CENTRAL LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

Philippine Literature in English

2
nd
Term Paper













COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
May Day Eve
The Summer Solstice




















Regine Aimee D. Nicolas
BSAT4-1


I. SUMMARY
A. May Day Eve
The story opens at a night on a May eve. It was a night of celebrationof dancing and
drinkingfor the young lads who just came from Europe.
The party had passed by in a whirl and came into conclusion not until it was well and
almost midnight. The crowd parted where some went home in carriages. Some of the girl-visitors
remained and was herded upstairs to retire for the night, and a group of gentlemen decided to
take a stroll under the moonlight.
Back to the house where the party lights had already been extinguished and silence has
already pressed, Anastasiaan old gypsyis attending to the girls in the bedroom when they
heard the watchman outside announced that it was already 12:00 oclock by the hour. It was then
that she told the girls of the story on how in the middle of the night on the first day of May,
witches perform their divination, and it was said that whoever may wanted can look into a mirror
and they will see the face of the one they are going to marry but not without risk, for if it went
wrong, instead of the face of your future spouse, you will see the face of the devil instead.
The girls were all frightened but for one. Agueda jumped off her bed and proclaimed that
she will try the ritual and see it for herself. She wanted to see so badly the face of her future
husband. The other girls tried to warn her off, but unfazed by their warnings, she proceeded.
With a candle in her hand, she went downstairs to the darkened living room and slowly
walked to the mirror hanging on the wall across the hall. Just as she was finished murmuring the
incantation, she heard a footstep and a smothered giggle behind her. She whirled around
expecting something out of the ordinary but she just found herself face to face with a drunken
young man, son of the master of the house.
They had a somewhat unpleasant exchange of words, with the young man incessantly
teasing her until she dropped the candle she was holding and cried. Guilt stricken, the young man
grabbed her hand and kissed it trying to comfort her. Instead of pacifying, she lashed out and
took the hand to her mouth and bit his knuckles until it bleeds making him cry out in pain and
lash out with his free hand, but she was already gone and up the stairs to flee.
The young man did not expect her reaction and promised to himself that he was going to
have his revenge with her, just as the same time he realized that he has fallen deeply and
irrevocably in love with her.
That night, on the eve of May in front of the mirror that hangs on the wall, had been
memorable to the lovers where years later, in the same living room when they were already old,
Agueda had told the story on how she met a devil in front of that very mirror to her daughter,
while she looks at the mirror seeing herself, a wrinkled lady with graying hair with a child
perched on her bossom.
Years later, Don Badoy Montiya caught his grandson, Voltaire, on a May Day eve
looking at the mirror with the candle in his hands. That was when he told him the story on how
he met a witch in front of that very same mirror, who ate his heart and drank his blood, whom he
fell in love and built a family with, who as of now is nothing more than a name on a stone in a
lonely graveyard. The don wasnt able to hold his tears and cried in grief. At that very moment,
Don Badoy was swept by the memory back to his youth where he met a fiery enchanting lady in
front of the mirror on a May Day midnight long, long, ago.

B. The Summer Solstice
It was the celebration of St. John one hot summer day. Doa Lupeng woke up early in
that morning to get ready since they are taking the children to their grandfather to celebrate the
occasion. She was met by the bubbling energy of her three boys at the dining room, already
dressed and clearly excited. At the kitchen, she found out that it was the nurse of the children
who is cooking breakfast so she went off in search for their cook.
She heard her screaming while nearing the stables where she saw Entoytheir coach
driver who is getting the carriage readyand asked him if he had beaten his wife again but he is
adamant that he hadnt touched her. She went to see herself what is the matter but was shocked
and scandalized upon seeing their cookAmandahalf-naked and totally not herself, like that
of a mad-woman. The room reeked of intimate odor that clearly tells about the activity done in
there.
She asked Entoy if he had let her went to the Tadtarina ritual done by women to
celebrate their so called rule over menwhen she specifically ordered otherwise, but Entoy
said he cant do anything because the spirit of the Tadtarin is in his wife that day. He is afraid the
deity will get angry and make their resources of necessities to be barren if he so much as laid a
hand on her.
Doa Lupeng was mollified by the incredulity of his belief.
On their way to the childrens grandfather, they met the procession of St. John. It was a
parade of men drenched in every kind of water and Doa Lupeng cannot stand the smell of them.
She went in a trance where she chastised the showing off of those men that she didnt noticed
Guido in the crowd.
Guido is a cousin who just came from Europe. He tagged around Doa Lupeng all day
and told her stories about his experience when he went to the Tadtarin. He never masked his
worship-like adoration as he speaks about women and the way he looks at her makes her
uncomfortable that she made an excuse to leave. She was so creeped out when Guido crept up
and kissed her shoes bidding goodbye.
She shared her grievance with her husband, Dong Paeng, but was mortified even more
when all he said is that he was embarrassed as a man because of Guidos actions.
When they got home, Doa Lupeng acted weirdly and she asked to go to the Tadtarin
the cult of the Tadtarin is celebrated on three days: the feast of St. John and the two preceding
days. On the first night, a young girl heads the procession; on the second, a mature woman; and
on the third, a very old woman who symbolically dies and comes to life again.
Don Paeng was angered and didnt approve it but she was able to sway him eventually.
They went to the procession but Don Paeng was so insulted by what he saw. He felt like they had
personally insulted his manliness by the way they had carved a gross and brutal caricature of the
Baptists sex.

