Tagbilaran City Science High School

21st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Lesson 1: Philippine Literary Periods

Precolonial Period
- Literature in this period is primarily oral through the words of mouth
- There were also early forms of written literature using Baybayin
Script written in leaves or carved in barks of trees, bamboos, or cave
walls.
- Conventions of Oral Literature
1. Common experiences of the community as subject matter.
Ex. Hunting experiences of male members of a tribe featured in an epic.
2. Communal authorship
Ex. Folktales with few revised versions as these were passed on from
generation to generation.
3. Formulaic repetitions
Ex. Early forms of poetry with noticeable repetitions of lines or stanzas.
4. Stereotyping of characters
Ex. Male protagonists of legends were mostly described as strong with an
impressive physique.
5. Regular rhythmic and musical devices
Ex. Folksongs accompanied by distinct rhythms produced by musical devices.
- E. Arsenio Manuel’s Literary Ages
1. Mythological Age
A. Myth- This is a folk narrative that features gods, goddesses, and
other fantastical creatures as characters. Its function is to
explain the occurrence of supernatural events, the beginning of
cultural traditions, and the existence of mysteries.
Ex. How the Moon and the Stars Came to Be by a Bukidnon Tribe (Mindanao)
B. Legend- This is a folk narrative that is considered historical but
cannot be verified as true. It is usually about an encounter with
marvelous creatures, which the folks still believe in like fairies,
ghosts, water spirits, and the devil.
Ex. The Legend of Dama de Noche
2. Heroic Age
A. Epic- This is a long narrative poem that describes the adventures
of a hero, warrior, god, or a king.
Ex. Hinilawod or The Tales from the Mouth of Halawod River by Sulod People
of Central Panay.
3. Age of Folktales
A. Folktale- This is a folk narrative with the purpose of amusing or
entertaining its listeners. It is instructional in nature, dealing
with events set in an indefinite time and space.
Ex. The Monkey and the Turtle by the Bilaan Tribe
The Story of the Orphan Girl by the Subanon Tribe
The Sun and the Moon by the Tingguian Tribe
- Folk Lyric and Speech
1. Folksong- This is repetitive, sonorous, and has a playful melody. It
may be about love and courtship, a long day’s work, or songs sung at a
funeral.
Ex. Ako Ining Kailu (Ilongo Folksong)
2. Proverb- Also called as salawikain, proverb is a short saying
enveloped in rhymed verse. Its purpose is to give advice to the young,
offering words of wisdom or stating how one should live.
Ex. “Walang naninira sa bakal kung hindi sariling kalawang.”
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21 st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
3. Riddle- This is a perplexing question meant to be guessed or solved.
In the Tagalog Regions, this is called bugtong. In Visayas Regions
particularly in Cebu, this is called tigmo.
Ex. Bugtong- Balong malalim, puno ng patalim. (Mouth)
Tigmo- Baboy sa lasang, ang tunok puro lansang. (Jackfruit/Durian)

Spanish Period
- Spanish influence on Philippine Literature
1. Filipino alphabet to Roman alphabet.
2. Religious practices became based on teachings of Christian Doctrine.
3. The literary language was primarily the Spanish language.
4. European legends and traditions were introduced to the Philippines
like songs, corridos, and moro-moros.
5. Ancient literature were translated to Tagalog and other dialects.
6. Periodicals published in this period have religious tone.
- Major Literary Forms
1. Poetry
A. Pasyon- This is a narrative poem about the passion, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has five-line stanzas with eight
syllables per line.
Ex. Kasaysayan ng Pasyong Mahal ni Hesukristong Panginoon Natin
B. Metrical Romance- This deals with the emotions or a phase of life.
It highlights chivalry and manners.
(1) Awit- This is a narrative poem that consists of 12 syllables
per line and four lines per stanza. It is often accompanied with
the use of a guitar or bandurya.
Ex. Francisco Balagtas Baltazar’s Florante ar Laura
(2) Korido- This is narrative poem that consists of 8 syllables
per line and four lines per stanza. The rhythm is faster compared
with that of an awit.
Ex. Ibong Adarna
2. Prose
A. Notable Prose
(1) Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Española y Tagala (Christian
Doctrine in the Spanish and Tagalog Languages)- This is the first
ever published book in the Philippines.
(2) Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (The Art and Rules of the
Tagalog Language)- This is a book showing the effort of the
Spanish colonizers to learn the Tagalog language.
(3) Anecdote- This is a short account of a real incident or
person.  
(4) Pláticas (Sermons)- These are written versions of the
sermons given by a priest or friar.
(5) Novena- This is a prayer meant to be recited for nine days.
(6) Novel- This is a lengthy story divided into chapters with
multiple plots.
(7) Essay- This is a personal piece of writing that use the
point of view of the writer.
B. Notable Writers
(1) Jose Rizal- He is known for his works such as Noli Me
Tangere and Mi Ultimo Adios.
(2) Marcelo del Pilar- He is known for his works such as Kaingat
Kayo and Dasalan at Tocsohan.
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21st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
(3) Graciano Lopez Jaena- He is known for his works such as Ang
Fray Botod and La Hija Del Fraile.
3. Drama
A. Karagatan- This is a poetic contest usually played as part of the
rites held in connection with the death of a person. It is based on
the legend about a lady’s ring that fell in the middle of the sea.
The lady’s hand is offered in marriage as a reward to any young man
who could retrieve the ring. This is done through answering the
riddles correctly.
B. Duplo- This is a poetic contest held when a person dies or during
wake. It consists of puns, jokes, and riddles in the vernacular to
relieve sadness.
C. Cenaculo- This is a play that portrays the life, passion, and
crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
D. Panunuluyan- This is presented during Christmas Eve. This is a
presentation of the search of Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an inn
where Mary can give birth to Jesus.

