Lesson 1: Spanish Colonial Period

The Spanish Colonization of the country marked another phase in the people’s literary tradition
with the introduction of a new religion and a new language. By this time the printing equipment
was installed and used as part of technology in facilitating the propagation of Christianity. 
Hence, the first book dealing with the new religion was printed. This was followed by the
printing of other religious work —  passion, corridos, homilies, versified prayers, novenas,
stories about Christian saints, and the like.

Reading Time: May Bagyo Ma’t Rilim (Though It Is Stormy and Dark)

Reading Time: May Bagyo  Ma’t Rilim (Though It Is Stormy and Dark).

Though it is stormy and dark,
I'll strain my tearful plaints
and struggle on--
It clearly indicates that the persona is talking
about religion when he uses “God” and that
religion is Christianity when he uses “our
Father” or “Ama namin”. Stormy and dark
symbolize life’s challenges or trials.

I'll set out on voyage Faith in God. In this stanza, we will learn that
the persona persistently searches God amid
and persist in my search trials. We can learn that we should face trials
by looking for God and entrusting Him our
for God our Father. trials. Storms will come, but the truth that only
God can help us should keep us afloat.
Though it doesn't sleep a wink, Meditation of God’s Word. In this stanza, the
persona says that there will be a lot of
This temptation bearing down on me,
Still will I dare
To read this book,
And from it, draw
The weapon I'll yield.
Having lost my sight in the past
I'm giving thanks
For this light
Which God let shine
Upon the priest who has made known
This noble book.
Though tossed and dashed
By huge waves,
I'll trash my legs
And renewing strength—
In this (book) I grasp
For the buoy that saves.
Though disabled and limping,
Nothing can hold back my steps,
For this (book) will take me by the hand
And show me the way--
temptations that will keep him away from
trusting God, but he will still seek God and use
the “book” or the Bible as his shield. We can
also learn that we should not let our sufferings
overcome us.
Lost and found. As we can see in this stanza,
the persona uses “priest”. The persona admits
that before he was lost, but God found him. He
let His light shine upon him through the priest
who made the bible known to him.
Always remember that as a child of God, we
are all the salt and light of the earth. People
may not read the Bible but they can know the
Bible through you—your life.
God renews strength. In this stanza, the
persona says that whatever happens, he will
look for God through the Bible because he
believes that God renews his strength.
He is our hope. The last stanza is quite similar
to the first stanza. The persona amazingly
proclaim that nothing will hold him back. He
will continue to meditate on His word because
it prepares him and gives him strength.
 
What should we do when we are losing hope?
The staff was prepared We should read our Bible and remind
ourselves of the truths of God. We should
To give me strength. delight and meditate on it day and night.

Lesson 2: American Colonial Period

The Filipino Revolutionaries won against the Spaniards who colonized us for more than 300
years. Our flag was hoisted on June 12, 1898 as a symbol of our independence. Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo was elected as the first President of the Philippine Republic, but this was short-lived.
The Fil-American has resulted in the defeat of Gen. Miguel Malvar in 1903. The peace
movements started as early as 1900. Many Filipinos started writing again and the nationalism of
the people remained undaunted. Filipino writers went into all forms of literature like news,
reporting, poetry, stories, plays, essays, and novels. Their writings clearly depicted their love of
country and their longings for independence. 

extbook Time: National Artist for Literature - Jose Garcia Villa

About the Author

Jose Garcia Villa (1906-1997) was a Filipino poet, literary critic, a short story writer, and a
painter. He was awarded as the National Artist of the Philippines title for literature in 1973, as
well as the Guggenheim Fellowship in Creative Writing by Conrad Aiken. He is known to have
introduced the “reversed consonance rhyme scheme” in writing poetry, as well as the extensive
use of punctuation marks especially commas, which made him known as the Comma Poet. He
used the penname Doveglion which is derived from Dove, Eagle and Lion based on the
characters he derived from himself.

Reading Time: Be Beautiful, Noble, Like The Antique Ant by Jose Garcia Villa

Reading Time: Read the poem Be Beautiful, Noble, Like The Antique Ant by Jose Garcia Villa. A
copy will be provided by the teacher.

Poem Analysis:  He uses an antique ant as an inspiring example to portray the perfect character
that humans can observe and learn. He advocates us to be beautiful and noble like the antique
ant that survives heat and storm with its bare body, exposing its fragile naked flesh, without
any protection. Perhaps the little creatures of this universe may be the universal examples for
humans to get inspired and lead a passionate life. We, too, can strive for this perfection; speak
with moderation, without making noise about our ideologies and thoughts and without leaving
a loud trail behind.

Theme: It is about the eternal struggle of life against death. Surviving in this world.

LITERARY FOCUS:
Simple Lyric is a poem that does not feature or elaborate stanza structures and stateliness in
tone and in style.

 does not contain fourteen lines usually in iambic pentameter

 not a poem of serious reflection
 not for the dead
 not meant to be sung
Lesson 3: Japanese Colonial Period

1941-1945, Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when the Philippines was
again conquered by another foreign country, Japan. Philippine literature in English came to a
halt because almost all newspapers in English were stopped by the Japanese. This became an
advantage on Filipino Literature because writers in English turned to writing in Filipino.

Literary Forms:

o Poetry
 Haiku
 Tanaga

o Drama
 Panday Pira, Jose Ma. Hernandez
 Sa Pula,Sa Puti, Francisco Soc Rodriguez
 Bulaga (an expression in the game Hide and Seek), Clodualdo del Mundo
 Sino ba kayo?, Dahil sa anak and Higante ng patay, Julian Cruz Balmacedo

o Short Stories
 Lupang Tinubuan, Narciso Reyes
 Uhaw Ang Tigang Na Lupa, Liwayway Arceo
 Lunsod Ngayon at Dagat-Dagatan, NVM Gonzales

The arrival of the Japanese brought about one good aspect to the Philippines, and that was the
prohibition of Philippine literature in English. And since Filipinos enjoy writing poems in any
poetic form because of passion for words, Filipinos easily adapted the wiring of Haiku poetry.
Until Tanaga has been referred to as Philippine counterpart of Haiku.

Key points: In Philippine Literature, a Tanaga is a poem consisting of four lines with each line
equally having between seven and nine syllables. While the Japanese haiku has 17 phonetic
units divided into three phrases of 5,7 and 5 units respectively.

These short poems do not have titles, although the apparent theme is used to refer to it.
Examples of Haiku:

Japanese Version

furu ike ya

kawazu tobikomu

mizu no oto 

English Version

An ancient pool,

 A frog jumps in–

The sound of water.

Examples of Tanaga written by Emelita Perez Baes

SANGGOL

Pag ang sanggol ay ngumiti

nawawala ang pighati,
pag kalong mo’y sumisidhi
ang pangarap na punyagi.

PAG-IBIG

Wala iyan sa pabalat

at sa puso nakatatak,
nadarama’t nalalasap
ang pag-ibig na matapat.

GALIT
Ang damdami’y sumisikdo
sa balitang di-totoo;
habang sila’y nanunudyo,
poot nag-aalimpuyo.