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.

NAME: Christine
Noella Marie F. Sales
Ethnolinguistic
Group: Ilonggo

Answer all the task/s

and quiz/es and send these tasks to my email:

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 1

rcmendoza@usm.edu.ph.
Due: August 25 at 11:59PM. Late submission will not be checked and
recorded.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

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

If I could go back in time, the era where I want to visit is the Spanish colonial
period. This era was considered a tragic era in the Philippine history as the
Spaniards took every right of the Filipino people as well as, they are molesting
the women. However, despite of this I still want to visit this era because I want to
learn their language, and I want to go back in time where they are starting to
spread the Catholicism.

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.

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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).

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

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 oral literature like epics
and folksongs were chanted

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 .

Thomasites arrived, and WW2 caused scarcity of The Martial Law greatly
Filipinos begin to write paper and haiku affects the literature.
in English become popular

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 Spaniards destroyed Printing Press was Filipinos began to stage
written literature in developed the Cenaculo.
perishable materials

The three Priest – When Rizal was Captured, Treaty of Paris

Martyrs were executed Katipunan was formed

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,
our forefathers had already their own
literature, which can be described as oral
because they were handed down by word
of mouth from one generation to another.
The vagrant Negritoes contributed songs
and superstitious beliefs. They did not have
CASS-DELL | Literature  oral and
Analyze Literature
Literary Periods: Describe
the kind of literature produced
in precolonial times. Identify
also the contributions of the
Negritoes, Indons, and Malays
to the literary heritage of the
Philippines.
The Philippines already had a vi
brantof
the  written literary
Philippines 6  tr
adition long before the advent o
f the Spaniards. The superstitious 
beliefs and songs of the stray Negr
a system of government unlike the Indons
who brought literary genres or forms like
folktales, epics, paganistic faith, and
legends. The Malays contributed the
baybayin, the syllabary with seventeen
symbols. They also brought legends,
folktales, the “balangay” system of
government, and the brief statements of
practical wisdom called proverbs which are
based on long experience about life.