He was eager to go home when the procession was over and he told his wife that it is
time to go. She was acquiescent at first but she suddenly pulled herself away and joined the
dancers in the orgy.

Don Paeng ran after her but when the people inside the chapel saw him, they beat him
and dragged him outside, for in that ritual, a man is forbidden to enter. He waited inside the
coach for Doa Lupeng but when she saw his wounded face she just smiled and made light-
hearted comments.

They fought when they were home but the unexpected happened when RafaelDon
Paengfell to the enchantment of the Tadtarin and acted very unlike him, and did what Guido
had done that had creeped out Doa Lupeng then, he kissed her bare foot, and this time, she felt
no uneasiness or creep but a nerve wracking and shiver inducing sexual pleasure.


II. INTERPRETATION

Differences:

o May Day Eve was written as a throwback from the past. The story unfolded as the
characters recount the past and tell the story, while The Summer Solstices story
unfolds like it was being told while it was happening, and not from the memory of
any of the characters.
o May Day Eve talks about love, the true emotion of the heart. It talks about how
two people from the opposing sex find each other to love and cherish, to be the
half of the otherto be their equal; while The Summer Solstice talks about
power. How the world was up-ended and men lay at the feet of women adoring
and worshipping them. He becomes her slave and she becomes his Queenhis
ruler.
o May Day Eve was written with a chaste pen, while The Summer Solstice contains
a heavy, obscene-like timbre to its language.

Theme:

o Love. May Day Eve revolves around the idea of two people falling in love with
each other. The leading characters were depicted as started off in the wrong foot
but they were able to bridge the gap and fell in love with each other and built a
life and a family together. The story is also implicitly telling us that some things
are bound to happen whether you look for it or not, you just have to let it take its
course, especially love. It is full of surprises and usually catches us unawareand
when it does, life becomes more colorful, worthy of remembrance

She was staring pass the curly head nestling at her breast and seeing herself in the
big mirror hanging in the room. It was the same room and the same mirror but the
face she now saw in it was an old face---a hard, bitter, vengeful face, framed in
graying hair, and so sadly altered, so sadly different from that other face like a white
mask, that fresh young face like a pure mask than she had brought before this mirror
one wild May Day midnight years and years ago....

Don Badoy started. For a moment he had forgotten that she was dead, that she had
perished---the poor Agueda; that they were at peace at last, the two of them, her tired
body at rest; her broken body set free at last from the brutal pranks of the earth---
from the trap of a May night; from the snare of summer; from the terrible silver nets
of the moon.

And remembering how she had sobbed so piteously; remembering how she had
bitten his hand and fled and how he had sung aloud in the dark room and surprised
his heart in the instant of falling in love: such a grief tore up his throat and eyes

and the bittersweet heartache that comes with it when you realize that that love
had passed by, faded away into the final goodnight.

o Power. Who holds the reign is the fulcrum of the story The Summer Solstice. It
was a story depicting women in a new light. Written during the times where
society considered women the lesser of the two sexes, it was like a shout-out to
the world that embodies the role women play in the big picture. It cries out for
people especially for men that being treated as the lesser one is not fair and they
wouldnt like it if it was them, just like it is in the story.

And she wondered peevishly what the braggarts were being so cocky about? For
this arrogance, this pride, this bluff male health of theirs was (she told herself)
founded on the impregnable virtue of generations of good women. The boobies
were so sure of themselves because they had always been sure of their wives.
All the sisters being virtuous, all the brothers are brave. Thought
Doa Lupeng, with a bitterness that rather surprised her. Women had built it up:
this poise of the male. Ah, and women could destroy it, too!
She recalled, vindictively, this mornings scene at the stables: Amada
naked and screaming in bed while from the doorway her lord and master looked
on in meek silence.


