HLI LAP 2 REVIEWER

Philippine Literature

• Expressed either in verbal or written form.

• It is a depiction of the people’s lives, thoughts, and feelings.
• Categorized into prose and poetry. These are not purely Filipino in origin but have
already been influenced by the West
• It reflects the country’s social, political, economic, historical, and even moral or spiritual
conditions.

Literary Periods of the Philippines

• Oral Lore from Pre-Colonial Times

• Literature under Spanish Colonialism
• Propaganda and Revolutionary Periods
• Literature under American Colonialism
• Literature under Japanese Conquest
• Literature under the Republic
• Contemporary Period

Oral Lore from Pre-Colonial Times

• Our ancestors had their own literature, which reflected their customs and traditions.
• Literary pieces were transmitted through the word of mouth. They were either sung,
recited, or chanted.
• Literature then talked of explanations about the natural phenomena and the Filipino
wisdom.
• Early means of Filipino entertainment
• Forms of Literature:
o Folk Narratives (Kwentong Bayan) – comprised of myths, legends, and epics
▪ Sample:
✓ Myth: Si Malakas at Si Maganda
✓ Legend: Alamat ng Piña
✓ Epic: Biag ni Lam-ang
o Folk Speeches (Karunungang Bayan) – proverbs, sayings, and riddles
▪ Samples:
✓ Proverb: Full of good cheer while borrowing a measure of rice,
Full of wrath when you ask him to pay it back.
✓ Saying: Kung may tinanim, may aanihin
✓ Riddle: When you slice it, it heals without a scar. (Water)
o Folk Songs (Awiting Bayan) – these songs mirrored the early forms of culture
▪ Samples:
✓ Kundiman
✓ Oyayi (Lullaby)
▪ Other Forms of Literature:
 ✓ Pamahiin
✓ Bulong/chants
o History
▪ They had their alphabet even before they had colonized
▪ The Spanish friars burned their alphabet in the belief that they were
works of the devil or were written on materials that quickly perished, like
the barks of trees, dried leaves, and bamboo cylinders, which could not
have remained firm even if efforts were made to preserve them.

Literature under Spanish Colonialism (1565-1872)

• Spanish colonial rule derives its authority from the union of Church & State.
• Parish priests become the embodiment of Spanish power and culture – since they
have direct contact with the Filipinos.
• Religion exerted a pervasive influence to the minds of Filipinos – Christianity
• From the nature and natural phenomena, there was a shift to religious, social, and
cultural influences.
• Literature under Spanish Colonialism:
o Doctrina Christiana
▪ 1593, by Fray Juan de Plasencia
▪ First book printed in the Philippines
▪ Spanish & Tagalog
▪ Pater Noster, Ave Maria, 10 Commandments
o Pasyon
▪ It highlights the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
▪ Popularly read during Lenten season.
▪ “Ang Mahal na Pasion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Natin na Tola.”
▪ Gaspar Aquino de Belen (1704)
o Senakulo
▪ A stage play on the passion and death of Christ.
o Comedia/Moro-moro
▪ A love story and a struggle between the Christians and the Moros---
Moros are defeated and converted to Christianity
o Tibag
▪ Dramatizes St. Helena’s search for the Holy Cross. It is a religious festival
in May.
o Duplo and Karagatan
▪ Forms of verbal jousts
▪ Reflects the linguistic talents of Filipinos

