockfights, horse races and
the theater as means of recreation. This gave rise to the
formation of the different classes of society like the rich
and the landlords. Some Filipinos finished courses like
medicine, law, agriculture and teaching. Many Filipinos
finished their schooling already had been established.
A. SPANISH INFLUENCES ON PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
Due to the long period of colonization of the Philippines
by the Spaniards, they have exerted a strong influence
on our literature. The literary scene during this era was
focused on religious themes due to the Christianization
of the Philippines by the Spaniards. The first Filipino
alphabet called Baybayin (Alibata) was replaced by the
Roman alphabet. The teaching of the Christian Doctrine
became the basis of religious practices. The Spanish
language which became the literary language during
this time lent many of its words to our language.
European legends and traditions brought here became
assimilated in our songs, corridos, and moro-moros.
Ancient literature was collected and translated to
Tagalog and other dialects. Many grammar books were
printed in Filipino, like Tagalog, Ilocano and Visayan.
Periodicals during these times gained a religious tone.
B. THE FIRST BOOKS
1. ANG DOCTRINA CRISTIANA (THE CHRISTIAN
DOCTRINE). This was the first book printed in the
Philippines in 1593 in xylography. It was written by Fr.
Juan de Placentia and Fr. Domingo Neiva, in Tagalong
and Spanish. It contained the Pater Noster (Out Father),
Ave Maria (Hail Mary), Regina Coeli (Hail Holy Queen),
and the Ten Commandments of God, the
Commandments of the Catholic Church, the Seven
Mortal Sins, How to confess, and the Cathecism. Three
old original copies of this book can still be found at the
Vatican, at the Madrid Museum and at the US Congress.
It contains only 87 pages but costs $5,000.0.
2. Nuestra Señora Del Rosario. The second book
printed in the Philippines was written by Fr. Blancas de
San Jose in 1602, and printed at the UST Printing Press
with the help of Juan de Vera, a Chinese mestizo. It
contains the biographies of saints, novenas, and
questions and answers on religion.
3. Libro de los CuatroPostprimeras de Hombre(in
Spanish and Tagalog). This is the first book printed in
typography.
4. Ang Barlaan at Josephat. This is a Biblical story
printed in the Philippines and translated to Tagalog
from Greek by Fr. Antonio de Borja. It is believed to be
the first Tagalog novel published in the Philippines even
if it is only a translation. The printed translation has only
556 pages. The Ilocano translation in poetry was done
by Fr. Agustin Mejia.
5. The Pasion. This is the book about the life and
sufferings of Jesus Christ. It is read only during Lent.
There were 4 versions of this in Tagalog and each
version is according to the name of the writer. These
are the Pilapil version (by Mariano Pilapil of Bulacan,
1814), the de Belen version (by Gaspar Aquino de Belen
of Bat. in 1704), the de la Merced (by Aniceto de la
Merced of Norzagaray, Bulacan in 1856) and the de
Guia version (by Luis de Guia in 1750). Critics are not
agreed whether it is the Pilapil or the de la Merced
version which is the most popular.
6. Urbana at Felisa. A book by Modesto de Castro, the
so called Father of Classic Prose in Tagalog. These are
letters between two sisters Urbana at Felisa and have
influenced greatly the behavior of people in society
because the letters dealt with good behavior.
7. Ang Mga Dalit kay Maria (Psalms for Mary). A
collection of songs praising the Virgin Mary. Fr. Mariano
Sevilla, a Filipino priest, wrote this in 1865 and it was
popular especially during the Maytime “Flores de
Mayo” festival.
C. LITERARY COMPOSITIONS
1. Arte y Reglas de la LenguaTagala (Art and rules of
the Tagalog language)-written by Fr. Blancas de San
Jose and translated to Tagalog by Tomas Pinpin in1610.
2. Compendio de la LenguaTagala (Understanding the
Tagalog language)-written by Fr. Gaspar de San Agustin
in 1703.
3. Vocabulario de la LenguaTagala (Tagalog
vocabulary)-the first Tagalog dictionary written by Fr.
Pedro de San Buenaventura in 1613.
4. Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampanga (Pampanga
vocabulary)-the first book in Pampanga written by Fr.
Diego in 1732.
5. Vocabulario de la LenguaBisaya (Bisayan
vocabulary)-the best language book in Visayan by
Mateo Sanchez in 1711.
6. Arte de la LenguaIlokana (The Art of the Ilocano
language)-the first Ilocano grammar book by Francisco
Lopez.
7. Arte de la LenguaBicolana (The Art of the Bicol
language)-the first book in the Bicol language and
written by Fr. Marcos Lisbon in 1754.
D. FOLK SONGS Folk songs became widespread in the
Philippines. Each region had its national song from the
lowlands to the mountains of Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao. Folk songs truly manifest the artistic feelings
of the Filipinos. They show the Filipinos’ innate
appreciation for and love of beauty. The examples are
Leron-LeronSinta, Pamulinawen, Dandansoy, Sarong
Banggi and Atin Cu PungSingsing.
E. RECEREATIONAL PLAYS There are many recreational
plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish times.
Almost all of them were in poetic form. Here are
examples:
1. Tibag – the word tibag means to excavate. This ritual
was brought here by the Spaniard to remind the people
about the search of St. Helena for the Cross on which
Jesus died.
