Introduction to

Philippine
Folklore

What is Filipino Folklore?

 OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, you must:
– identify the meaning of folklore;
– differentiate the types of folklore; and
– distinguish the types of characters in a
narrative.
 Dr. Damiana Eugenio

• A renowned Filipina
folklorist
• She says that there is still
no collectively accepted
meaning of the word
“folklore”
 FOLKLORE
Folklore is oral history that is preserved by the
people of the culture, consisting of traditions
belonging to a specific culture. These traditions
usually include music, stories, history, legends, and
myths. Folklore is passed down from generation to
generation and is kept active by the people in the
culture.
TYPES OF PHILIPPINE
FOLKLORE

Philippine folklore come in five

major types.
 1. MYTHS AND LEGENDS
– A myth is a traditional story that explains the beliefs of
a people about the natural and human world. The
main characters in myths are usually gods or
supernatural heroes.
– A legend is a traditional story about the past. The main
characters are usually kings or heroes. It is also the
explanation about the origin of things.
EXAMPLES OF MYTH AND
LEGEND
 2. FABLES
– A fable is a short story that teaches a lesson or conveys a
moral.
– Fables are closely associated with fairy tales.
– Fables often use animals as the main characters. They are
presented with anthropomorphic characteristics, such as
the ability to speak and to reason.
EXAMPLES OF FABLES
3. TALES OF SUPERNATURAL
– If you enjoy a good story about vampires,
witches, werewolves, or ghosts, you like reading
about the supernatural — forces, beings, and
events that are beyond what can be explained by
nature. Supernatural comes from the Latin word
supernaturalis, meaning beyond nature.
EXAMPLES OF TALES OF
SUPERNATURAL
4. HEROIC TALES (EPIC)
– a story of an adventure
– a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting
the deeds of a legendary or historical hero
EXAMPLES OF HEROIC
TALES
 5. TALES OF LAUGHTER
– This fun collection of stories from around the
world will make children of all ages smile and
chuckle.
– The best of tales of laughter is the Aesop’s Fable.
EXAMPLES OF TALES OF
LAUGHTER
CHARACTERISTICS
OF FOLKLORE
Folklores possess all of the
characteristics that may follow.
1.They are generally part of the oral tradition of
a group.
2.They are more frequently told than read.
3.They are handed down from one generation
to another.
4.They take on the characteristics of the time
and place in which they are told.
5.Sometimes they take on the personality of
the storyteller.
6. They speak about universal and timeless
themes.
7. They try to make sense of our existence, help
humans cope with the world in which they live,
or explain the origin of something.
8. They are often about the common person.
9. They may contain supernatural elements.
10. They function to validate certain aspects of
culture.
THE CHARACTERS IN
A NARRATIVE

There are 5 types of

Characters in a narrative
 1. DYNAMIC CHARACTER

– A dynamic character is one who goes

through some sort of change; they show
character development.
EXAMPLES OF DYNAMIC
CHARACTER
 2. ROUND CHARACTER
– a round character is a significant player who is often the
star of the story.
– This type of character encounters conflict and is changed
by it.
– A round character can be static (remaining the same
throughout the story) or dynamic (changes as a result of
the story).
EXAMPLES OF ROUND
CHARACTER
 3. FLAT OR STATIC
CHARACTERS
– A flat or static character is a type of character in
fiction that does not change too much from the
start of the narrative to its end.
EXAMPLES OF FLAT OR STATIC
CHARACTER
 4. PROTAGONIST

– A protagonist is the central character or leading

figure in poetry, narrative, novel or any other
story. A protagonist is sometimes a “hero” to the
audience or readers.
– Must possess a round character.
EXAMPLES OF PROTAGONIST
 5. ANTAGONIST

– The antagonist is the primary opponent of the

protagonist, and the biggest obstacle standing
between the main character and their goal. This
term also derives from Greek: anti, meaning
“against,” and agonist, meaning actor.
EXAMPLES OF ANTAGONIST
LET’S CHECK YOUR
UNDERSTANDING
 WHY DO WE STUDY
PHILIPPINE FOLKLORE?
WHAT ARE THE 5 TYPES
OF PHILIPPINE
FOLKLORE?
Myths and Legends Heroic Tales
Fables Tales of Laughter
Tales of the
Supernatural
WHAT ARE THE 5 TYPES
OF CHARACTERS IN
NARRATIVE?
Dynamic Protagonist
Rounded Antagonist
Flat or Static
 ASSIGNMENT
Give 5 examples of each of the 5
types of characters in narrative.
Describe each of the characters and
explain why they are that type of
character.

Do this on MS Word and pass it

on your Genyo account.