Propaganda (1872-1896) and Revolutionary (1896-1900) Periods

• After 300 years of passivity under Spanish rule, the Filipino spirit reawakened when 3
priests Gomez, Burgos, Zamora were guillotined without sufficient evidence of guilt.
This occurred on the 17th of February.
• Reaction of Filipinos against the abuses of the Spaniards
 • Nationalist literature
• Works are critical and satirical
• Propaganda Period (1872-1896)
o Jose Rizal: Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
o Marcelo H. Del Pilar: introduced Diariong Tagalog (1882) which signaled the
open campaign for reform.
o Graciano Lopez-Jaena: first editor of La Solidaridad
o Herminigildo Flores: Hibik ng Pilipinas sa Inang Espanya (1888)
• Revolutionary Period (1896-1900)
o Reflects the reaction of the Filipinos against the Spaniards and Americans.
o Language used differ:
▪ Tagalog: Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto in their nationalistic
writings.
▪ Spanish: Apolinario Mabini and Jose Palma who fought the Americans
o Jose Palma: Filipinas (1899) - became the text of the Philippine National
Anthem.

Literature under American Colonialism (1898-1945)

• Important things to note during the American Colonization:

o Laws enacted:
▪ Making English the medium of instruction in all public schools. --
Philippine Literature in English
▪ Sedition Law of 1901: affected the Filipino writers- it prohibits any
Filipino in advocating Philippine independence
o Yet, it did not stop the Filipinos from writing as they clamor for change.
▪ Aurelio Tolentino – Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas
▪ Juan Abad – Tanikalang Ginto
• Features of Philippine Literature during this period:
o The poets of the period focus on love, life, and playwriting
o The use of both Filipino (Tagalog) and English in literary productions.
o Writers set out to create national literature – no longer relied on imitation.
o Content: Social consciousness | craftsmanship
• Notable Writers during this period:
o Lope K. Santos
o Jose Corazon De Jesus
o Paz Marquez-Benitez – Dead Stars
o Jose Garcia Villa
o Amador T. Daguio
o Arturo B. Rotor
o Jorge Jacobo

Literature under Japanese Conquest in the Philippines (1942-1945)

• Features of Philippine Literature during this period:

o Literary development was interrupted.
 o Writers in English were encouraged to write in Filipino.
o The Filipino way of life is depicted
o Huk and guerilla stories were produced through songs and plays.
o Works bespeak the Filipinos’ cry for independence
• Some of the Literature present during this period:
o Poems
▪ Haiku – 3 Lines (5-7-5)
▪ Tanka – 5 Lines (5-7-5-7-7)
o Short Story
▪ N.V.M. Gonzales – Lunsod, Nayon, at Dagat-Dagatan
o Play
▪ Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo: Sa Pula…Sa Puti
▪ Play on humor

Literature under the Republic (1945-1985)

• Features of Philippine Literature during this period:

o Literary works would naturally talk of the experiences during war time.
o Clamor for social change continues as revealed by Amado V. Hernandez (Mga
Ibong Mandaragit and Luha ng Buwaya)
o Filipinos continuously influenced by Americans.
Literature under the period of the New Society (1972-1985)

• Features of Philippine Literature during this period:

o Themes in most writings dealt with the development or progress of the
country
o The military government controlled all publications
o Radio, Television and Films flourished throughout the period.
▪ Films
• Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino
• Maynila. . . Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag
• Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo
• Ganito Kami Noon. . . Paano Kayo Ngayon
• Insiang
• Aguila
Contemporary Period (1986-Present)

• Constant change in the world

• Technology is “a way of life”
• In an article titled 21st-Century Literature by Isagani Cruz
o Enumerated the so-called 21st century literature
o Textula, graphic novel, performance poetry
o Prose novel serialized in blogs, hypertext poem, eBook, flash fiction, urban
legend, chick lit, speculative fiction, and creative non-fiction
o The forms have traces of the usual but started veering away from tradition.
• The works in this century are seen as sensitive to gender, alludes to technology, show
culture as plural rather than singular, and questions conventions and supposedly
absolute norms (Remoto, 2015).
• Not limited to big names in the literary circle
• Personal blogs, wattpads
• OFW Literature
• Freer in the use of the language
o Issues on women, gays, and lesbians
o Local and national concerns: peace, poverty alleviation, environment
• Changes have taken place
• Presence of award-giving bodies
• Creative Writing workshops
• Technology