DEVELOPMENT OF

LITERATURE IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Literature

◦ The word literature is derived from the Latin term Litera which
means letter. It has been defined by various writers.
◦ Literature, a body of written works. The name has traditionally
been applied to those imaginative works of poetry and prose
distinguished by the intentions of their authors and the perceived
aesthetic excellence of their execution.
◦ Literature may be classified according to a variety of systems,
including language, national origin, historical period, genre, and
subject matter.
Pre-Colonial Period of the Philippines

◦ “Baybayin” as a form of language.

◦ Records of daily transactions and
businesses
◦ Focus on animistic religion
◦ Ethnic-based regional literature
Spanish Period of the Philippines

◦ Propagation of Christianity
◦ Eradication of pre-colonial beliefs
and traditions
◦ Growth of nationalism and patriotism
◦ Emphasis on independence
The Early Period of Philippine Literature
(1900-1930)
◦ English and American literature was
introduced by Thomasites
◦ The works of Chaucer, Milton,
Shakespeare, Emerson, Poe,
Longfellow, Shelley, Joyce,
Tennyson, and other famous writers
served as models for early Filipino
writers.
The Early Period of American Literature
(1900-1930)
◦ Vernacular plays were very popular
with the Filipinos
◦ The tone of plays were more
emotional than intellectual
◦ Paz Benitz, Jorge Bocobo, Amador,
Daguio, Pilar H. Lim, Jose Villa
Panganiban, and Jose Garcia Villa
has written short stories.
The Early Period of American Literature
(1900-1930)
◦ Poetries have sentimental lines
◦ Essays have free form about culture
and tradition
◦ Luis Dato, Virgilio Floresca, Abelalrdo
Subido, Francisco Tongbanua
dominated the early Philippine
literature along with Francisco
Benitez, Camilo Osias, Claro M.
Recto and Carlos P. Romulo.
The Middle Period of Philippine
Literature (1930-1960)
◦ Improvement in the use of English
language in literatures especially in
the Japanese occupation.
◦ Francisco Icasiano, Francisco
Arellano, Jorge Bocobo, Salvador
Lopez, Camilo Osias, Jose Garcia
Villa, Leopoldo Yabes and Pura
Santillan-Castrence became
popular essayists in this period.
The Middle Period of Philippine
Literature (1930-1960)
◦ Short stories showed significant
improvement.
◦ Nick Joaquin, Estrella Alfon, Kerima
Polotan, Edilberto Tiempo and Loreto
Paras-Sulit became popular short
story writers in this period.
The Middle Period of Philippine
Literature (1930-1960)
◦ Poetry was still romantic.
◦ Trinidad Subido, Jose del Castillo,
Amador Daguio, NVM Gonzales,
Abelardo Subido, Jose Garcia Villa
were the well-known poets during
that time.
The Modern Period of Philippine
Literature
◦ Contemporary period of growing
sense of nationalism and deeper
search of identity.
◦ Francisco Arcellana, Renato
Constantino, Carlos Quirino, Teodoro
Valencia focused on societal issues.
The Modern Period of Philippine
Literature
◦ Greg Brillantes, Andres Cristobal Cruz, Gilda Cordero-Fernando and
Kerima Polotan Tuvera depicted national concerns and urban life in
their short stories.
◦ Teodoro Locsin, Rolando Carbonell, Edith Tiempo, Manuel Viray, and
Mauro Avena became known poets in this period.
◦ Drama did not flourished unlike other literary genres.
◦ Playwrights during this period were Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero, Severino
Montano, Estrella Alfon, and Ricardo Demetillo, and Jesus Peralta.
Final Output 1: Pandemic Poem

◦ Create a poem about the current situation of the Philippines in this

Pandemic situation.
◦ The poem must be an original composition and written in English. There
must be a minimum of four (4) stanzas with four (4) lines each.
◦ The poem must have a rhyming verse.