21st Lit Finals Reviewer

Some literary genres common in the regions:

Etiological legends explain how things came to be or why things are as they are.

 the source of these legends cannot be verified because they are handed from one generation to another through
word of mouth
 Good examples of these are “The Origin of the Hundred Islands” and “Ang Alamat ng Batangas.”

Epics narrate the adventures of tribal heroes who embody the ideals and values of the tribe.

 Some of the many epics in Luzon are Biag ni Lam-ang and Ibalon.

Folktales/Folklore are narrative prose.

 These mirror the early forms of our culture, and they are traditional stories passed on from generation to
generation by word of mouth. They often include fables, riddles, proverbs, folk songs, and sometimes
superstitious beliefs.
 “Juan Tamad” is one of the most popular folktales in the country.

Myths are stories that involve gods and goddesses with divine powers.

 These explain a belief, custom, or strange natural phenomenon

 An example of this is “Why the Sky Is High.”


Luzon is the largest island group in the Philippines.

Luzon is divided into eight regions:

Ilocos Region
Cagayan Valley Region
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
National Capital Region (NCR)
Bicol Region
Central Luzon
MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and
Palawan)
CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).

The major regional languages in Luzon are:

Bikolano
Ilokano
Kapampangan
Pangasinense
Tagalog
Some ethnic groups that can be found in Luzon are:
Aetas
Igorots
Ibalois
Mangyans
Apayaos
Kalingas
Itnegs

Some of the major literary works from Luzon:

 Biag ni Lam-ang - (Ilocos Region)

”The Legend of Magat River” - (Cagayan Valley, first version)

Aliguyon - (CAR)

“Footnote to Youth” - (NCR)

Ibalon or Ibalong - (Bicol Region)

“Atin Cu Pung Singsing” - (Central Luzon)

Tagbanua Myth - (MIMAROPA)

“The Legend of Maria Makiling” - (CALABARZON)

Visayas is the smallest island group in the Philippines.

Visayas is divided into three regions:

Western Visayas

Central Visayas

Eastern Visayas

The major regional languages in the Visayas are:

Cebuano

Hiligaynon or Ilonggo

Kinaray-a

Waray

Seven main islands in the Visayas are:

Bohol

Cebu
Panay

Samar

Negros

Leyte

Masbate

Literary forms produced in the Visayas:

a. Poems are called binalaybay.

b. Stories are called asoy or sugilanon.

c. Riddles are called paktakon.

d. Proverbs are translated to hurubaton. These are usually in two lines and rhymed.

e. Lullabies are called ili-ili.

f.  Ambahan is long song alternately sung by a soloist and a chorus.

g.  Siday is a long poetic battle between two paid poets representing the two families in the pursuit of marriage.

h.  Balitaw is a love song sung by a man and a woman in a debating manner.

Some of the major literary works from Western Visayas:

Hinilawod - epic of Panay

The Fall of Polobulac - a tale from Panay

Some of the major literary works from Central Visayas:

” Sicalac and Sicavay”

” Catalina of Dumaguete”

Some of the major literary works from Eastern Visayas:

“Bowaon and Totoon” - a Waray folktale

“Si Amomongo at Si Iput-iput”

Mindanao is the second largest island group in the Philippines.

Mindanao is divided into six regions:

Davao Region
Zamboanga Peninsula
Northern Mindanao
Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat,
Sarangani and General Santos), ARMM (Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao), and Caraga Region
Major regional languages in Mindanao are:

Cebuano
Chavacano
Maguindanao
Maranao
Hiligaynon,
Surigaonon
Tausug
ETHNIC MINORITIES
Maranao
Magindanao
Ilanun
Sangil
UPLANDS
Bagobo
Bukidnon
Manadaya
Manobo
Subanon

 The region is generally inhabited by Roman Catholics. However, although Muslims are no longer a majority in the
region, Islamic culture is still evident.
 Unlike Luzon and Visayas, Mindanao was not entirely colonized by the Spaniards; only a few port cities were
under the Spanish rule.
 In general, the folk literature of Mindanao may be in prose or verse. These are of collective authorship instead
of individual authorship
Raconteurs - Every ethnic minority has a number of raconteurs or narrators who deliver a story in a creative way,
bearing two or three or more folktales. Raconteurs can be young or old, men or women.