American Period
- Literary Languages during the American Period
1. Spanish or Castilian
Ex. Spanish newspapers such as La Vanguardia, La Democracia, and El
Renacimiento.
2. English
Ex. English newspapers such as Manila Times, the Manila Daily Bulletin, and
Philippines Free Press.
3. Tagalog
Ex. Tagalog magazines such as Lipang Kalabaw and Liwayway.
- Major Literary Forms
1. Prose
A. Short Story- One of the famous writers of short stories and free
verse poetry in the American Period is Jose Garcia Villa. He wrote
the story Footnote to Youth.
B. Essay- One of the famous writers of essays in the American Period
is Zoilo M. Galang. He published the first ever anthology for
essays titled Life and Success.
2. Tagalog Drama
A. Juan Abad’s Tanikalang Ginto- This is a play that features the
struggles of the Filipinos brought by the American colonization.
B. Aurelio Tolentino’s Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas- This is a play that
features the previous colonizers (Spain and China) and the new one
(America).

Japanese Period
- Filipino literature was given a break due to the movement started by
the Japanese occupiers to enrich Asian identity.
- Many Filipino writers wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. in
theTagalog and other vernacular language.
- Common topic and theme in this period is the life in the provinces.
- Major Literary Forms
1. Poetry
A. Haiku- This is a poem with 17 syllables divided into three lines.
This follows the 5-7-5 pattern.
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21st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
B. Tanks- This is a poem with 31 syllables divide into five lines.
This follows the 5-7-5-7-7 pattern.
2. Prose
A. Short Story- Some examples of short stories published in this
period are Liwayway Arceo’s Canal de la Reina, Macario Pineda’s Ang
Ginto sa Makiling, and Carlos Bulosan’s My Father Goes to Court.
3. Drama- Many of the plays were reproductions of English plays to
Tagalog or vernacular.
A. Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo’s Sa Pula, Sa Puti- This is play about a
man who was addicted to cockfight and often convinced by his wife
to stop. It also shows betrayal of a friend.

Postwar Period
- Postwar poetry and fiction were dominated by the writers in English
educated and trained in writers’ workshops in the United States or
England.
1. Novelists: Edilberto Tiempo and Edith Tiempo (who was also a poet)
2. Short-fictionist: Francisco Arcellana
3. Poet-fictionist: Amador Daguio
4. Fictionist: N.V.M. Gonzalez and Bienvenido N. Santos
- They influenced the form and direction of the next generation of
writers mainly in accordance with the tenets of the formalist New
Critics of America and England. Formalist New Criticism is a literary
theory characterized by close reading of the text to understand its
metaphor, irony, tension, and paradox.
- Characteristics of Philippine Postwar Literature
1. Romanticism- It emphasizes the imagination and emotions. 
2. Nationalism –This means exalting one’s nation above all others and
placing primary emphasis on the promotion of the nation’s culture and
welfare before those of other nations.
3. Independence – This is the quality or state of having freedom from
being controlled by others.
4. Nature – In Philippine postwar literature, natural scenery is praised
and described.
5. Expression of feelings – The characters in Philippine postwar
literature were portrayed as being able to express their feelings
through their thoughts, words, and actions.
- Famous Filipino writer during the Postwar Period 
1. Stevan Javellana- In 1947, he published his work Without Seeing the
Dawn, which is about the experiences of Filipinos before and during
World War II.

