REVIEWER IN 21ST CENTURY SECOND QUARTER
Graphic Literature-also called sequential
storytelling .
-literature in the form of comics.
-has also come to encompass autobiographical
narratives, nonfiction, and even poetry.
-comes in different genres, like horror, historical
fiction, romance, science fiction, etc.
Japanese Manga-an example of graphic
literature that has many followers.
-created in Japan/written in Japanese
-A famous example is the historical fiction
Rurouni Kenshin, written and illustrated by
Nobuhiro Watsuki.
Another famous manga is Death Note, written
by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi
Obata. It is a fictional story focusing on death
notes or notebooks from the underworld.
Graphic Novels-can be fiction, non-fiction,
history, fantasy, or anything in-between. Graphic
novels are similar to comic books because they
use sequential art to tell a story.
-Popular examples are Alan Moore’s V for
Vendetta and Watchmen and Neil Gaiman’s The
Sandman.
-Filipino examples include Pablo Fabregas’
Filipino Heroes League and Adam David and
Mervin Malonzo’s Ang Subersibo.
Comic Strips-periodicals released in serial format
-often short humorous or adventure stories.
-famous Filipino cartoonists include Apolonio
“Pol” Medina Jr. (Pugad Baboy) and Jess Abrera
(A. Lipin and Pinoy
The Spanish colonizers ruled the Philippines for
more than 300 years, from 1565 to 1898.
Apart from their influence on our religion and
culture, they have also greatly influenced the
literary works produced during that period.
the desire of the Filipinos to be free from Spain.
Western music, dance, art, recreation and
customs were adopted by Filipinos.
March 16, 1521 - when the Portuguese explorer
Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippine
soil.
Homonhon - an island in Eastern Samar where
Magellan landed.
Limasawa - where the first Catholic mass in the
country was celebrated.
April 14, 1521 - when Fr. Pedro Valderrama
baptized.
More valuable than gold, spices were the
leading component of ancient commerce even
before the 15th century.
Converting Filipinos to Christianity.
The Spaniards used a policy called reduccion,
which is a means of relocation of scattered
settlements to a large town. This way, Spanish
friars were able to convert natives into
Christianity.
Spanish priests believed that stories about
mythical creatures, spirits, deities, and rituals
contained works of the devil.
The parish priest was practically the only
Spaniard who had direct contact with Filipinos.
Members of the Reform Movement and wrote
for La Solidaridad:
Jose Rizal (Dimasalang/Laong Laan)
Marcelo H. del Pilar (Plaridel)
Mariano Ponce (Tikbalang/Kalipulako)
Revolutionaries and Kalayaan writers
Andres Bonifacio (May Pag-asa)
Emilio Jacinto (Dimasilaw)
Both La Solidaridad and Kalayaan contributed to
secular writings during the period and ignited
June 12, 1898 - General Emilio Aguinaldo
proclaimed the independence of the Philippines
from the Spanish colonial rule in his home in
Kawit, Cavite.
The first Filipino alphabet called baybayin was
replaced by the Roman alphabet.
Religious practices became based on the
teachings of Christian doctrine.
The Spanish language, which became the literary
language during this time, lent many of its words
to our language.
European legends and traditions brought here
became assimilated in our songs, corridos, and
moro-moros.
Ancient literature was collected and translated
to Tagalog and other dialects.
Our periodicals during the Spanish colonization
gained a religious tone.
Philippine poems during the precolonial period
It focused on religion and values, which became
instruments in spreading Christianity.
Ladino-It is a bilingual poem with religious
themes.
-It is characterized by alternating lines or verses
in Tagalog and Spanish.
In the Philippines, a book entitled Memorial de
la vida Cristiana en lengua Tagala (Guidelines for
the Christian Life in the Tagalog Language) by Fr.
Francisco Blancas de San Jose included a ladino
or bilingual complimentary poem written by
Francisco Bagongbanta known by its first line
“Salamat nang walang hanggan” (“Unending
Thanks”).
Pasyon- It is a narrative poem about the
passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Tomas Pinpin’s Librong Pagaaralan nang manga
Tagalog nang uicang Castilla (A Book for the
-It replaced the precolonial oral tradition that
the Filipino had since pasyon is recited in
churches.
