I.Exploring Philippine Literary Forms, Genres, Elements,
Elements of Plot:
and Traditions
Literature=comes from the Latin word “littera” which
means a letter of alphabet.
 Can be written or oral form
Literary text- is the product of written literature.
Characteristics of literary text:
1.it narrates a story
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;
3.it delivers significant information and crosses boundaries
of time, places, cultures and languages.
Literary structure- the organizational method used in
literature .
-not only limited to content and form but this may also
refer to the general features or characteristics of genre.
Genre- refers to the forms of literature. The general one
are oral and written. The main types are prose and poetry.
Literary elements- refers to a particular identifiable
characteristics of a whole text. Common elements: setting,
character, conflict, theme, point of view and plot.
a.
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action,
resolution(denouement)
b. Essential elements of poetry
Form, imagery, rhythm, and sound
Tradition- refers to the specific traits of literary works that
define a generation or period in history.
Literary tradition- a collection of works that have an
underlying interconnectedness and coherence that makes
them more than simply a group of works sharing
geography.
An Overview of Philippine Literature
Philippine literature can be divided into three most
important periods: pre-colonial, colonial, and post
colonial.
II.Philippine Literature during Pre-colonial Period
Literature during this period maybe classified into three
groups: folk speech, folk songs and folk narratives such as
riddles, proverbs, myths, legends, fables, and hero tales.
Proverb (Salawikain)- brief expressions that serve as a norm
which are commonly uttered by elders based on their
everyday experiences to encourage positive behaviors
among young people.
 Damiana L. Eugenio- considered as “ Mother of
Philippine Folklore”
 She classified proverbs into 6 categories:
(a) proverbs expressing a general attitude
(b) Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and
condemning certain vices;
(c) Proverbs expressing a system of values
(d) Proverbs expressing general truths and observation
about life and human nature
(e) Humurous proverbs
(f) Miscellaneous proverbs

III. Philippine Literature during the Colonial Period

IV. Philippine Literature during the Post-Colonial Period