1. Design a matrix (table) showing an overview of Phil.

Lit in English (this serves as your

summary for this week’s topic, see the column topic in the syllabus). Include a column
for your reference in your own matrix.

a. Explain the role of literature in understanding the uniqueness of the Filipinos;

Overview: Philippine Literature in English

Role of Literature Essence and Functions Main Divisions Filipino Literary Pieces
Writers

The role of literature is The essence and functions Spanish Colonial Jose Rizal Noli Me Tangere
when a writer expresses of the Philippine Period in Philippine
themselves through their Literature in English will Literature. José Protacio This novel is all
writing. It can really Rizal Mercado about the
be all about how Filipinos
encompass their choice of This means that this y Alonso injustices and
words, and by reading use the English Language Realonda is the abuses suffered by
is the era where the
this kind of writings, it in unique ways by
Philippines was complete name Filipinos under
would help us to showing their culture, of Jose Rizal. Spanish colonial
under the control of
understand how Filipinos history and diverse He’s the author rule. The title is in
live, or what they believe the Spanish, which of one of the Latin and translates
experiences. Also the
in, and how Filipinos lasted for more than most famous to "Touch Me
Philippine Literature in
faced challenges during three centuries. novels. Not." The novel
English helps in
those eras. Because of this, the follows the
preserving the cultural character of
Philippines was
heritage of the Filipino Crisostomo Ibarra
influenced by
people. It captures the as he seeks reforms
various aspects of
essence of Filipino and exposes the
Philippines society, corruption and
identity, reflecting the
and that includes our oppression of the
values, customs, and
culture, religions, Spanish friars and
traditions.
politics, and lastly colonial
But above all, it is a form authorities.
the literature.
of artistic expressions,
allowing writers to
creatively convey
emotions, as well as use
their works to shed light
on societal challenges,
inequalities, and the pulse
of Filipino society.

Jose Rizal "El Filibusterismo"

Jose Rizal is "El Filibusterismo"

also the one continues the story
who wrote the of Crisostomo
“El Ibarra, who returns
Filibusterismo as the wealthy and
”. It is a sequel mysterious
to the “Noli Simoun. The novel
Me Tangere” delves into themes
 novel. of revolution,
societal issues, and
the consequences
of colonial abuse.

Modesto de “Urbana at Felisa"

Castro
This is known as
Modesto de one of the notable
Castro is the works in Philippine
one who wrote Literature. It
the "Urbana at consists of letters
Felisa". and advice written
in the 19th century.
This is intended for
those Filipino
women to be
educated about the
proper conduct and
values during the
period.

b. Differentiate the varied types of literary genres

Actually there’s a lot of literary genres in Philippines Literature but we will be focusing
on five genres which are Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama and lastly is Prose. Each of these
genres are important since it offers different ways to tell stories and explore new ideas. All the
genres of literature convey a story in one way or another. Works of literature are further divided
into classifications based on the type of story, the storytelling devices, the devices, elements,
style, and tone that they employ. These classifications are the literary genres, which generally tell
the audience what to expect from a piece of literature.

Literary Genres Importance Notable Examples

Fiction

This genre is all about the
author’s imaginative or
invented stories, they are
likely to imagine things rather
than being based on real
events or facts.
This will help entertain, and
let them have imaginations
and it will also allow people
to explore diverse worlds,
characters, as well as to have
their own experience beyond
their own understanding.
One example of fiction is
“Noli Me Tangere’ by Jose
Rizal. It’s a famous novel that
explores social issues and
injustices during the Spanish
colonial period in the
Philippines.

Poetry

This genre is known for its
distinctive use of language,
rhythm, sound and some
emotions.
This is important because it
helps to capture the audience
as well as it conveys
emotions, thought and it also
provides some inspiration and
insight.
Florante at Laura is one
example of poetry. The author
of this is Francisco Balagtas.
This is known as one of the
masterpieces of Philippine
literature. Balagtas wrote this
work during the Spanish
 colonial period, and it is
known for its intricate use of
language, vivid imagery, and
exploration of themes such as
love, honor, and patriotism.