-It is consists of five-line stanzas with eight
syllables per line.
-The earliest known pasyon is the Ang Mahal na
Pasión ni Jesu Christong Panginoon natin na Tola
in 1704.
Awit-This is a narrative poem that consists of 12
syllables per line and four
lines per stanza. The rhythm is slow and is
usually accompanied by a
guitar or bandurya. It expresses adoration of the
Blessed Virgin Mary and platonic and courtly
love. A famous example of an awit is
Francisco Balagtas’s Florante at Laura.
Korido-It is another narrative poem that consists
of eight syllables per line and four lines per
stanza.
-It has a faster rhythm compared to an awit.
-An example of a korido is Ibong Adarna, which
contains 1,722 stanzas and has five parts.
Dalit- It is a religious poem in honor of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
Francisco Baltazar - He is one of the famous
poets of the Spanish colonial period.
-He wrote the awit Florante at Laura, a
metaphor for the tyranny of the Spanish
colonizers.
-He is considered the master of traditional
Tagalog poetry.
Prose during the Spanish Colonial Period
The colonization of the Spaniards for more than
300 years shaped our cultural heritage. Most of
the prose written during this period were
prayers, novenas, stories about the lives of
saints, and those taken from the Bible to teach
values.
In 1593, a prayer book called the Doctrina
Christiana en lengua Española y tagala (Christian
Doctrine in the Spanish and Tagalog Languages)
Tagalog to Study the Spanish Language) was the
first published work by a Filipino and contains a
preface that is probably the first essay written by
a Filipino.
Anecdotes-These are short and amusing stories
that contain lessons in life.
Pláticas (Sermons)- These are lectures presented
by Spanish priests that dealt with religious,
biblical, and moral topics.
In 1864, Padre Modesto de Castro compiled 25
of his sermons in Pláticas Doctrinales (Sermons
on Doctrines).
Novenas- It is a series of prayers repeated for
nine consecutive days and are usually prayers for Senakulo-It portrays the life, passion, and
petition and thanksgiving.
Novels- These are long narrative stories, usually
with fictional characters and with a sequence of
events divided into chapters.
Essays- These are personal pieces of writing that
use the point of view of the writer.
One of the most important essays during the
Spanish colonial period is “Ang Dapat Mabatid
ng mga Tagalog” by Andres Bonifacio. It was
published in the newspaper Kalayaan.
Drama during the Spanish Colonial Period
Drama- is one form of literature that many
people love and enjoy.
During the precolonial period
Performances in the Philippines were in the
form of rituals.
During the Spanish regime
The rituals were replaced by drama.
During the Spanish regime
Dramas were performed to spread Christianity.
was one of the first books printed in the
Philippines.
Most dramas during the period focused on the
life of Jesus Christ.
Karagatan- It is a form of poetic contest usually
played as part of the rites held in connection
with the death of a person.
-It is based on a legend about a lady’s ring that
fell in the middle of the sea; the lady’s hand is
offered in marriage as a reward to any young
man who could retrieve the ring.
Duplo-It is another poetic contest held when a
person dies or during the wake and consists of
puns, jokes, and riddles to relieve sadness.
crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Tibag- It tells how Saint Helena, also called Santa
Elena or Reyna Elena, searched for Jesus’s cross
on Mount Calvary.
Moriones- It is a festival in celebration of the life
of Saint Longinus, a blind Roman soldier tasked
to drive a spear through Jesus to make sure he
was dead; he regained his eyesight when Jesus’s
blood touched him, and he converted to
Christianity.
Moro-moro-It is a play written about the victory
of a Christian Filipino army over Muslim forces.
In 1637, Gran Comedia de la Toma del Pueblo de
Corralat y Conquista del Cerro, written by Padre
Geronimo Perez, was the first moro-moro
performed in Manila.
Panunuluyan-It is presented before 12:00 A.M.
on Christmas Eve. It is a presentation of the
search of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an
inn where Mary can give birth to Jesus.
The Salubong (or Panubong)
-It depicts the moment when the Risen Christ
met his mother.
-It is being shown during the Easter morning.