Philippine Literature from Pre-Colonial to

Contemporary
Objectives:
• Identify the characteristics and literary forms in
different period of Philippine Literature.
• Differentiate the characteristics and literary forms in
different period of Philippine Literature.
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
• Pre-Colonial Period
• Spanish Colonization
• Nationalistic/Propaganda and Revolutionary
Period
• American Colonial Period
• Japanese Occupation
• Contemporary/ Modern Period
Pre-Colonial Period (--BC-1564)
A. Characteristics
1. Oral Traditions
2. Crude ideology and phraseology
B. Literary Forms
1. Oral Literature
a. Riddles (Bugtong) Patotdon (Bicol)
Tigmo (Cebu) Paktakon (Ilonggo)
b. Proverbs (Salawikain)
Riddles

What is greater than God,

more evil than the evil,
the poor have it,
the rich need it,
and if you eat it, you'll die?

-nothing
Riddles

What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?

-stamp
Riddles

What has hands but cannot clap?

-clock
Riddles

You can drop me from the tallest building and I'll be fine,
but if you drop me in water I die.
What am I?

-Paper
Bugtong

Heto na ang magkapatid, nag-uunahang pumanhik.

-mga paa
Bugtong

Dalawang batong itim, malayo ang nararating.

-Mga mata
Bugtong

Isang prinsesa, nakaupo sa tasa.

-Kasoy
Bugtong

Sinampal ko muna bago inalok

-sampalok
Bugtong

Dumaan ang hari, nagkagatan ang mga pari.

-zipper
c. Tanaga
- mono-rhyming heptasyllabic quatrain about
lessons in life

Ang ating kakayahan

Ating pahalagahan
Huwag nating sayangin
Ang sining nasa atin
Pre-Colonial Period (--BC-1564)

2. Folk Songs - form of lyric w/c expresses the hopes

and aspirations, the people's lifestyles and their loves
a. Hele/Oyayi
b. Ambahan (Mangyan) - 7 syllable per line that
are about human
c. Kalusan (Ivatan) - work songs that depict the
livelihood of the people
d. Tagay (Cebuana/ Waray) -drinking song
e. Kanogan (Cebuano) -song of lamentation for
the dead
Pre-Colonial Period (--BC-1564)

3. Folktales
a. Myths - explain how the
world was created
b. Legends - explain the
origin of things
c. Fables - using animals
as characters and allegory
d. Fantastic stories -
underworld characters
Pre-Colonial Period (--BC-1564)

4. Epics - lengthy narrative poem about supernatural

events
• Lam-ang (Ilocano)
• Kundaman ( Palawan)
• Hinilawod (Panay)
• Darangen (Maranao)
Spanish Colonization Period
A. Characteristics
1. It has two distinct classification: Religious and Secular
2. It introduced spanish as the medium of communication

B. Literary Forms
1. Religous Literature
a. Pasyon: “Ang Mahal na Pasion ni Jesu Cristong
Panginoon Natin” by Aquino de Belen
b. Senakulo
Spanish Colonization Period
2. Secular Literature
a. Awit - colorful tales of chivalry
made for singing and chanting
b. Korido - metrical tale written in
octosyllabic quatrain
c. Prose Narratives - written to
prescribe proper decorum
Nationalistic/ Propaganda and Revolutionary Period
A. Characteristics
1. Planted seeds of nationalism in Filipinos
2. Language Shifted from Spanish to Tagalog
3. Addressed the masses instead of
intelligentsia
B. Literary Forms
1. Propaganda Literature
a. Political Essays
i. Diariong Tagalog
ii. La Solidaridad
Nationalistic/ Propaganda and Revolutionary Period
b. Political Novels
i. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
2. Revolutionary Literature
a. Political Essays
i. Kalayaan - newspaper of the society, edited
by Emilio Jacinto
ii. True Decalogue - Apolinario Mabini
iii. Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas - Andres Bonifacio
iv. Liwanag at Dilim - Emilio Jacinto
American Colonial Period
A. Period of Apprenticeship
1. Filipino writers imitated English and American models.
2. Poems written were amateurish and mushy, with
phrasing and diction is awkward and artificial.
a. Short Stories
i. Dead Stars - Paz Marquez Benitez
ii. The Small Key - Paz Latorena
iii. Footnote to Youth - Jose Garcia Villa
b. Novels
i. Child of Sorrow - Zoilo Galang
American Colonial Period
B. Period of Emergence
1. Highly influenced by Western literary trends like
Romanticism and Realism.
a. Short Stories - most prevalent literary form
i. Jose Garcia Villa - “Poet of the Century”
Japanese Occupation
A. War Years
1. Tagalog poets broke away from Balagtas tradition and
instead wrote in a simple language and free verse.
2. Fiction prevailed over poetry.
a. 25 Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino
i. Suyuan sa Tubigan - Macario Pineda
ii. Lupang Tinubuan - Narciso Reyes
iii. Uhaw at Tigang na Lupa - Liwayway Arceo
Japanese Occupation
B. Period of Maturity and Originality
1. Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama and essay.
2. Filipino writers mastered english and familiariazed
themselves with diverse techniques
3. Literary “giants” appeared
a. Palanca Awards for Literature
i. Jose Garcia Villa
ii. Nick Joaquin
 Contemporary Period
A. Characteristics
1. Martial Law repressed and curtailed human rights, including
freedom of the press.
2. Writers use symbolism and allegories to drive home their
message, at the face of heavy censorship.
3. Theater was used as a vehicle for protest, such as PETA
(Philippine Educational Theater Association) and UP Theater
4. From the eighties onwards, writers continue to show
dynamism and innovation.
GROUP ACTIVITY

Guidelines:
–All group members should report
–Allotted time: 10-15 minutes per group
–Each group should use powerpoint
presentation
–Use your books and other references in
gathering information
GROUP ACTIVITY

Content of the report:

–Introduction/Background/Motivation to start
up
–Discussion: Details/Literary Form/Literary
Work/Famous Writter
–Generalization/Conclusion/Bottom Line
GROUP ACTIVITY

Criteria:
–Content- 30%
–Coherence- 20%
–Presentation/Delivery- 30%
–Slide Presentation- 10%
–Team work- 10%