Esperanza National High School

Esperanza, Agusan del Sur

304712 1
2
                                 

Contemporary
Philippine Arts
from the Regions
Philippine Literature: Forms,
Elements and Principles

(Week 2)
 WHAT IS THIS MODULE ALL ABOUT?

This module serves as a learning resource material in understanding the

target competency expected in the curriculum.

TOPIC
 Philippine Literature forms, elements and
principles

CONTENT STANDARD
 Understanding of the significant roles of the artists from the regions.

LEARNING COMPETENCY

CAR11/12CAP-0c-e-4

CAR11/12CAP-0c-e-6

The presented activities or exercises and texts are developed

in order to meet the following objectives:

1. Recognizes the different contemporary literature forms, elements and

principles

2. Researches on various contemporary literature from the regions.

3. Evaluates contemporary literature forms based on elements and

principles.
 PRE-TEST

Read the following items carefully. Write the letter of your

answer.

1. It is a 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.
A. Non-fiction
B. Fiction
C. Poetry
D. Drama

2. Philippine ancient folktales are literary works transmitted from one

generation to another verbally. These are considered as
A. Written Literature
B. Visual Literature
C. Oral Literature
D. Performed Literature

3. If a person will write his life story, he is writing a/an

A. Anecdote
B. Autobiography
C. Biography
D. Magazine

4. The story that is used by Jesus in teaching the Good News.

A. Parable
B. Novel
C. Allegory
D. Fable

5. The series of events of story based on cause and effect and provocative
scenes.
A. Character
B. Setting
C. Plot
D. Tone

6. It is the scenery or environment usually tells the time and place of the
story.
A. Plot
B. Character
C. Setting
D. Rhythm

7. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are long narrative with an

oragnized plot with a maximum of 500 pages. These are examples of
A. Fable
B. Allegory
C. Novel
D. Novelette

8. It is a narrative poem dealing with the emotions of phrase of life and the
story is told in a simple, straightforward and realistic manner.
A. Epic
B. Ballad
C. Idyll
D. Metrical Romance

9. A genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings of the

speaker.
A. Drama
B. Lyric
C. Narrative
D. Epic

10. The central organizing principle that animates the story or poem. It is
the writer’s way of looking at his subject.
A. theme
B. style
C. Tone
D. Symbolism

LET’S LEARN

You have learned that literature is a body of written works. Those

imaginative works having excellence of form or expression and expressing
ideas of permanent or universal interest.
Philippine Literature is a diverse and rich group of works that has
evolved side –by-side with the country’s history.
 Starting from fables and legends made by ancient Filipinos long before the
arrival of Spanish influence. The main themes of Philippine Literature focus
on the country’s pre-colonial cultural traditions and socio-political histories
of its colonial and contemporary traditions.
Aside from the different categories that you have learned, literature is
divided and categorized into various forms, divisions, and genre.

FORMS OF LITERATURE
A. ORAL LITERATURE – literary works transmitted from one generation
to another verbally.
B. WRITTEN LITERATURE – literary works in printed form
C. VISUAL LITERATURE – literary works presented in front of an
audience

I. DIVISIONS OF LITERATURE
A. PROSE - is the most typical form of language, applying ordinary
grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic
structure (as in traditional poetry). Most writing that is not poetry, drama or
a song is considered as prose

1. Fiction - 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 non-fiction, which deals exclusively
with factual (or, at least, assumed factual) events, descriptions,
observations, etc. (e.g., biographies, histories).

a. Fairytale – story about kings, queens, princes and princesses with a

touch of magic.
b. Mythology – story about gods and goddesses
c. Legend – story about the origin of a place or a thing. A legend often
reflects a people’s identity or cultural values.
d. Novel – a long narrative with an organized plot usually with a maximum
of 500 pages. A has several interrelated themes and several settings
e. Novelette – a narrative with an organized plot usually with a maximum of
300 pages
f. Short Story – a narrative with an organized plot usually with a maximum
of 100 pages
g. Fable – story that uses animals as characters and with moral lesson
h. Parable – story used by Jesus in teaching the Good News
i. Allegory – story that uses symbolism to represent an idea

2. Non-Fiction –is a prose writing that presents and explains ideas or that
tells about real people, places, objects, or events. The non-fiction writer tries
 to present what is true and accurate without imaginary or invented
additions.
a. Autobiography – life story of a person written by himself
b. Biography – life story of a person written by another person
c. Newspaper – collection of news articles about various current events
d. Magazine – collection of articles regarding the lifestyle of man
e. Journal (Diary)– daily record of personal events
f. Planner – daily record of business commitments
g. Anecdote – a brief, revealing account of an individual person or an
incident.

