Name: Sampelo, Nilzen G. Yr.& Sec.

: BSEd-Math 3A
Subject:Literary History of the Philippines

Cite the different forms and genres produces across the different periods.

Pre-Colonial Period
forms
 RIDDLE (bugtong)
 EPIGRAMS / MAXIMS / PROVERBS (SALAWIKAIN & SAWIKAIN)
 Chants
 Tanaga
 Ambahan
 Myths and Legend
Ex.The Legend of Maria Makiling
 Folk songs
 Fables
 Epics

Spanish Period
Spanish literature, the body of literary works produced in Spain. Such works fall into
three major language divisions:
-Castilian,
-Catalan, and
-Galician.
Two Classifications of Literature during the Spanish Period
1. Religious Literature
a. Pasyon- It is a narrative poem about passion and the death of Jesus Christ.
Example: Gaspar Aquino de Belen – first Filipino literary artist, whose work bore the
signs of conscious design and careful composition.
b. Senakulo- It is the re-enactment or the dramatization of the passion of Christ.
c. Komedya – drew its plot from medieval Spanish ballads about highborn warriors
and their colorful adventures of love and fame, providing Filipinos with a glimpse of an
idealized European society.
2. Secular or Non- Religious Literature
a. Awit- Tales of Chivalry (high respect of men for women). Usually portrays a knight
saving a princess or the like. Example: Florante at Laura –
b. Korido- a metrical (a piece of literature that has a measurement for aesthetic
purposes) tale. c. Prose Narratives- written to instruct readers on proper decorum.
Forms
 Spanish Religious Works
 Formative Language
 Nationalist Stage

Ex. Noli Me Tangere, Florante at Laura

Propaganda and Revolutionary Period (1864–1896)

1. Propaganda Literature- its objective is to reform.

a. Political Essays and Political Novels- are composed of satires, editorials, and
news articles that aim to attack and expose the corrupt Spanish rule.
2. Revolutionary Literature
a. Political Essays- these entries were exposes that fired up the Philippine
revolutionary movement into a time bomb waiting to explode.
Prominent Produce during the Spanish Period
1. Doctrina Christiana (1593) – first book ever published in the Philippines by the
Dominicans. Other religious congregation put up their respective presses early in the
17th century.
2. May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim - written by an anonymous author - produced by the
friar-lexicographer Francisco Blancas de San Jose - published in Memorial de la vida
Cristiana (1605) - uses turbulent nature imagery to affirm
The Propaganda Movement (1872-1896) – issues had to be clarified, abuses and
injustices denounced, accusations refuted, future actions laid out.
Examples: La Solidaridad (1889-1895) a newspaper that served as the organ that would
project the views of the movement founded.

American Period
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt - proclaimed that the “insurrection” has officially
ended on July 4, 1902.

Several laws enforced during the period:

 Sedition Law (1901)
 Brigandage Act (1902)
 Reconcentration Act (1903) 
Philippine literature burst forth with vitality and variety indicative of creative energy
unleashed by the Revolution and propelled by the vernacular languages proliferated in
spite of threatening provisions of the Sedition Law.
Among the newspapers that provided space for literary pieces were:
MulingPagsilang (1903, Tagalog)
 Ang Kaluwasan (1902, Cebuano)
Makinaugalingun (1913, Ilongo)
 Nueva Era (1908, Iloko)
The best-known magazines that capitalized on short stories and poems for patronage
were:
Liwayway (1922, Tagalog)
 Bisaya (1930, Cebuano)
 Hiligaynon (1934, Ilongo)
Bannawag (1934, Iloko)

Japanese Period
Many wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. Topics and themes were often about life in
the provinplays
Status of Fiction The field of the short story widened during the Japanese Occupation.
Status of Poetry The common theme of most poems during the Japanese occupation
was nationalism, country, love, and life in the barrios, faith, religion and the arts.

Three types of poems emerged during this period. They were:

 1. Haiku –a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It was made up of 17
syllables divided into three lines. The first line had 5 syllables, the second, 7
syllables, and the third, five. The Haiku is allegorical in meaning, is short and
covers a wide scope in meaning.
2. Tanaga –like the Haiku, is short but it had measure and rhyme. Each line had
17 syllables and it’s also allegorical in meaning.
3. KaraniwangAnyo (Usual Form) –like those mentioned earlier in the beginning
chapters of this book.

Post War Period

Ginto sa Makiling - The first Philippine Literary Work after the World War II.

Characteristics of Philippine Literature

 Romanticism
 Nationalism
 Independence
 Nature
 Expression of Feelings

Contemporary Period
THE PLAY UNDER THE NEW SOCIETY
• The government led in reviving old plays and dramas, like the Tagalog Zarzuela,
Cenaculo and the Embayoka of the Muslims which were presented in the rebuilt
Metropolitan Theater, the Folk Arts Theater and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
RADIO AND TELEVISION
• Radio continued to be patronized during this period. The play series like SI MATAR,
DAHLIA, ITO AND PALAD KO, and MR. LONELY were the forms of recreation of those
without television

FILIPINO FILMS
• A yearly Pista ng mgaPelikulng Pilipino (Yearly Filipino Film Festival) was held during
this time. During the festival which lasted usually for a month, only Filipino films were
shown in all theaters in Metro Manila.
1. MAYNILA…SA MGA KUKO NG LIWANAG written by Edgardo Reyes and filmed
under the direction of Lino Brocka. BembolRoco was the lead role.
COMICS, MAGAZINES AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS
• During this period of the New Society, newspapers donned new forms. News on
economic progress, discipline, culture, tourism and the like were favored more than the
sensationalized reporting of killings, rape and robberies.
FILIPINO POETRY
• Poems during this period of the Third Republic were romantic and revolutionary.
Writers wrote openly of their criticism against the government. The supplications of the
people were coached in fiery, colorful, violent, profane and insulting language.

FILIPINO SONGS
• Many Filipino songs dealt with themes that were really true-to-life like those of grief,
poverty, aspirations for freedom, love of God, of country and of fellowmen.
PHILIPPINE FILMS DURING THE PERIOD
• The yearly Festival of Filipino Films continued to be held during this period. The
people’s love for sex films also was unabated.

ON NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

• Newspapers which were once branded crony newspapers became instant opposition
papers overnight. This was true of BULLETIN TODAY which became the opposition
paper.

ON BOOKS
• The Philippine revolution of 1986 and the fire of its spirit that will carry the Filipinos
through another epoch in Philippine history is still being documented just as they have
been in the countless millions who participated in body and spirit in its realization.