Martial Law Period

- As a form of protest and expression in this grim period, different
literary works emerged, aiming to expose, narrate, or express
anomalies, conspiracies. 
- Literary Works during the Martial Law Period
1. Protest Literature- Sometimes called revolutionary literature, it
refers to works that express distaste, disagreement, or transgression
to the present government, applicable to the current political,
social, and/or economic conditions of the country when the works were
written. 
Ex. Lualhati Bautista’s Dekada ’70 
2. Proletarian literature- It refers to literary works written by
working-class authors about the working class. According to Salvador
P. Lopez, it shows the experiences and struggles of the working class.
Ex: Hernando Ocampo’s We or They
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21st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

3. Prison literature- This refers to literary works produced by authors

who are incarcerated or confined in a secluded area such as a prison
cell. 
Ex. Mila Aguilar’s Why Cage Pigeons? (1984).
4. Circumvention literature- It refers to literary works that express
social and political transgression through metaphors, allegories,
symbolisms, etc. 
Ex. Jose “Pete” Lacaba’s Sister Stella L. (1984) and Bayan Ko: Kapit sa
Patalim (1985)

Post EDSA Period

- This also marks the beginning of the new age in contemporary Philippine
literature.
- It was a time when people are no longer forced to suppress their freedom of
expression and created conditions that made collaboration and cooperation
convenient choices for artists struggling for recognition and survival.
- Lumbera’s Philippine Literature: A History & Anthology
1. Notable events
A. Filipino critics used different approaches like post-structuralist and
postcolonial.
B. Publishers who produced and embarked on nontraditional projects (anthologies,
novels, poems, etc.) emerged. 
Ex. Anvil Publishing, New Day Publishers, and Solidaridad Publishing House
C. The rise of gays’ and women's writings, including male authors writing about
women, enabled the flourishing of gay and feminist discourse. 
Ex. Danton Remoto’s The Way We Live- one of the early poems during the 1990s that was
written by an author from the gay community. 
D. Development of vernacular literature, or literature written using the daily
speech of common people, which also became a source of regional literary
histories.
2. Creative writing centers
A. Academic institutions- Such academic institutions include the Silliman
University, the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila
University, De la Salle University, and San Carlos University in Cebu.
B. Writers’ organizations- Such writers’ organization include the UMPIL (Unyon
ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas), GAT (Galian sa Arte at Tula), LIRA (Linangan
sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo), and GUMIL (Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano).

21st Century Literature

- With the advent of the digital world in modern civilization, the role
of media and literature has been affected in many ways.
- Notable Changes in the Philippine Literary Scene:
1. Filipino writers are now allowed to use both at the same time. 
2. The search for national identity shifted to the search of personal
identity. 
3. From conservative plots, literary works nowadays are gender-sensitive,
exploring the plurality of culture and challenging social
normativities.
4. Technology plays an important role. From blogs, stories are
materialized and turned into books; such is the case for Bob Ong, a
popular anonymous writer who uses this pseudonym. 
Ex. ABNKKBSNPLAko?! (2001) and Alamat ng Gubat (2003)
5. Stories uploaded via Wattpad not only materialize into books but are
also adapted into movies.
Ex. Diary ng Panget, Talk Back and You’re Dead, and She’s Dating the
Gangster
6. Women, lesbian, and gay writings continue to flourish and become
recognized and accepted. 
7. More regional works are being recognized, and these literary texts are
now included in workshops and awards. 
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21st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

8. Writers also embark on translating their works into another language

or dialect or translating a foreign work into Filipino, such as
Remoto’s translation of John Greene’s The Fault in Our Stars.
9. Graphic novels, including comics, are gaining quite a following. 
Ex. Carlo Vergara’s Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa
Zaturnnah (2004), Manix Abrera’s Kikomachine Komix, and Pol Medina Jr.’s
Pugad Baboy.
10. Oral poetry is revived through poetry readings or open mic readings,
giving it a modern twist. An unusual kind of poetry genre has emerged
through textula, mastered by Frank Rivera, where the entirety of the
poem is written and read in mobile phones.