Literary Periods in the Philippines

Presented by:

Mr. Jonathan Roque

College of Arts and Sciences
The different literary periods in
Philippine literature include

1. Pre-colonial period
2. Spanish colonial era
3. American colonial era
4. Contemporary period.
 Pre-Colonial Period

1. Folk Songs
- a song that originates
in traditional popular
culture or that is written
in such a style.

Ex.
Bahay Kubo
Leron-Leron Sinta
Paru-parong Bukid
Epic

- a long poem, typically one

derived from ancient oral
tradition, narrating the deeds
and adventures of heroic or
legendary figures or the
history of a nation.
Myth
- a classic or
legendary story that usually focuses
on a particular hero or event, and
explains mysteries of nature,
existence, or the universe with no true
basis in fact. Myths exist in every
culture; but the most well known in
Western culture and literature are part
of Greek and Roman mythology.
The characters in myths—usually
gods, goddesses, warriors, and
heroes—are often responsible for the
creation and maintenance of elements
of nature.
Legend
- a narrative — often
handed down from the
past — that is used to
explain an event,
transmit a lesson, or
simply entertain an
audience.
 Spanish Colonial Period

During the Spanish colonial era, theater became

popular. During this time, Spanish explorers attempted
to teach their language to indigenous people, which
meant religious songs and poetry found their place in
society. The introduction of prose took a similar
approach by attempting to influence social behaviors. By
the 19th century, Philippine writers were using prose to
their own benefit by writing about the negative effects of
colonization.
Prose
- verbal or written language that
follows the natural flow of speech. It is
the most common form of writing, used
in both fiction and non-fiction. Prose
comes from the Latin “prosa oratio,”
meaning “straightforward.”
 Poetry is a type of literature that conveys a
thought, describes a scene or tells a story in a
concentrated, lyrical arrangement of words. Poems
can be structured, with rhyming lines and meter,
the rhythm and emphasis of a line based on
syllabic beats. Poems can also be freeform, which
follows no formal structure.