B. POETRY - (from the Greek poiesis — ποίησις — with a broad meaning

of a "making", seen also in such terms as "hemopoiesis"; more narrowly, the
making of poetry) is a form of literary art which uses the aesthetic qualities
of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic
ostensible meaning.

1. Narrative - 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 may be complex. It is usually dramatic,
with objectives, diverse characters, and meter. Narrative poems include
epics, ballads, idylls and lays.

a. Epic – a narrative poem about supernatural powers possessed by heroes

and heroines
b. Ballad – a narrative poem with harmony and rhythm
c. Idyll – a narrative poem about rustic life
d. Metrical Romance – a narrative poem dealing with the emotions or phase
of life and the story is told in a simple, straightforward and realistic
manner

2. Lyric - is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional

feelings of a single speaker. It does not tell a story.
a. Song – a lyric poems intended to be sung, with melodious harmony and
rhythm
b. Sonnet – a lyric poem consisting of 14 iambic pentameter lines
c. Ode – a lyrical poem praising or glorifying an event or individual,
describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally.
d. Elegy – a lament for the dead

3. Drama - is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The

term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" (Classical Greek: δρᾶμα,
drama), which is derived from "to do," "to act" (Classical Greek: δράω, draō).
The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before
an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective
form of reception. The structure of dramatic texts, unlike other forms of
literature, is directly influenced by this collaborative production and
collective reception.

a. Historical – a theatrical play with historical plot

b. Comedy – a theatrical play with a happy ending
c. Tragedy – a theatrical play with the death of some major characters

LET’S STUDY AND ANALYZE THESE

The basic literary elements are plot (the series of events), characters
(persons involved in the story),theme (main idea or central point), and
setting (the time and place of action ).
The tone is the central organizing principle that animates the story of
poem. It is the writer’s way of looking at his subject.
Some considerations are the author’s point of view or position in
telling the story, the symbolism used through allegory, imagery or
metaphors, the style in language, rhythm in case of poetry and the figures
of speech. These aid in the discussion of and understanding of a work of
literature as basic categories of critical analysis.

LET’S REMEMBER

Literature is categorized into different forms such as oral literature,

written literature and visual literature. It is divided further into prose
(natural flow of speech) and poetry (uses aesthetic qualities of language)

Prose are subdivided into fiction (events are not factual and
imaginary) such as fairytales, mythology, legend, novel, novelette, short
story, fable, parable, and allegory and non-fiction (events and other
elements are true, accurate and not imaginary such as autobiography,
biography, newspaper, magazine, journal, planner and anecdote.

Poetry are subdivided into narrative poems which includes epics,

ballads, idylls, lays and metrical romance; lyric which include song, sonnet,
ode and elegy; and drama which includes historical, comedy and tragedy.

The basic literary elements are plot (the series of events), characters
(persons involved in the story), theme (main idea or central point), and
setting (the time and place of action).
 The tone is the central organizing principle that animates the story or
poem. It is the writer’s way of looking at his subject.

Some other considerations are the author’s point of view or position

in telling the story, the symbolism used through allegory, imagery or
metaphors, the style in language, rhythm in case of poetry and the figures
of speech. These aid in the discussion of and understanding of a work of
literature as basic categories of critical analysis.

POST TEST

Read the following items carefully. Write the letter of

your answer.

1. Alamat ng Pinya and the Legend of Mariang Makiling are examples of

narrative or informative work that deals with information or events that are
not factual, but rather, imaginary. They are considered as
A. Non-fiction
B. Fiction
C. Poetry
D. Drama

2. Philippine ancient folktales are literary works transmitted from one

generation to another verbally. These are considered as
A. Written Literature
B. Visual Literature
C. Oral Literature
D. Performed Literature

3. The teacher ask you to write your autobiography. You ar going to

A. Write another person’s story
B. Write your own life story
C. Record your personal event
D. Record your business commitment

4. The story that is used by Jesus in teaching the Good News.

A. Parable
B. Novel
C. Allegory
D. Fable

5. The main idea or central point of a literary selection.

A. Character
B. Setting
C. Plot
 D. Theme

6. It is the scenery or environment usually tells the time and place of the
story.
A. Plot
B. Character
C. Setting
D. Rhythm

7. It is a narrative poem dealing with the emotions of phrase of life and the
story is told in a simple, straightforward and realistic manner.
A. Epic
B. Ballad
C. Idyll
D. Metrical Romance

8. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are long narrative with an

oragnized plot with a maximum of 500 pages. These are examples of
A. Fable
B. Allegory
C. Novel
D. Novelette

9. A genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings of the

speaker.
A. Drama
B. Lyric
C. Narrative
D. Epic

10. Tong by F. Sionil Jose and May Day Eve by Nick Joaquin are examples
of a
A. novel
B. short story
C. fable
D. allegory