LESSON 2

History of Philippine Literature

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Name the authors and literary works that shaped the
literary repertoire of the Philippines.
Sequence historical and cultural events in to show how
each period developed.

BEFORE READING

The Journey of Philippine Literature: From

Precolonial to Contemporary Period
An Essay by Marlon T. Salvador
ABOUT THE ESSAY

The essay gives us an overview of how Philippine

literature shaped and was shaped by our country’s cultural
traditions and socio-political histories. It outlines the
journey of Philippine literature through different periods:
Precolonial era, Spanish colonial period, American colonial
period, Japanese colonial period, Martial Law regime, and
the Contemporary period.

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 1

MAKE CONNECTIONS

If you could go back in time, what time and place would you visit? Why?

If given the chance to go back in time, I would visit the Martial Law regime. I am
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
very mesmerized about the experiences of my grandparents during the Marcos
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
era because based on their stories most Filipinos were priveledged during that
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
time. On the other hand, there are so many critics against Marcos mostly
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
coming from the metro. This makes me want to witness that moment to clear
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
the questions in my mind on what really happened during his regime.____________
ANALYZE LITERATURE: Literary Periods

Literary period is basically defined as a span of time for literature that

shares intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. In Philippine
context, describing the evolving patterns of our literary heritage prompts us to
recount also the socio-cultural milieu that produced it in the process. Philippine
historical and literary periods are: Precolonial Period, Spanish Colonial Period,
American Colonial Period, Japanese Regime, Martial Law Period, and
Contemporary Period.

Precolonial Period: The Philippines already had its own rich literary tradition,
written and oral, long before the Spaniards came. This oral literary tradition in
particular plays a crucial role in reproducing the structure of native society
(Quiros, 2019).

Spanish Colonial Period: Literature during this period may be classified as

religious prose and poetry, and secular prose and poetry (Godinez-Ortega). This
period also includes literature produced by the Propaganda Movement.

American Colonial Period: The introduction of free public instruction for all
children of school age, and the use of English as medium of instruction in all
levels of education in public schools encouraged literary production during this
period (Quindoza-Santiago).

Japanese Colonial Period: Philippine Literature was interrupted in its

development during this period. Philippine Literature in English came to a halt,
and most publications in English were stopped. The use of Filipino language was
also mandated.

Contemporary Period: The flowering of Philippine literature in the various

languages continues especially with the appearance of new publications after the
Martial Law years and the resurgence of committed literature in the 1960s and
the 1970s. Commission on Higher Education mandated the teaching of Philippine
Literature in all tertiary schools in the country emphasizing the teaching of the
vernacular literature or literatures of the regions (Godinez-Ortega).
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 USE READING SKILLS: Analyze Sequence of Events

Sequence of events refers to the order of events as they happen. As you

read the essay, keep track of the sequence of events by completing the Sequence
Map below. Draw the order of events as they are explained. Include a short
caption under each image.

Sequence Map

oral literature like epics

and folksongs were chanted

The printing press was set The first printed literary work The first recorded epic
________________________
up. and Doctrina Christiana in Tagalog was the poem May in 1889 was the Biag
Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim in 1605.
was___________________________
the first output in 1593. __________________________ ni Lam-ang.
__________________________

In 1872, the three In 1885, Pedro Paterno Katipunan was formed

_________________________
priest-martyrs were
executed.
_________________________
__________________________
published the first novel _________________________
with its paper
Ninay which awakened Kalayaan.
__________________________
national consciousness. _________________________

American teachers known Haiku became popular

Spain turned over the
Philippines to America
in the Treaty of Paris.
as Thomasites arrived in during the World War
the Philippines aboard a
II due to scarcity of
ship named Thomas.
paper.
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 DURING READING