Non Fiction

This genre is all about
presenting some factual
information, like real events
and accurate details. It aims to
inform, explain as well as to
persuade. Non-Fiction can
also be essays, biographies,
reports or some articles.
This will help provide real
and reliable information that
also helps the reader to gain
some insights and they can
also make informed decisions
based on facts.
"A Nation Aborted: Rizal,
American Hegemony, and
Philippine Nationalism” by
Floro C. Quibuyen is a
biographical work that
explores the life and influence
of Jose Rizal in the context of
Philippine history.

Drama

This genre is all about
storytelling through dialogue
and performance and it is also
presented on a stage.
This is important because the
audience would feel that it’s
real because of the acting of
each character. It’s like the
stories would bring to life
through the performance that
allows the audience to
connect with the characters.
"Smaller and Smaller Circles"
by F.H. Batacan”. It’s all
about a contemporary crime
novel that explores forensic
investigation and social issues
in modern-day Manila.

Prose

This genre is written or This is important because it "Orosman at Zafira" by

spoken language in its will serve as communication Francisco Balagtas” It’s a
ordinary form, without in written form, that will also zarzuela, or poetic drama,
metrical structure.Prose allow a clear and written during the Spanish
typically follows natural straightforward expression of colonial period, depicting
speech patterns and is ideas, and have new ideas. love, betrayal, and conflict in
characterized by paragraphs Mindanao.
and sentences.

References:
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8XU28AbpiI&list=PLu7rJNb7F_iH-
Tx9bG8bZy6ftwR1asHv-&index=2
● https://www.slideshare.net/VenusCarbonel/philippine-literature-during-spanish-
colonization
● https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
364309349_Research_on_Philippine_Literature_Foundation_of_Literature_in_the_Phil
ippines
● https://naturalismavrotor.blogspot.com/2017/02/philippine-literature-pride-of.html
● https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/literary-genres
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da_fdacuLmc
 2. Write a One- page Summary of the Chosen Text/One Story from the period.

c. Write a summary of a chosen literary text during the Spanish era and the contribution of
outstanding Filipino Writers of the period.

Chosen Literary Text: "Noli Me Tangere" by Jose Rizal

(Summary)

"Noli Me Tangere" is a novel written by the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, during

the Spanish colonial era. It is one of the most famous novels in the Philippines. The title,

translated as "Touch Me Not," So this novel is all about the life of Crisostomo Ibarra, he is a

young Filipino idealist and he returns to the Philippines after studying in Europe. The story

unfolds in the fictional town of San Diego, portraying the injustices, corruption, and abuses

committed by the Spanish authorities.

This novel talks about the Philippine society during those times and it also exposes the

corruption, inequality, and oppression faced by the Filipino people. It tackles issues such as

abuses within the Church, and the oppressive Spanish rule. Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" serves as a

powerful way for the filipino people to be awakened, and urge them to seek reforms and fight for

their rights.

Overall, this novel is sad but it also talks about the reality because it portrays the harsh

injustices, personal tragedies and oppression faced by the Filipino people under Spanish colonial

rule. The character’s here endure betrayals, loss and and the unfulfilled aspirations for positive

change. The novel reflects the harsh realities of the time, eliciting empathy and sadness from

readers.
Contribution of Outstanding Filipino Writers of the Period:

JOSE RIZAL

Jose Rizal is a national hero and he is the one who wrote the “Noli Me Tangere” and “El

Filibusterismo”. He’s advocating for social and political reforms through his literary works that

inspired the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule.

MARCELO H. DEL PILAR

Marcelo H. del Pilar is known as a writer, journalist and revolutionary. He co-edited the

newspaper "La Solidaridad," which served as a platform for Filipino intellectuals to express their

ideas and push for reforms.

GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA

Graciano Lopez Jaena is a co-founder of "La Solidaridad" and a writer known for his

satire and eloquent speeches. He used his writings to advocate for the rights of Filipinos and

expose the abuses of the Spanish authorities.

There’s a lot of Filipino writers who contributed during the Spanish era but I only

discussed three of them. So these remarkable Filipino writers from the Spanish era played an

important role in inspiring a strong desire for independence and social justice, laying the

foundation for the Philippine Revolution and the search for a distinct national identity through

their intellectual contributions.