Timeline of

Philippine
literature
Pre-colonial period
The pre-colonial period occurred between the years 900-1565. The literature
during Pre-colonialism is epic poems, oral genealogies, rhymes, riddles, wise
sayings, folk tales, and such. The oral literature of the precolonial Filipinos bore the
marks of the community. The subject was invariably the common experience of
the people constituting the village-food-gathering, creature, and objects of nature,
work in the home, field, forest or sea, caring for children, etc. They were based on
oral tradition, crude on ideology, Ancient literature was written on the perishable
materials like dried leaves, bamboo cylinder, and bark of the trees, literatures were
handed down to us through the word of mouth
Spanish Period
Spanish period started in 1565 and ended in 1898. The Characteristics of the
Spanish Period have 2 classifications and they are religious and secular.
Religious is most likely catholic and they are written in both Spanish and
Tagalog. Secular is most likely for entertainment. For example awit, korido,
prose narrative, and such. The period when the Philippines were administered
as the Captaincy General of the Philippines within the Spanish East Indies,
originally under New Spain until Mexican independence in 1821, culminating
in direct Spanish authority during a period of political instability there.
Nationalistic Period
The nationalistic Period is a nation that pertains to a stable, historically
developed community of people with territory, economy, culture, and language
united under one government. Nationalism means love for one's country and its
people. The influx of liberal ideas from Europe with the opening of the Suez
Canal paved the way for the Nationalistic period. They planted the seeds of
nationalism to Filipinos, They shifted from Spanish to Tagalog, and addressed
the masses instead of the intelligentsia. They have many literary forms like
political essays, political novels. Revolutionary Literature has Political essays and
poetry.
American Period
The American period started in 1898 and ended in 1946. The American period
helped the Philippines tradition colorful and interesting. Their language is
colorful. Philippine literary production during the American Period in the
Philippines was spurred by two significant developments in education and
culture. A lot of Filipinos go to school and they developed education for
everyone unlike Spaniards, they're only educating the ones who have money
and riches.
Japanese Period
The Japanese Period started in 1941 and ended in 1945. The Philippine
Literature was interrupted in its development when the Philippines was again
conquered by another foreign country, Japan. Philippine literature in English was
put to a halt. During World War II, the Empire of Japan seized the
Commonwealth of the Philippines; the invasion began on December 8, 1941,
ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor and they began to conquer the
Philippines at that time. But Japan has brought their tradition to our country and
helped our country as well. It developed Haiku, Tanaga, Filipino drama, and such
Contemporary Period/ Modern Period
The contemporary period or the rebirth of freedom started in 1960 until now.
What happened during Martial law repressed and curtailed human rights
including freedom of the press then the Writers symbolisms and allegories to
drive home their message, in the face of censorship, and Theater was used as a
vehicle for protests, such as the PETA and UP theater and the writers continue
to show dynamism and innovation. It gave our country hope and others too, We
avoided war and prioritized human freedom and we also maintained our
cultures and tradition after all these wars that we suffered for so long and
finally, we are free to those foreign countries who conquered us before