The Journey of Philippine Literature: From

Precolonial to Contemporary Period
An Essay by Marlon T. Salvador

Before the Spaniards came to the Philippines,

Analyze Literature
our forefathers had already their own
literature, which can be described as oral Literary Periods: Describe the kind of
because they were handed down by word literature produced in precolonial
of mouth from one generation to another. times. Identify also the contributions of
The vagrant Negritoes contributed songs the Negritoes, Indons, and Malays to the
and superstitious beliefs. They did not have literary heritage of the Philippines.
a system of government unlike the Indons
who brought literary genres or forms like The literature
Precolonial timesis produced
oral because
oral it is
______________________________________________
folktales, epics, paganistic faith, and handed down
literature handedby downword. Negritos
by word of
______________________________________________
legends. The Malays contributed the contributed
mouth. songscontributed
Negritoes and superstitious
songs
______________________________________________
baybayin, the syllabary with seventeen beliefs.
and Indones beliefs.
superstitious broghtIndons
folktales,
______________________________________________
symbols. They also brought legends, epics, paganistic
brought faith, like
literary genres and epic,
legends.
______________________________________________
folktales, the “balangay” system of
Malays contributed
folktales, the baybayin,
legends and paganistic faith.
______________________________________________
government, and the brief statements of
practical wisdom called proverbs which are syllabrycontributed
Malays with 17 symbols, legends,
the baybayin and
______________________________________________
based on long experience about life. folktales,
the syllabary“balangay”
with seventeen system of
symbols,
______________________________________________
government.
legends, folktales, proverbs, and the
______________________________________________
Puzzles that usually consist of two lines that “balangay” system of government.
______________________________________________
rhyme called riddles are considered as the
early forms of poetry, which is now Culture Note
developed in various forms that usually Riddle or bugtong abounds in many
appear in stanzas. Early drama, now ethnolinguistic groups in the
performed onstage, was in the form of Philippines. Give one example of riddle
paganistic rituals led by babaylan, a priest from your culture or group.
or priestess. Awit awit ni tsismusa pati sekreto
______________________________________________
ti karruba ammo na. – Lapayag
______________________________________________
When the Spaniards set their feet on the (Carried by chismosa, even the
______________________________________________
Philippine soil, they found out that
secret of the neighbor he knew. -
______________________________________________
literature had been existing in two
forms: prose and poetry. The riddles, proverbs Ears).
______________________________________________
and sayings were in the form of poetry , while ______________________________________________

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 the legends, fables and folktales were in
prose. The conquerors destroyed written
literature in perishable materials because
they believed that these were the handicraft
of evil. Later, the printing press was set up
and Doctrina Christiana was the first output
in 1593. The pasyon, which relates the life
and death of Christ, was used to replace
the old epics. The most popular of this type
was Gaspar Aquino de Belen. There also
born forms of metrical romance of
European origin, namely: awit and corrido,
examples of which are the Florante at Laura
and Ang Alamat ng Ibong Adarna.
The first printed literary work in Tagalog
was the poem May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim
(1605) while the first known publishedasa
prose was in the form of letter, the
Ang Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini
na sina Urbana at Feliza by Modesto de
Castro. Meanwhile, the first recorded epic
(only in 1889) was the Biag ni Lam-ang
among the Christian Ilokos. They noticed
that Filipinos were fond of plays so they
began to stage the Cenaculo, which depicts
the life and passion of Christ; the
Santacruzan, which portrays Reyna Elena’s
search for the cross where Christ died;
and others.
In 1872, the three priest-martyrs were
executed. From then, a clamor for change
against Spanish abuses began to bloom.
The event anchored the launching of the
Propaganda Movement in Spain that aimed
to clarify issues, denounce abuses and
injustices, and refute accusations. Its
newspaper La Solidaridad became the organ
that projected the views of the group where
essay found its place. Meanwhile, in 1885,
Pedro Paterno published the first novel
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines
Use Reading Skills
Analyze Sequence of Events
Use the Sequence Map to write
four events that occur on this
page of the essay. Write each
event in a complete sentence.
Note the Facts
What literary genres or forms became
popular during the Spanish Colonial
Period?
Popular literary forms are Prose and
_________________________________________________
Poetry -these are riddles, proverbs,
_________________________________________________
sayings, legends, fables, and folktales.
_________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Analyze Literature
Literary Periods: Name authors and their
literary works during Spanish Colonial
Period.
“Ang pagsusulatan ng Dalawang
_________________________________________________
Binibini na sina Urbana at Feliza” by
_________________________________________________
Modesto se Castro. “Ninay” by Pedro
_________________________________________________
Paterno. “Noli Me Tangere” and “El
_________________________________________________
Filibusterismo” by Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
_________________________________________________
“Dasalan at Tocsohan” by Marcelo H.
_________________________________________________
Del Pilar. “Doctrina Christiana” by Juan
_________________________________________________
de Plasencia. “Florante at Laura” by
_________________________________________________
Francisco Balagtas. “Biag ni Lam-ang”
_________________________________________________
by Pedro Bucaneg.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
5
Ninay which awakened national
Use Reading Skills
consciousness. It became the precedent for
Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and its sequel, the Analyze Sequence of Events
El Filibusterismo. Marcelo H. del Pilar’s Use the Sequence Map to write
Dasalan at Tocsohan is considered as his five events that occur on this
most daring work against the friars. page. Write each event in a
complete sentence.
When Rizal was captured and exiled in
Dapitan, the Katipunan was formed with
its paper Kalayaan where Katapusang Note the Facts
Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa were printed to campaign What poems were published
for freedom. by the Katipunan during the
Spanish Colonial Period?