2. Lagaylay – this is a special occasion for the Pilareños
of Sorsogon during Maytime to get together. As early as
April, the participating ladies are chosen and
sometimes, mothers volunteer their girls in order to
fulfill a vowmade during an illness or for a favor
received. In some parts of Bicol, a different presentation
is made but the objective is the same – praise, respect
and offering of love to the Blessed Cross by St. Helen on
the mound she had dug in.
3. The Cenaculo – this is a dramatic performance to
commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
There are two kinds: the Cantadaand Hablada. In the
Hablada the lines are spoken in a more deliberate
manner showing the rhythmic measure of each verse
and the rhyming in each stanza and is more dignified in
theme; the Cantada is chanted like the Pasion. The
Cenaculo is written in octosyllabic verse, with 8 verses
to the stanza. The full length versions take about 3
nights of staging. Performers come in costumes with
wigs and performers are carefully chosen for their
virtuous life. One performs the role of Jesus Christ and
another the role of the Virgin Mary. Many famous
Cenaculo players come from the Tagalog regions
although there are also those from Ilocos, Pampanga,
Bicol and both Sibulanon and Hiligaynon.
4. Panunuluyan – this is presented before 12:00 on
Christmas Eve. This is a presentation of the search of
the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an inn wherein to
deliver the baby Jesus.
5. The Salubong (or Panubong) - The Salubong is an
Easter play that dramatizes the meeting of the Risen
Christ and his Mother. It is still presented in many
Philippine towns.
6. Carillo (Shadow Play) – this is a form of dramatic
entertainment performed on a moonless night during a
town fiesta or on dark nights after a harvest. This
shadow play is made by projecting cardboard figures
before a lamp against a white sheet. The figures are
moved like marionettes whose dialogues are produced
by some experts. The dialogues are drawn from a
Corrido or Awit or some religious play interspersed with
songs. These are called by various names in different
places: Carillo in Manila, Rizal and Batangas and Laguan;
TITRES in Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Bataa, Capiz and
Negros; TITIRI in Zambales; GAGALO or KIKIMUT in
Pampanga and Tarlac; and ALIALA in La Union.
7. The Zarzuela – considered the father of the drama; it
is a musical comedy or melodrama three acts which
dealt with man’s passions and emotions like love, hate,
revenge, cruelty, avarice or some social or political
problem.
8. The Sainete – this was a short musical comedy
popular during the 18th century. They were
exaggerated comedies shown between acts of long
plays and were mostly performed by characters from
the lower classes. Themes were taken from everyday
life scenarios.
F. THE MORO-MORO Like the Cenaculo, the Moro-moro
is presented also on a special stage. This is performed
during town fiestas to entertain the people and to
remind them of their Christian religion. The plot is
usually the same that of a Christian princess or a
nobleman’s daughter who is captured by the
Mohammedans. The father organizes a rescue party
where fighting between the Moros and the Christians
ensue. The Mohammedans are defeated by some
miracle or Divine Intercession and the Mohammedans
are converted to Christianity. In some instances, the
whole kingdom is baptized and converted. One example
of this is Prinsipe Rodante.
G. KARAGATAN This is a poetic vehicle of a socio-
religious nature celebrated during the death of a
person. In this contest, more or less formal, a ritual is
performed based on a legend about a princess who
dropped her ring into the middle of the sea and who
offered here hand in marriage to anyone who can
retrieve it. A leader starts off with an extemporaneous
poem announcing the purpose. He then spins a “lumbo”
o “tabo” marked with a white line. Whoever comes in
the direction of the white line when the spinning stops
gets his turn to “go into the sea to look for the ring.”
This means a girl will ask him a riddle and if he is able to
answer, he will offer the ring to the girl.
H. DUPLO The Duplo replace the Karagatan. This is a
poetic joust in speaking and reasoning. The roles are
taken from the Bible and from proverbs and saying. It is
usually played during wakes for the dead.
I. THE BALAGTASAN This is a poetic joust or a contest of
skills in debate on a particular topic or issue. This is
replaced the DUPLO and is held to honor Francisco
“Balagtas” Baltazar.
J. THE DUNG-AW This is a chant in free verse by a
bereaved person or his representative beside the corpse
of the dead. No definite meter or rhyming scheme is
used. The person chanting it freely recites in poetic
rhythm according to his feelings, emotions and
thoughts. It is personalized and usually deals with the
life, sufferings and sacrifices of the dead and includes
apologies for his misdeeds.
K. THE AWIT and the CORRIDO Some use these two
interchangeably because distinction is not clear. The
terms 'awit' and 'corrido' are both related to music.
'Awit' is the Tagalog word for song while the Spanish
word 'corrido' means a metrical story, usually sung to
the accompaniment of a guitar, in fandango style. Pardo
de Tavera, an imminent Filipino scholar, believes that
the word 'corrido' was derived from the Spanish
'occurido,' meaning;events happenings. Korido is the
generic name for Philippine romances. In Tagalog
literature, an awit is distinguished from the korido
basically by the number of syllables in each line. The
korido refers to metrical romances in octosyllabic (8
syllables) verse called 'hakira' while the awit is in
dodecasyllabic (12 syllables) verse called 'plosa.' Among
all the Filipinos the word corrido means an extended
narrative of the life and adventures of some person.