INTRODUCTION TO

PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE
OBJECTIVES OF THE LESSON
• 1. identify literature and its various genres, forms, elements, and traditions;
• 2. differentiate/compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres
and the ones from the earlier genres/periods citing their elements, structures
and traditions;
• 3. recognize the various influences that affect the type of literature produced
in the Philippines; and
• 4. express appreciation of literature by identifying its benefits through
composition writing.
LITERATURE is derived from the Latin word
"littera" which means "a letter of the alphabet".
According to the website Britannica, literature is
traditionally defined as body of written works
associated to imaginative and creative works of
poetry and prose and can be classified according
to variety of systems such as language, national
origin, historical period, genre and subject
matter.
Literature can either be in oral or written form.
❖The oral literature handed down from one generation to another, then
later on transformed into written form.
❖The products of written literature are called literary text.
❖ A text can be considered literary if it has the elements of

psychological characterization and

chronology.
❖Also, literature uses literary devices such as metaphor and

symbolism.
❖Reading for entertainment and learning is the
most common reason why people read literature.
the best way to describe the characteristics of literary text is
that
(1) it narrates astory;
(2) it expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas
which can either be based from the imagination or real life
experiences of the author or other people; and
significant information and
(3) it delivers

crosses boundaries of time, places, cultures and

languages.
Literary structure refers to the organizational method used in
literature in which the most common type is the narrative. Parts of

the narrative structure (or plot) are the exposition, rising

action, climax, falling action, and resolution
(denouement).
In a much broader context, literary structure is not only limited to content
"the general features or
and form but this may also refer to

characteristic of genre, style, a specific

literary trend, literature as an art form, and
finally, art as a whole“(The Great Soviet Encyclopedia).
For Murphy (n.d.), literary structure may involve arrangement of
to purpose, style, and
various elements according

genre to effectively convey the intended

meaning for the audience.
 Two Major Forms of Literature
Poetry. This literary type is usually written in lines and is characterized
by having the element of rhythm, sound, imagery, and

form. Its main purpose is to express feelings, thoughts,

and ideas.
three types:
1.Narrative Poetry. This poetry tells a story and has the
elements of a narrative such as characters, setting, conflict, etc.
2.Dramatic Poetry. This is an emotionally appealing drama
written in verse that tells a story and is intended to be recited or sung in
front of the audience by a character speaking in poetry.
3.Lyric Poetry . It is the most common type of poetry that focuses
on expressing feelings rather than telling a story.
Prose. In contrast to poetry, this literary piece applies a natural flow
of speech and grammatical structures which are mainly consisting of
complete sentences arranged logically and sequentially in a paragraph
form.
a.Fiction. This serves as a product of the writer's wild imagination and
creative thinking where the characters react to the conflict and various
issues central to the main idea of a literary work. Its three types are:
short story, novel, and novella. The main genres are
crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, western, inspirational, historical
fiction and horror.
b.Non-fiction. These are stories inspired by real events where the
writers aim to present, interpret, or describe experiences based on facts.
The judgments, opinions, and commentaries of the writers may be
essays, journals, diaries,
presented in the form of
feature articles, editorials, and the like.
Some Examples of Major Forms of Literature
Genre refers to the forms of literature. It is defined in the curriculum
guide as something that “may be determined by literary technique, tone,
content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. The most general genres in
literature are (in loose chronological order)epic, tragedy,
comedy, and creative nonfiction. They can all be in the
form of prose or poetry. Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory

or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a sub-genre,

but as a mixture of genres.
general cultural movement
Finally, they are defined by the