Puzzles that usually consist of two lines that

Culture Note
rhyme called riddles are considered as the
early forms of poetry, which is now
Riddle or bugtong abounds in
developed in various forms that usually
many ethnolinguistic groups
appear in stanzas. Early drama, now
in the Philippines. Give one
performed onstage, was in the form of example of riddle from your
paganistic rituals led by babaylan, a priest culture or group.
or priestess.
Ilonggo Riddle: Baston ni San
When the Spaniards set their feet on the
Jose, indi maisip
Philippine soil, they found out that
literature had been existing in two Answer: Ulan (Rain)
forms: prose and poetry. The riddles, proverbs Use Reading Skills
and sayings were in the form of poetry , while
the legends, fables and folktales were in Analyze Sequence of Events
prose. The conquerors destroyed written Use the Sequence Map to write
four events that occur on this
literature in perishable materials because
page of the essay. Write each
they believed that these were the handicraft
event in a complete sentence.
of evil. Later, the printing press was set up
and Doctrina Christiana was the first output
in 1593. The pasyon, which relates the life Note the Facts
and death of Christ, was used to replace
What literary genres or forms
the old epics. The most popular of this type became popular during the
was Gaspar Aquino de Belen. There also Spanish Colonial Period?
born forms of metrical romance of
European origin, namely: awit and corrido, The literary genres that became
examples of which are the Florante at Laura popular during
and Ang Alamat ng Ibong Adarna. Spanish Colonial Period are Epic,
legends, songs, riddles, and
The first printed literary work in Tagalog proverbs.
was the poem May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim
Analyze Literature
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 (1605) while the first known published
prose was in the form of letter, the Literary Periods: Name
Ang Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini authors and their literary
na sina Urbana at Feliza by Modesto de works during Spanish Colonial
Castro. Meanwhile, the first recorded epic Period.
Doctrina Christiana- Fray Juan
(only in 1889) was the Biag ni Lam-ang
de Palencia
among the Christian Ilokos. They noticed
that Filipinos were fond of plays so they Pasyon- Gaspar Aquino de
began to stage the Cenaculo, which depicts Belen
the life and passion of Christ; the Florante at Laura- Francisco
Santacruzan, which portrays Reyna Elena’s Balagtas
search for the cross where Christ died; Ang Alamat ng Ibong Adarna-
and others. Jose dela Cruz
May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim-
In 1872, the three priest-martyrs were Francisco de San Jose
executed. From then, a clamor for change Ang Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang
against Spanish abuses began to bloom.
Binibini na sina Urbana at
The event anchored the launching of the
Propaganda Movement in Spain that aimed Feliza- Modesto de Castro
to clarify issues, denounce abuses and Biag ni Lam-ang- Pedro Bucaneg
injustices, and refute accusations. Its Ninay- Pedro Paterno
newspaper La Solidaridad became the organ Noli Me Tangere- Jose Rizal
that projected the views of the group where
El
UseFilibusterismo
Reading .- JoseRizal
Skills
essay found its place. Meanwhile, in 1885,
Pedro Paterno published the first novel Dasalan at Tocsohan- Marcelo
Analyze Sequence of Events
Ninay which awakened national H. del Pilar
Use the Sequence Map to write
consciousness. It became the precedent for
five events that occur on this
Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and its sequel, the page. Write each event in a
El Filibusterismo. Marcelo H. del Pilar’s complete sentence.
Dasalan at Tocsohan is considered as his
most daring work against the friars.
Note the Facts
When Rizal was captured and exiled in
Dapitan, the Katipunan was formed with
its paper Kalayaan where Katapusang What poems were published
Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa by the Katipunan during the
Spanish Colonial Period?
Tinubuang Lupa were printed to campaign
for freedom.
Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas
and Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa.
In 1899, the Spaniards formally turned
over the Philippines under the governance
of America in conformity with the Treaty Note the Facts
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of Paris. The first group of American
teachers known as Thomasites who were What event ended Spanish
aboard a ship named Thomas, arrived and Rule in the Philippines?
brought changes to the educational system. The Spanish Rule in the
Hence, Filipino writers began writing in Philippines was ended when the
English because The Philippine Free Press Spaniards in 1899 formally
(1905) and the College Folio (UP school organ,
turned over the Philippines
1910) had been circulated.
under the governance of
America in in conformity with
The outbreak of the World War II caused the
scarcity of paper. In this period, the haiku Treaty of Paris.
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
literary period is considered
The Declaration of Martial Law in 1972 greatly 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.
The Golden Age of Filipino
literature is Japanese Colonial
Period.

AFTER READING

Name: Christine Noella Marie F. Sales Subject: LIT111A

Yr/Cr/Sec: 3 ABPhilosophy Date: August 25, 2022

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

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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

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.

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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

A 1. Literature was handed down by word of mouth.

B 2. Pre-colonial epics were changed.
B 3. First work of prose was written.
C 4. Short story flourished.
B 5. There were metrical romances.
B 6. There were religious and rebellious literatures.
C 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.

Name: Christine Noella Marie F. Sales Subject: LIT 111A

Yr/Cr/Sec: 3 ABPhilosophy Date: August 25, 2022

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.

When the Spaniards entered Philippine territory, they destroyed written books 
made of perishable materials. 
Filipinos started presenting Cenaculo after setting up a printing press. In 1872, t
he three priest martyrs were put to death. After Rizal was also abducted and sent 
to Dapitan, the Katipunan was founded with its newspaper Kalayaan. In accordan
ce with the terms of the Treaty of Paris, the Spanish officially ceded control of the 
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Philippines to the United States in 1899. As soon as the Thomasites arrived, Filipi
no writers began publishing works in English. Due to a paper shortage at the ons
et of World War II, haiku became more well-like.
Literature was also significantly impactedby the declaration of martial law in 19
72, and writers have subsequently continued to grow with it.

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.

A civilization with multiple traditions can be flexible, but it can also typically
shows weakness. Let's start by talking about the drawbacks. There will always be
disputes between traditional organizations whose members believe that their
convention or style of writing is superior to those other groups. As a result, in a
setting with mixed races, ethnic minority may experience racial prejudice.
Separation in education is another possibility. The benefit of having a variety of
traditions is that it gives you a solid foundation for understanding new
conventions and raises your awareness of particular situations.

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