In 1899, the Spaniards formally turned “Katapusang Hibik ng

___________________________________
over the Philippines under the governance Pilipinas” and “Pag-ibig sa
___________________________________
of America in conformity with the Treaty Tinubuang Lupa”.
___________________________________
of Paris. The first group of American
___________________________________
teachers known as Thomasites who were
aboard a ship named Thomas, arrived and
brought changes to the educational system.
Hence, Filipino writers began writing in Note the Facts
English because The Philippine Free Press
(1905) and the College Folio (UP school organ, What event ended Spanish
Rule in the Philippines?
1910) had been circulated.
Treaty of
Treaty of Paris
Paris
Paris.
___________________________________
The outbreak of the World War II caused the ___________________________________
scarcity of paper. In this period, the haiku
became popular because it does not need much
space for it only contains three lines and a total Analyze Literature
of seventeen syllables.
Literary Periods: Which
The Declaration of Martial Law in 1972 greatly literary period is considered
the Golden Age of Filipino
affected literature. From this period to the
literature where in writing in
present, writers and different artists continue to
English was prohibited and
flourish with the aim of bringing social reform
writers in Filipino and in
and subscribing to freedom of expression. vernacular languages
All this just proves that the history of a nation flourished?
affects its literature.
Japanese Colonial Period
__________________________________

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 AFTER READING

Dave John C. Decolas

Name: _________________________ Lit 111 A
Subject:____________________
2 BSCriminology-A
Yr/Cr/Sec:_____________________ 9/21/2020
Date:_______________________

READING CHECK

A. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is considered the earliest form of drama in Philippine

literary history?
A. folksongs C. cenaculo
B. rituals D. legends

2. Which historical and literary period in the Philippines is considered the Epic
Age?
A. Precolonial C. American
B. Spanish D. Contemporary

3. Which of the following is the Christian epic which talks about the life and
suffering of Christ?
A. pasyon C. bodabil
B. cenaculo D. awit

4. Which of the following is NOT a product of the Spanish period?

A. Doctrina Christiana C. Footnote to Youth
B. Dasalan at Tocsohan D. Urbana at Feliza

5. Who among the following propagandists used the pen name Plaridel?
A. Marcelo H. del Pilar C. Jose P. Rizal
B. Pedro Paterno D. Graciano Lopez Jaena

6. Which of the following is NOT a work of Jose Rizal?

A. Noli Me Tangere C. Sa Aking Mga Kabata
B. El Filibusterismo D. Ninay

7. Who wrote Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa?

A. Marcelo H. del Pilar C. Pedro Paterno
B. Andres Bonifacio D. Apolinario Mabini

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8. Who among the following are the first American teachers in the Philippines?
A. Dominicans C. Thomasites
B. Augustinians D. Jesuits

9. Which of the following did NOT emerge during the Pre-Spanish period?
A. Haiku C. Proverbs
B. Folksongs D. Riddles

10. Which of the proverbs does NOT talk about hypocrisy?

A. She seems to be a saint, but her heart is naughty.
B. The ant is where the sugar is.
C. When she turns her back she looks like a virgin, but when she faces
you she looks like a ‘sigbin’.
D. It is hard to wake a person who pretends to be asleep.

B. Identify the period of Philippine literature which is characterized by items 1-

10. Write the letter on your answer on the space provided before each number.

A. Precolonial B. Spanish C. American D. Japanese E. Contemporary

_____1.
A. Literature was handed down by word of mouth.
_____2.
B. Pre-colonial epics were changed.
A,
_____3. First work of prose was written.
D.
_____4. Short story flourished.
B.
_____5. There were metrical romances.
B.
_____6. There were religious and rebellious literatures.
D.
_____7. The short poem of three lines was known.
D.
_____8. Liwayway magazine was under strict supervision.
E.
_____9. Filmmaking has become the most popular art form.
E.
_____10. There are vast literary works in different literary forms.

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 Dave John C. Decolas
Name: _________________________ Lit 111 A
Subject:____________________
Yr/Cr/Sec:_________________
2 BSCriminology-A ____ 9/12/2020
Date:_______________________

USE READING SKILLS: Analyze Sequence of Events

1. Review the Sequence Map you created. Briefly retell the sequence of events in
writing as they occur.
The printing press was set up and “Doctrina Christiana” was the first output in 1593.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The first printed literary work in tagalag was the poem “May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

in_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1605 while the first recorded epic was the “Biag ni Lam-ang” . In 1872, the three

priest-martyrs were executed and in 1885 Pedro Paterno published the first novel
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

“Ninay” which awakened national consciousnes. Katipunan was formed with its
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

papaper “Kalayaan” then Spain turned over the Philippines in the treaty of Paris.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

American teachers known as Thomasites arrived in the Philippines aboard a ship

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

named Thomas. Later, Haiku became popular during the World War II due to
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

scarcity of paper.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. After looking into the events that shaped Philippine literary landscape, we may
find that we have become a society of various or heterogeneous traditions. Is this
an advantage or disadvantage? Explain your answer.

Through the paragraphs of events that shaped the Philippine literary landscape,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

resulting to a society of various heterogenous traditions is an advantage for us.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

During the years of occupation by different settlers we have accumulated various

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

culture, tradition, and knowledge from them. This resulted to the diversification,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

not just of our literature and history but the Philippines as a whole. Having various
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

traditions helped us survive through the years and it provided the basis of our
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

identity, and to that we must let it flourish because it will enable us to have a
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

stronger connection to the world.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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