Major literary works from Mindanao:

The Origin of Davao - (Davao Region)
Ag Tobig Nog Keboklagan - (Zamboanga Peninsula)
How Cagayan de Oro Got Its Name - (Northern Mindanao)
Ulahingan - (SOCCSKSARGEN)
The Maguindanao Tale of the Faithful Wife - (ARMM)
Tulalang - (Caraga Region)
 1. Most of the Mindanao region was colonized by the Spaniards. FALSE – Mindanao was not entirely colonized
by the Spaniards.
2. The Bagobo, Bukidnon, and Manobo tribes are considered as part of the Moro people. FALSE - Maranao,
Magindanao, Ilanun, and Sangil are ethnic minorities found in Mindanao also referred as the Moro people.
3. Most of Mindanao literature was written by many people. TRUE (Literature of Mindanao are of collective
authorship instead of individual authorship)
4. The raconteurs can be anyone from the tribe; there is no age nor gender requirement. TRUE (Raconteurs
can be young or old, men or women.)
5. The story of Tulalang originated from the SOCCSKSARGEN region. FALSE – Tulalang originated from Caraga
Region.

Literature during the Ancient Period (800 BC–500 AD)

 Literature created in the ancient period (800 BC–500 AD) was mostly influenced by Greco-Roman culture
 The intellectual and philosophical studies made by the Greeks and the Romans are the foundation of European
literature.
Major kinds of literature introduced by Greeks:
Tragedy, Comedy, Epic, History, Biography, Prose, Narrative, Lyric, Satire
 The earliest forms of these literature were oral in nature. The Romans also adapted the literary forms the Greeks
produced.
 Oral epics became material for Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. A common theme in Homer’s two epics is the
quest for glory that is earned through a heroic battle. The Greeks called this kleos, which means “renown” or
“glory.”

Literature during the Medieval Period (500-1500 AD)

 This period marked the emergence of three dominant cultures: Christianity, Islam, and the Germanic invaders.
The literary forms dominant in this period are:
Hymns, Epic poems, Elegies, Ballads, Narrative poems
Medieval literature is anchored on the following characteristics:
a. It is focused on different religious beliefs. Religious values were not universal, and some traditions were in
direct conflict with one another.
b. It was concerned with the lives of the commoners in comparison to their feuding lords. Literature during
this period was often associated with war and the life of commoners who experienced suffering due to their
lords’ feuds.
c. It shows the lives of aristocracy. Since the Middle Ages is a time when feudal lords were showcasing their
powers through their armies, literature during this period showed the lives of aristocrats and knights.
d. It shows the inconsistencies of chivalry, problematizing personal bravery versus group needs, and the
individual working out his or her destiny.
Examples of medieval literature:
Beowulf, the hero of the story, was described as having a hand grip equivalent to the strength of 30 men, which
enabled him to slay monsters. Beowulf exhibited brutality, a common characteristic of its time when raids and
bloody battles between tribes are a part of life. The characters of Beowulf are pagans because it was set in fifth-
century Scandinavia, a place that includes Sweden and Denmark. It was told orally by eighth-century Anglo-Saxons
until it was written down in the 12th century by an unknown English poet. By the time Beowulf was written down,
Christianity was widespread because of the Norman Conquest.
La Chanson de Roland (translated as The Song of Roland) is an Old French epic poem. The probable author of the
poem was Turold, a Norman poet whose name was introduced in the poem’s last line. The themes of medieval epics
center on deeds of heroic figures. La Chanson de Roland is considered the earliest and greatest chanson de geste or
French heroic poem.
Nibelungenlied (translated as The Song of the Nibelungs) was a German epic poem, probably written in Austria
during the early 13th century. It has themes of murder and revenge.
 Literature during the Ancient and Middle Ages is considered the foundation of the disciplines and philosophy of
the modern world. The cultural influences of different European nations shaped the form and development of
literature.

Renaissance Literature (1300-1600)

 The Renaissance period (1300–1600) was marked by the rebirth of the Greco-Roman literary tradition.
 Classical scholars, known as humanists, revived, and translated ancient texts. The humanists also used the Greek
and Latin classics, along with traditional Christian thought, to teach people about human life.
 Humanism, a philosophical movement that placed a renewed focus on the human and his or her potential, was
prevalent among the intellectuals.
 The social divide caused by the feudal mode of living came to an unforeseen halt during this time and made the
middle-class hopeful of what they could make of themselves.
 It was the time of optimism, for they believed that life was improving for the first time.
 During the English Renaissance, one of the greatest struggles of artists and writers was the need to earn and
sustain themselves through their craft. Talented and creative individuals sustained themselves through the
system of patronage.
 Patrons were people who lavished money and attention on artists who cater to their taste.
 The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440, is the greatest innovation of the Renaissance era,
which resulted in a more cost- and time-efficient production of literature.
 Gradually, the oral tradition faded.