of the historical period in which they were

composed.
Literary elements refer “to particular identifiable characteristics
of a whole text.
elements of a story
❑ Settings
❑ Characters
❑ Conflict
❑ Theme
❑ Point of view
❑ plot
elements of a poetry
❑ Form
❑ Imagery
❑ Rhythm
❑ Sound
"Traditions" refers to the specific traits of literary works that
define a generation or period in history. A literary tradition “is a
collection of works that have an underlying interconnectedness and
coherence that makes them more than simply a group of works sharing
geography or group.
Read and identify the elements in the story
❖ PRE-COLONIZATION (BC-1564)
❑ Oral and Written literature were present-alphabet that our Malayan
ancestor used.
❑ Written literary forms did not last because of the materials used:
a) Leaves
b) Bamboo canes
c) Ground
❑ Oral literature continued by word of mouth like:
a. Riddles
b. Proverbs
c. Folksongs and folktales
d. Myths and legends
❑ Contents of the literary forms: the way our ancestors lived during
the early days and how they earned their livelihood
❑ Example: Magtanim ay Di Biro (Planting rice is never Fun)
❖SPANISH COLONIZATION (1565-1863)
❑Paved the way for the use of paper, so WRITTEN LITERATURE in the
Philippines was born.
❑Use of religion as content
❑The first Filipino alphabet ALIBATA was replaced by the Roman
Alphabet.
❑European legends and traditions: songs, corridos, and moro-
moros.
❑Folk songs manifest the artistic feelings of the Filipinos and show their
appreciation for and love of beauty.
❑Examples: Leron-leron Sinta, Pamulinawen,Dandansoy,
Sarong Banggi and Atin CU Pung Singsing
❑Recreational plays: Cenaculo,panunuluyan,salubong and
Zarsuela
❖PERIOD OF ENLIGHTENMENT (1872 -1896)
❑Filipino intellectuals educated in Europe called Ilustrados began to write
about the hitch of colonization
❑Propaganda movement spearheaded by the middle-class
intellectuals like Jose Rizal,Marcelo Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez
Jaena,Antonio Luna,Mariano Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban and Pedro
Paterno
❑Rizal’s Writings: Noli Me Tangere,Mi Ultimo Adios,Sobre La Indolencia
Delos Filipinos and Filipinos Dentro De Cien Años
❑Del Pilars Writings: Pag ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love of Country),
Kaingat Kayo ( Be Careful) and Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayers and Jokes)
❑Some of Jaena’s Writings: Ang Fray Botod,La Hija del Fraile (the Child of
the Friar) and Everything is Hambug (Everything is mere show), Sa mga
Filipino..1891 and Talumpating Pagunita Kay Kolumbus (An Oration to
Commemorate Columbus)
❖ THE AMERICAN REGIME (1898-1944)
❑Americans influenced Filipinos to write using English language. Jose Garcia
Villa became famous for his free verse
❑The languages used: Spanish and Tagalog and the dialects of the
different regions.
❑Tagalog writer continued in their lamentations on the conditions of the country and
their attempts to arouse love for one’s native togue
❑Writers in English imitated the themes and methods of the Americans
The Japanese Period (1941-1945)
❑ Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when another
foreign country, Japan.
❑ Philippine literature in English came to a halt. This led to all
newspapers not to be circulated in the community except for
Tribune and Philippine Review.
❑ Filipino poetry during this period was focused on themes on
nationalism, country, love, and life in the barrios, faith, religion, and
the arts.
❑ Three types of poems emerged during this period:
a. Haiku, a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It was made
up of 17 syllables divided into three lines.
b. Tanaga, like the haiku, is short, but it had measure and rhyme.
c. Karaniwang Anyo is usual and common form of poetry.
Philippine Literature in English (1941-1945)
❑ Because of the strict prohibitions imposed by the Japanese in the
writing and publishing of works in English, Philippine
literature in English experienced a dark period. For
the first twenty years, many books were published both in Filipino
and in English.

❑ In the New Filipino Literature, Philippine literature in Tagalog was

revived during this period. Most themes in the writings dealt with
Japanese brutalities, the poverty of life under the
Japanese government, and the brave guerilla
exploits.
Period of Activism (1970-1972)
❑According to Ponciano Pineda, youth activism in 1970-72 was due
to domestic and worldwide causes. Because of the ills of society,
the youth moved to seek reforms. The youth became vocal with their
sentiments. They demanded a change in the government. It was
manifested in the bloody demonstrations and the sidewalk
expressions and also in literature.
Period of the New Society (1972- 1980)
❑started on September 21, 1972.

❑The Carlos Palanca Awards continued to give annual awards.

❑Poems dealt with patience, regard for native culture, customs, and
the beauties of nature and surroundings.

❑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.

❑Filipinos before were hooked in reading magazines and comics.

Period of the Third Republic (1981-1985)
❑ After ten years of military rule and some changes in the life of the
Filipino, which started under the New Society, Martial Rule was at
last lifted on January 2, 1981.

❑ The Philippines became a new nation, and this, former President

Marcos called ―The New Republic of the Philippines.

❑ Poems during this period of the Third Republic were romantic

and revolutionary.
❑ Many Filipino songs dealt with themes that were true-to-life like those
of grief, poverty, aspirations for freedom, love of God, of
country and fellowmen.
Post EDSA 1 Revolution (1986-1995)
❑ History took another twist. Once more, the Filipino people regained
their independence, which they lost twenty years ago. In four days
from February 21-25, 1986, the so-called People Power (Lakas ng
Bayan) prevailed.

❑ In the short span of the existence of the real Republic of the

Philippines, several changes already became evident. It was noticed
in the new Filipino songs, newspapers, speeches, and even in the
television programs. The now crony newspapers that enjoyed an
overnight increase in circulation were The Inquirer, Malaya,
and The People‘s Journal.
21st Century Period

❑ New trends have been used and introduced to meet the needs and
tastes of the new generation.
❑ 21st Century learners are demanded to be ICT inclined to compete
with the style and format of writing as well. New codes or lingos are
used to add flavor in the literary pieces produced nowadays.
❑ Contemporary Forms of Literature:
o With the advancement of technology, contemporary forms of
literature have emerged. The use of the internet as medium
emerged different literary types and medium of sharing and
reading literature.
❑ Hyperpoetry – presents poems linked through hyperlinks.
❑ Blog – is a website created for users to upload user-made
articles or posts.
❑ Textula – is a poem produced and shared using mobile phones.
It traces its origins to the traditional tagalog form of poetry
called tanga. It consists of 4 lines with 7 syllables.
Rhyme Schemes
o The Basic or AAA Rhyme Scheme
o The Enclosed or ABBA Rhyme Scheme (a.k.a. inipit in Filipino)
o The Alternate or ABAB Rhyme Scheme (a.k.a. salitan in Filipino)
o AABB Rhyme Scheme (a.k.a. sunuran in Filipino)

❑ Chick Lit – is a fiction which talks about women and their struggles
in modern times.

❑ Flash fiction – is a very short story that can be read in one- sitting.