21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

What is Literature?
- BODY of written words
- IMAGINATIVE works
- Deals with STORIES and POETRY
- Originated from ORAL TRADITIONS
- CONTENT depends on the AUTHOR

Three points of literature

- LITERATURE Describe human experience

- AUTHORS explain these human experience

- An ART form and STYLE of expression

A. Identify the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of

Philippine literary history from pre-colonial to the contemporary.

THE PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD

- Existed before the Spanish occupation (1500s)
- Oral in nature full of:
LESSONS and IDEAS about life
BLESSINGS
CONSEQUENCES
- Contains IDEAS from BIRTH to GRAVE
- In the Philippine context it is considered as ALTERED but PRE-COLONIAL is still
REVERED (ADMIRE) to many Filipinos.
FORMS OF PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD

1. ORAL LITERATURE

A. Riddles (BUGTONG)
- Contains SUPERFICIAL WORDS.
- QUESTIONS that demands DEEPER answers.
- DEALS with everyday life.
SAMPLES: What is full of holes but still holds water? SPONGE
It is greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have it, the rich
need it and if you eat it you'll die. What is it? NOTHING

B. Proverbs (SALAWIKAIN)
- Statements that considered as wise
- Commonly given by the elders and parents
SAMPLES: Experience is the best teacher
A picture is worth a thousand words.

2. FOLK SONGS
- Contain IDEAS, HOPES, EVERYDAY LIFE AND EXPRESSIONS of love for loved
ones.
- Easy to understand because it is straightforward
- Not figurative in nature
FORMS:
LULLABIES – Known as Hele, sung by the parents to put to sleep babies.
DRINKING SONGS – Sung during drinking sessions.
LOVE SONGS – Known as Harana called courtship song for love ones.
RELIGIOUS SONGS – Usually given during thanks giving
SONG OF DEATH – Use to immortalize (Remember) his or her good image
FOLK TALES (MGA KWENTONG BAYAN)
- Stories of native Filipinos
- Tackle about irresponsibility, lust, stupidity, that eventually leads to the instilling of
good morals.
USUAL THEMES:
- Life and Death
- Gods and Goddesses
- Heroes and Heroines
- Supernatural Beings
- Animals

FORMS OF FOLK TALES

A. MYTHS
- Tackle natural to strange occurrence (Event or Incident) of the earth
- How things are created
- Aim to give an explanation to things
B. LEGENDS
- Stories usually come with a moral lesson that give credit to supernatural powers and
out of this world native imagination
C. FABLES
- Short brief stories
- Usually read by the children
- Bounded by good manners and right conduct
- Used animals to represent a particular value or characteristics.
D. EPICS
- Long poem
- Narrating the adventure of heroic (Relating to Heroes)
- Narratives that based on ORAL TRADITIONS.
THE SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD

- Start of Philippine’s colorful history (MARCH 6, 1521)

- Because of FERNINAND MAGELLAN ordered his men to anchor ships on the
SHORES OF HOMONHON ISLAND.
- Filipinos “LADINOS” means Latinized.
- Filipinos called 2 things (Taga-Bayan) (Taga-Bundok)
- TAGA-BAYAN urbane and civilized
- TAGA-BUNDOK called BRUTO SALVAGE or INDIO (Live far from the center of
Spanish tower)

FORMS OF SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD

A. Religious Literature
- Revolves around the life and the death of JESUS CHRIST

FORMS OF RELIGIOUS LITERATURE

1. PASYON - About passion (Journey and Suffering) and death of JESUS CHRIST.
2. SENAKULO – Dramatic presentation of the PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST.
3. KOMEDYA – Depicts the European Society through LOVE and FAME.
- Also considered as Religious because it depicts battle between the
CHRISTIANS and SARACENS.

B. Secular or Non-Religious Literature

- Revolves about TALES of showing courage and ADVENTURE

FORMS OF SECULAR OR NON-RELIGIOUS LITERATURE

1. AWIT – Tales of chivalry where knight saves a princess Ex. FLORANTE AT LAURA.
2. KORIDO – Metrical Tale → (Told in first person), (Element of realism), (Tells
about lives of ordinary people)
 - Follow structure of a POEM.
3. PROSE NARRATIVES – Easy to understand
- Instructional material that literary light that teaches Filipinos.

C. Propaganda Literature
- News Articles or editorials that wants to attact the SPANISH RULE
- Composed by DR. JOSE RIZAL → MARCELO H. DEL PILAR → GRACIANO LOPEZ

GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA

- Ang Fray Botod → (JARO, ILOILO 1876)
Exposed how some of the friars were greedy, ambitious and immoral.
Jaena explain how tragedy marrying a Spaniard

MARCELO H. DEL PILAR called FILIBUSTER

- Kaiingat Kayo (Be Careful) → (Published in Barcelona 1888)
Use DOLORES MANAPAT as Pen-Name here.

- Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayers and Jokes) → (Published in Barcelona 1888)

- Ang Cadaquilaan ng Dios (God and Goodness) → (Published in Barcelona)

“Aimed against the parish priest but contains of the power and intelligence of God and
appreciation for and love for nature”

JOSÉ PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA

“Noli Me Tangere”
D. Revolutionary Literature
- Revoltion resistant in the heart of many Filipinos.

Samples:
Andres Bonifacio
- Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Obligations of our Countrymen)
“Obligations just like ten commandments, it is likewise called ANG DEKALOGO”

- Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog (What the tagalogs should know)
“Essay outlining the basic tenets of Bonifacio’s idea of Nationalism”

Emilio Jacinto
- Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness)
“Collection of essay like freedom, work, faith, government and love of country”

Apolinario Mabini
- El Desarollo y Caida de la Republica Filipina (The rise and fall of the Philippine
Republic)
“Essay highlights the establishment of the Philippine Republic and its subsequent due to
disunity among the Filipinos”

Dr. Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal Y Alonso Realonda

- El Filibusterismo
“Noli exposed to evils in society while Fili exposed to government and church