LAURECIO, REYAN MAY A.

OLCA222M009_OLLITE001
MR. FULLERO
ACTIVITY NO. 1

Activity: Historical Background of Philippine Literature

I. Direction: Read in advance the history of Philippine Literature and tell us how
our literature evolves in the following periods.

1. Pre-colonial Period - Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually

epics passed on from generation to generation, originally through an
oral tradition. However, wealthy families, especially in Mindanao,
were able to keep transcribed copies of these epics as family
heirloom. One such was the Darangen, an epic of the Maranaos.
2. Spanish Colonization Period - Philippine literature was born in Spanish.
There had been a rich literary tradition in the islands before the
Spaniards arrived but it was the Spanish who started to publish
those tales and stories. The works of Rizal, the best-known Filipino
writer and national hero, are a result of this inter-cultural process.
3. Nationalistic/Propaganda and Revolutionary Period - This period marked
the beginning of the awakening of our sense of nationalism. The
seeds of liberty, equality, and fraternity are well starting to
germinate from the many failures experienced by the early waves of
armed insurrections which were largely self-contained, isolated and
doomed from the start.
4. American Colonial Period - American period is one of the turning points
which made our Philippine literary tradition colorful and
interesting. This period saw the addition of a colorful language, the
English language, as an indispensable tool for literature and
communication.
5. Japanese Occupation - During the Japanese period, Philippine
Literature in English was stopped and writers turned to writing in
Filipino. The Japanese authorities, with extreme hate to the
Americans, did their best to turn the Filipinos' sympathy away from
them. They rewarded handsomely the Filipinos who are faithful to
them.
6. Contemporary/Modern Period - he diversity and richness of Philippine
literature evolved side by side with the country's history. This can
best be appreciated in the context of the country's pre-colonial
cultural traditions and the socio-political histories of its colonial
and contemporary traditions.