The Age of Enlightenment (1600–1800)

 The Age of Enlightenment (1600–1800) was a byproduct of the Renaissance that birthed humanism .
 Thinking that they could be whatever they wanted to be, people paved the way toward scientific and industrial
progress.
 This period could be summed up as the celebration of different ideas.
 Upheavals such as the French Revolution were results of the people’s idea that collectively the public can create
change. Bloodshed in the French Revolution along with other upheavals that made people reevaluate their ideas,
and which eventually led to the end of the Enlightenment period.
Literature during the Renaissance and Enlightenment Period
Much Ado about Nothing - one of Shakespeare’s best comedies and was probably written between 1598 and 1599.
First printed as a quarto or a booklet in 1600 and reprinted in 1623 as a part of Shakespeare’s first folio. This play
infused humor in serious topics like honor, shame, and court politics. This epic stood out among its predecessors
because it was not about martial heroism. For Milton, it was all about spiritual heroism or Christian heroism.
Paradise Lost was characterized as an epic poem about patience because if only Adam and Eve were patient enough,
they would not have been thrown out of paradise.
Paradise Lost - an epic poem about the Fall of Man, where John Milton, the writer, made Adam, Eve, Satan, and God
his characters. Milton introduced predestination, a belief that going to heaven is not achieved through good works
or other things, but rather, it is decided before you were born.
Gulliver’s Travels - In this novel by Jonathan Swift, Gulliver traveled on four separate voyages and encountered
different types of societies each time. Each journey is a metaphor for different aspects of British society that the
author wanted to criticize.
 The emergence of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment became the foundation of seeing literature in
an intellectual perspective.
Romanticism (1800–1850)
 Romanticism uplifts the characters from humble backgrounds or the common man and places importance on
imagination and emotion.
 Romanticism beautifies the ugly
 The works of early Romantics were seen as absurd and fantastic. It was the next generation of romantics who
will prove creativity and imagination can blend well with reality and composure.
 Poetry was prevalent during this time.
 It focused more on the individuality of a person more than society. Poetry during the Romantic period focused
more on feelings as the central idea and experience as it is considered as “the language of the heart.”
 Poems during this time showed more of the individual’s innermost thoughts, dreams, and aspirations.

Realism (late 1800s–early 1900s)

 Realism, in contrast with romanticism, was the representation of reality.
 Realism presents the truth with all its flaws.
 Strives to present things as accurate and with the least subjectivity as possible. It greatly focused on the fidelity
to facts.
 Realism draws on the commonplace and the daily struggles of the common man.
 It focuses on documenting the real events and issues that happen to ordinary people. It also makes people
realize that ordinary life could also be meaningful.
 It still thrives today because people want to know about the lives of characters who are relatable and realistic.
Literature during the Romanticism and Realism Period:
Debit and Credit This German novel by Gustav Freytag was translated into almost all of the European languages. The
novel celebrates the different values and interactions among three groups of people in the modern industrial age. It
also tackles the great problem during that time: the conflicts and contradictions in social life during the modern
industrial period.
The World Is Too Much with Us Romanticism is characterized by the appreciation of nature, and this was presented
by William Wordsworth in this poem. He wrote against the consumerism that came with the industrial revolution
during his time because earning and spending made people insensitive to the beauty of nature.
 During the 18th century, the focus of individuals has shifted from rationalism to a focus on feelings and reality.
This shift gave rise to a change in the themes of literary texts during this period.

Modernism (early 1900s–1965)

 The 20th and 21st centuries started the pursuit of a change in the way people see the world. They became more
open to the importance of social issues and used literature to express their world view.
 Modernism began in the early 20th century through roughly 1965. This period was marked by sudden changes in
man’s perspective of the world.
 Modernism also challenged the prevailing order during its time and focused on experimentation while self-
consciously breaking away from traditional forms.
 The 20th century brought about a cultural movement that not only questioned tradition but also suggested that
knowledge, in fact, is constantly shifting and changeable depending on who views it.
The literary techniques that were invented during the period are:
Imagism - refers to the literary movement that focused on clarity and conciseness by using specific images
Stream of consciousness - a technique in which a character’s thoughts and feelings are written in an uninterrupted
flow, for example, foregoing literary devices such as description and dialogue
An unreliable narrator - a technique in point of view in which the speaker may or may not know that his or her
version of events is not entirely true
Postmodernism (1965–Present)
 Postmodernism shows a crisis of identity of the human being in ethnicity and sexuality, as well as the struggle for
social and cultural acceptance in a hypocritical society.
 Postmodern literary work does not pretend to be new and original; rather, it juxtaposes the old and the new to
contextualize it in the readers’ minds
Characteristics of postmodern texts include:
a. use of paradox or self-contradictory statement.
b. use of fragmentation or incompleteness whether in form or in content; and
c. the unreliable narrator.
 Postmodern writers tended to avoid “neat” endings and championed chance over craft.
 Some of the literary techniques frequently used during this time were pastiche and metafiction.