Symbolisms:

o The Mirror. In May Day Eve, the mirror symbolizes the reflection of the lives of
the characters. It embodies the remembrance of the life theyve led, the way
where it all begun, and the way how it ended. In the story, it served as a silent
witness to the unfolding of the love story of Don Badoy and Agueda.
o The Candle. Or should I saythe light. It symbolizes that it is up to us how we
mold our life. Just like the way Agueda sees her face in the mirror with the candle
light. When shes not holding the candle high enough, she sees her face as hollow
or empty, but when she held up the candle to her chin, the light illuminated her
face and what she saw in the mirror is the complete opposite of the first one. It
was up to us if we will be able to have our own identity, or stay just a ghost, a
mere existence.
o The Celebration. It started out in a fun-filled and bright way. The light blasted to
its full glory and the men and women danced and drunk their merriment to their
fullest. It symbolizes youth. Where people were at their peak and enjoying
whatever life may give. Just like the celebration, youth can blast to their glory to
the fullest and dance and waltz around their lives. But just like the celebration,
everything has an inevitable end, the blazing lights would be snuffed out and the
furniture be propped against the wall, as youth would come to its elderly time and
twilight would soon break the horizon and the final goodnight wouldnt be far
behind.
o The White Night Gown. It symbolizes Aguedas innocence or youth when she
decended the stairs to the living room. Before she approached the mirror, she is a
newbie just coming out to the world. Full of life and an empty cup of experiences
just ready to be filled.
o The Moon. It symbolizes romance and privacy.

o The Open Carriage. In The Summer Solstice, Doa Lupeng chose to ride in the
open carriage rather than the closed one. It symbolizes the freewill of women to
choose a free life unhindered by the traditions and norms enclosing them in a
world where they were treated as the lesser person, free from the usual stereotype
that women are vulnerable and fragile and should always be encased and
cocooned behind the strength and dominance of the men.
o People Dripping with Water. It is another way of indicating that people are all
equal. We breathe the same air, and we share the same water. Wherever that water
may came from, ditch, river, or well, they have the same compositionwater. So
as human, wherever we came from, orphanage or the royal palace, we all have the
same compositionhuman. And just like the people getting each other wet, we
are all interdependent and we affect each other whether directly or not.
o The Image of St John. It embodies men in general, backed by the fact that it was
carried by men in an appearance that depicted hard labor with the soil. It is the
stereotypical view of men, where they are seen as the master of the fields. The
one who are strong enough to till the soil and produce crops. Then it was the same
John that the women at the Tadtarin made a distorted image of.
o Guido laying on his belly. This symbolizes the way the story depicted where the
world changed its course and men are the ones who worship women and would do
anything for their pleasure. The way Guido lays flat on his belly depicts that he
recognize the lowliness of his position and that he recognize Lupeng as the higher
person.
o The Wand. The wand held by the old woman in the procession was used as an
emblem of authority. Like telling everybody that women are now officially the
ruling gender.
o The Seedlings. They symbolize the people that will be converted that night. The
ritual is like planting the beliefs for the women regime in peoples head
enchanting them to be part of it.
o The Shroud. The shroud was used in the story to represent the death of the usual
stereotypes against women and when the old woman rose again, it depicts the
change and the birth of a new society without prejudice to women.


Foreshadowing:

o May Day Eve. When Agueda approached the mirror, she was holding a candle in
her hands. At first her face appears bleak and ghostly in the mirror but when she
held it up, it illuminates her living face. Don Badoy arrives and with their heated
discussion, she dropped the candle and was enveloped in the dark. This
happening in the story is a glimpse of the life Agueda will have. At first she was
just an existence. A mere person with a name, but as she lived on with her life,
she starts to have her own identity, her own personality, her own self, denoted by
the illumination of her face. Don Badoy came in the picture and caught her in
front of the mirror, it denotes his entrance to her life, how he will share it with
her, how he will be a major part of it. During their heated conversation, she
dropped the candle and its life was snuffed out in the dark. It denotes Agueda
reaching her elderly age and the final stages of her life, until her life would finally
forever giveaway no more light.

o The Summer Solstice. When Doa Lupeng stands on the stopped carriage,
staring down on the passing male horde. In this scenario, it already foreshadows
that the story will turn on a way where men will be below women. It depicts that
women will gain authority over men and they will look down upon them, and the
place of men will be at the feet of women.

