THE ROMANTICISM TREND

IN LITERATURE:
A Study Guide on the story,
How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife

by Manuel E. Arguilla
BACKGROUND OF
ROMANTICISM
Romanticism trend is a reflection of
the Romantic Era which aims a return to
nature and to believe in the goodness of
humanity; the rediscovery of the artist as
a supremely individual creator; and the
exaltation of the senses and emotions over
reason and intellect.
HOW MY BROTHER LEON
BROUGHT HOME A WIFE (1940)
(PHILIPPINE SHORT STORY IN ENGLISH)

The entire story narrates the test for a city girl who is the
fiancée of a gentleman from the rural area (barrio). This test
was to prove whether the city girl could live in a barrio, with
the barrio folks.
Who devised this test for the city girl?
Did she pass the test?
Can she prove that she is worthy of the love of the
gentleman and the esteem of the gentleman’s family?
MANUEL ESTABILLO ARGUILLA
Manuel E. Arguilla, acclaimed short
story writer, patriot, and guerilla hero,
was born in Bauang, La Union on June 17, 1911.
He studied at the University of the
Philippines where he joined the UP Writers Club
and later became the president and the editor
of the UP Literary Apprentice.
 His famous works were compiled in a book
titled How My Brother Leon Brought Home A
Wife and Other Stories published in 1940 which
won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary
Contest. These stories were written when he was
22-29 years old.
When the Japanese invaded the country, he led
a division of the Markings Guerillas. He was
captured and was sentenced to death. He was
executed on October 1944 at the age of 33.
ROMANTICISM
PRECEPTS EVIDENT
IN THE STORY
 General Paragraph
Precept
Romanticism (55) ... Suddenly, he broke out
regards into song and the song was
“Sky Sown with Stars”- the
literature as the
same song that he and father
expression of sung when we cut hay in the
the artist’s fields at night before he went
feelings and away to study. He must have
emotions. taught her the song because
she joined him, and her voice
flowed into his like a gentle
stream meeting a stronger
one. And each time the wheels
encounter a big rock, her
voice would catch in her
throat, but my brother Leon
would sing on, until, laughing
softly, she would join him
again.
Justification
Being with the person we
love makes everything
around us blissful. In the
paragraph, Maria did not
mind the difficult road
they had taken. She never
complained, instead, she
still managed to sing
along with Leon
regardless of the kind of
road they passed through.
This proves that Maria
really loves to be with
Leon.
(22) My brother Leon Romantics believed in
laughed and she laughed the ‘‘holiness of the
and they looked at each heart’s affection’’. The
other and it seemed to me paragraph reveals the
there was a world of feeling of happiness and
laughter between them love they both have with
and in them. each other; they are
closed in a world they
created only for the two
of them. In here, the
author already
established that Leon
and Maria are really
meant for each other.
They are happy together.
(71) ...As I passed Due to tense and
through the kitchen, there nervousness of what the
were Mother and my father would say, they
sister Aurelia and Maria seemed to break down in
and it seemed to me they tears. In here, they freely
were all crying, all of expressed what they
them. were feeling as father
and Leon were
conversing. Unlike in
classicism wherein they
have to suppress their
feelings.
 General Paragraph
Precept
Romanticism (16) The sun was in our
proposes that eyes, for it was dipping
the work of into the bright sea. The sky
literature is was wide and deep and
connected to very blue above us; but
nature. along the saw-tooth rim of
the Katayaghan hills to the
southwest flamed huge
masses of cloud. Before
us, the fields swam in the
golden haze through
which floated big purple,
red and yellow bubbles
when I looked at the
sinking sun.
Justification
Nature creates strong
impressions in the mind
and imagination. The
author pictures the
romantic through nature.
He uses vivid imagery –
shapes, the sounds to
even the scent of the air,
the author spares no
detail to prove that
beauty exists in
Nagrebcan.
 General Paragraph Justification
Precept
Romanticism (28) ... The sun had sunk Romantics use their
focuses on and down from the imagination, visionary
“vivid wooded sides of the imagination as means of
imagination”. Katayaghan hills shadows reaching truth through
were stealing into the creativity. In the
fields. High up overhead paragraph, the speaker
the sky burned with many uses vivid imagination
slow fires. and creativity to describe
the sunset- “high up
overhead the sky burned
with many slow fires”.
 General Paragraph Justification
Precept
Romanticism (32) “Baldo, you fool, In here, there are two
is concerned answer me before I different paths, the
with poetic lay the rope of labang camino real and the
symbols. on you. Why do you waig. The camino
follow the Waig real represents
instead of the camino progressiveness
real?’’ while waig signifies
poverty and
difficulties in life.
(39) “Look, Noel, The star is the
yonder is our star!” standard symbol for
Deep surprise and destiny. They are
gladness were in her destined to be
voice. Very low in the together.
west, almost touching
the ragged edge of
the bank, was the
star, the biggest and
brightest in the sky.
(55) ...Suddenly, he The song “Sky Sown
broke out into song with Stars” is a
and the song was symbol of the bond
“Sky Sown with between Leon and
Stars’’- the same his father. It reminds
song that he and him of his good
father sung when we childhood together
cut hay in the fields at with his father.
night before he went
away to study...
 General Paragraph Justification
Precept
Romanticism (12) She moved close to In romanticism, there
believes that a him and slipped her arm is a spontaneous
literary work through his. And after a
overflow of powerful
is concerned while she said quietly:
with the feelings. Unlike in
individual classicism where
more than the there is restraint in
society. emotion. Maria
didn’t think of what
others will say.
Instead, she did what
her heart tells her to
do. Heart over mind.
(34) “Father– he told me Crossing the waig is a part
to follow the Waig of the test of the father to
tonight, Manong.” Maria because he doesn’t
trust the woman Leon is
about to marry. Instead of
securing his reputation
because he is to welcome
the fiancée of Leon by
giving her a better ride
through the camino real, he
chose the waig to know if
she could endure and live
jus like the town folks. He
didn’t mind what others
would say. He just thought
of his owns sake as her
father-in-law and his son’s
sake as her husband whether
they would be happy living
together or not.
General Question Guides
in Analyzing Literature
through the
Romanticism Trend
Subject Matter
1. Is the literary piece about nature; specifically the beauty of
nature?
How does it describe nature?
2. Does the literary piece emphasize more on the individual’s
impressions, moods and feelings rather than the society?
3. Is goodness of humanity or the common people revealed in
the literary piece?
4. Does the literary piece adhere to supernaturalism?
Character/Persona
1. How did the character/persona express his/her emotions?
Is there a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings?
2. Does the character/persona make decisions based on
emotions rather than reason?
Style
1. Is the literary piece written in common everyday language?
2. How creative or imaginative did the writer express his/her
ideas?
3. Are the symbols prevalent in the literary piece?
What are the symbols used?
Do the symbols express universal ideas?
4. Does the literary piece look at poetry as a unique organic
work or form?
 Prepared by:
Justine P. Castillo
Lovely Jane S. Miguel
BSEd III-A

Consultant:
Prof. Jahnese D. Asuncion