Similarities:

Penned by the same author, May Day Eve and The Summer Solstice has the same
taste when it comes to the depth of descriptions of the stories. The construction
of the sentences and the feeling of each line have something in common. Even
the way both stories end are almost the same, like the universe of the characters
are just not the same back when they started in the story.
Both stories, albeit having different theme, have a very the same aura. Its the
aura that the reader perceives while reading the story. They are both kind of dark
and one cant just help imagining each scene of both stories with a dark lens in
their mental eye.
The settings of the stories are both in a typical township during the 19
th
century
complete with cobbled-stone pathways and horse-pulled carriages.
Both stories talks about rituals, witches, and the supernatural. Although one uses
it only as a metaphor, it depicts the authors inclination with the subject.

III. ANALYSIS
A. Plot/Structure
The story May Day Eve was narrated in a backward manner. The story unfolds as the
characters remember or recount the story to another character. The story was first based from the
main lady character, Agueda while she tells the story to their daughter, where they first met, how
they had a misunderstanding, how the meeting affected her. It wasnt told in the story how they
became husband and wife but it was implied when Agueda described the man he saw,
consequently describing her husband where the child always asked the question, Just like
Papas?, and subsequently, when it was implied in the story that Agueda had already passed
away, the story was continued with the main guy character, Don Badoy iterating the story to their
grandson, Voltaire. How he met a beautiful witch that ensnared him. It was clear that he was
talking of Agueda. The story ended where don Badoy remembers that the love of his life was
already dead, and wasnt able to hold his tears and cried in grief.
The Summer Solstice uses a different approach. Instead of using the characters as the
story teller, the author used an as-it-happens way. The story was narrated like the reader was
reading it while it happens and not a glimpse of the past of the characters in it. It started at the
house of the Moretas where the characters were introduced and a mention of the ritual. The
conflict arises when the main characters vied for authority that would determine if they will
attend the ritual, where eventually it was resolved by the acquiescence of the male to the female.
The story unfolds and events during the ritual were in-detailed until it came to the point where
the universe of the story was irrevocably altered and the world up-ended; and ending with the
males submission to the female.
B. Setting
May Day Eve was set in the 19
th
century era, somewhere in the now Pasig, city basing
from the mention of swimming in the Pasid. The picture it depicted is of tiled roof houses and
cobbled-stone pathways. It was also noticeable that the story revolved around one night under
the bewitching silver moon. This setting gives the story a little bit of a dark but easy going and
peaceful aura. The constant mention of the silver moon gives the events a deeper and more
romantic feeling.
The Summer Solstice was also set in the 19
th
century era, but from the mention of the
dusty road and pastoral countryside, it was in a more less-urbanized place somewhere in
Paco. This setting gives off a somewhat low-tech or rural feel to the story. The idea of the
countryside strengthens the mystic sense of the story.
C. Point of View
Both stories were written in the 3
rd
person point of view. The author uses a narrator
outside the story. It means that he is not one of the characters and is telling the story like
someone who is just observing from the outline. The fact that the stories was written in the 3
rd

person POV gives the author the ability to describe feelings and thoughts of the characters
without limitations.
But also, some part of the stories uses dialogues between the characters to further explain
the unfolding of events.
D. Characters
D1. May Day Eve:
Don Badoy Montiya: At the first part of the story: a young scarred and mustached man
who just came from Europe and found Agueda in front of the mirror and fell in love with
her. He is a son to the owner of the house where the party was held. Later on to the story:
A mustached shivering old man in his sixties with gray hair.
Agueda: The main lady character of the story. A lady with a brave heart and fiery soul.
She became Don Badoys wife.
Voltaire: Grandson of Don Badoy and Agueda. He was caught by his grandfather in
front of the mirror, with an excitement to see his future wife.
D2. The Summer Solstice:
Doa Lupeng Moreta: Beautiful, young, and elegant wife of Don Rafael (Paeng).
Doesnt agree with the Tadtarin ritual at the beginning but was soon ensnared by the
enchantment of it.
Don Rafael Moreta: More known as Don Paeng. He is the husband of Lupeng. A rich
and dignified business man. He has also fallen victim to the enchantment of the Tadtarin.
Entoy: Coach driver of the Moretas, and also an abusing husband of Amanda. He
believes in the power of the Tadtarin with great fervor.
Amanda: The wife of Entoy and the cook of the Moretas. The spirit of the Tadtarin
resides in her which causes Entoy to change his treatment to her.
Guido: A cousin of the Moretas who just came from Europe. He loves country fiestas
and has also fallen to the enchantment of the Tadtarin.