LESSON 4: JAPANESE

ERA LITERATURE
JAPANESE ERA
LITERATURE
JAPANESE ERA LITERATURE
The Japanese has invaded the Philippines in the 8th of
December, 1942. The Japanese forces landed on
Lingayen Gulf. Clark Air Base and Nichols Field were
some of the first landmarks that the Japanese attacked.
The Japanese occupied Manila on the 2nd of January
1942.
JAPANESE ERA LITERATURE
Philippine literature delivered in English were halted
by the reigning colonizers. Newspapers, with the
exception of Tribune and the Philippine Review,
Pillars, Free Philippines and Filipina, almost all
newspaper in English have been ordered by the
Japanese to stop its operations.
JAPANESE ERA LITERATURE
Freedom of speech was unknown during this regime.
This censorship has brought only a few literary works
printed. Thus, Philippine Literature has halted.
JAPANESE ERA LITERATURE
However, with their influence, they have instilled and
reinforced the importance of loving one’s motherland. It
was believed that this colonization gave rise to the golden
years of short stories. The use of the English language was
prohibited during this era so the use of Tagalog in
communicating and writing was made mandatory, due to
the orders of the Japanese.
JAPANESE ERA LITERATURE
Gonzales (1982) has described short stories written in
this era as “commonly with a nationalistic voice but at
the same time careful not let the colonizers know.” In
addition, writers have emphasized the life during the
regime, the sadness and the suffering.
JAPANESE ERA LITERATURE
Nicasio (1972) described some of the works depicting
the urban life during that time: the scarcity in basic
necessities and even common decencies. Some works
even tell the lives of people in the provinces, the
guerrilla, the Huk and others.
SHORT STORIES
Liwayway, which was under the Japanese
management (Manila Simbun-sya) is the magazine
that recognized the brilliant minds behind literary
works of the era. Writers like Antonio B.L., Rosales
and Clodualdo del Mundo have used this as an
instrument to convey their desires to other writers.
SHORT STORIES
Together with Jose Esperanza Cruz, Agustin Fabian,
Arsenia Afan, Francisco Icasiano, Buenaventura
Medina and Teodorcio Santos, Rosales and del Mundo
aided in bringing “Ang 25 Pinakamabuting Maikling
Kathang Pilipino ng 1943” to life. (Abadilla, 1967)
Some of these stories included in the collection are the
following:
SHORT STORIES
Lupang Tinubuan - Narciso G. Reyes (First prize)
Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa - Liwayway A. Arceo
(Second Prize)
Lungsod Ngayon at Dagat-dagatan - N.V.M.
Gonzales (Third Prize)
SHORT STORIES
Suyuan sa Tubigan - Macario Pineda
May Umaga pang Daratal - Serafin C. Gunigundo
Sumisikat pa ang Araw -Gemiliano Pineda
Paghihintay - Emilio Aguilar Cruz
Dugo at Utak - Cornelio S. Reyes
SHORT STORIES
Mga Yabag na Papalayo - Lucila A. Castro
Tabak at Sampaguita - Pilar R. Pablo
Madilim Pa ang Umaga - Teodoro A. Agoncillo
Ikaw, Siya, at Ako - Brigio C. Batungbakal
May Uling sa Bukana - Teotimo C. Buhain
Bansot - Aurora I. Cruz
SHORT STORIES
Bahay sa Dilim - Alfredo S. Enriquez
Ang Tao, ang Kahoy at ang Bagyo - Aristeo V.
Florido
Nagmamadali ang Maynila - Serafin C. Gunigundo
Mga Bisig - Amando S. Pagsanjan
SHORT STORIES
Kadakilaan sa Tugatog ng Bundok - Brigido C.
Batungbakal
Unang Pamumulaklak - Hernando R. Ocampo
Ibon Mang May Layang Lumipad - Amando S.
Pagsanjan
Sinag sa Dakong Silangan -Macario Pineda
SHORT STORIES
Mga Diyos - Justiniano del Rosario
Luad - Gloria Villaraza
Carlos P. Romulo also won the Pulitzer Prize for his
words, I Saw the Fall of the Philippines, I See the
Philippines and his Mother America and My Brother
Americans.
POETRY
The most common forms of poetry during the
Japanese era are the following:
Haiku, as described by the dictionary, is “an
unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three
lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables
respectively.”
POETRY
TUTUBI (Dragonfly) by Gonzalo K. Flores
Hila mo’y tabak.
Ang bulaklak nanginig
Sa paglapit mo.
POETRY
TUTUBI (Dragonfly) by Gonzalo K. Flores
(You’re pulling a saber
The flowers shivered
When you approached.)
POETRY
Tanaga, like haiku, is short but has measure and
rhyme. This consists of four lines with seven syllables
each, with each line ending with a rhyme.
POETRY
PALAY by Ildefonso Santos (Liwayway, Oktubre 10,
1943)
Palay siyang matino
Nang humangi’y yumuko,
Ngunit muling tumayo.
Nagkabunga ng ginto.
POETRY
PALAY by Ildefonso Santos (Liwayway, Oktubre 10,
1943)
(He’s a behaved palay
Who bowed when the wind blew
But stood up again
And bore gold.)
POETRY
Usual Form, as the name suggests, is the usual and
common form of poetry that follows the common
structure.
NOVELS
Unlike in the previous eras, most novels weren’t published
because of the scarcity in paper. Stevan Javellana from
Iloilo wrote his first and only novel English called “The
Lost Ones” which depicted the era after the Japanese
invaded the Philippines. It became one of the best selling
novels praised by numerous publications such as the New
York Times.
NOVELS
Some other notable works from Filipinos during this
era are the following:
Tatlong Maria by Jose Esperanza Cruz
Pamela by Adriano P. Adriatico
Magandang Silangan by Gervacio Santiago
Lumubog ang Bituin by Isidro Zanaga Castillo
PLAYS
When the Japanese burned the copies of movies made
during the American regime, playwrights made their
reappearance. Their works are shown on big theaters
such as Avenue, Life and Manila Grand Opera House.
PLAYS
One such work is Panday Pira, a play written by Jose
Ma. Hernandez, which tells the story of an Indio
blacksmith from Pampanga who was recognized to be
the first Filipino who made a cannon.
PLAYS
Francisco Soc Rodrigo wrote the famous one act play
called Sa Pula Sa Puti which was first performed on
stage on September 1939 at the Manila Metropolitan
Theater by the University of the Philippines Dramatic
Club.
PLAYS
This was originally written in English but was
eventually revised by the author before translating it
to Tagalog. The story is a comedy portraying people’s
weaknesses, in this case, the lead character’s addiction
to gambling or specifically, in cockfights.
PLAYS
Other notable plays are the following:
Bulaga by Clodualdo del Mundo
Sino ba kayo? , Dahil sa anak ang Higante ng Patay
by Julian Cruz Balmaceda
1. True or False: There are more novels written during
this era than poetry.
Answer: False
2. A poem consisting of four lines with seven syllables
each, with each line ending in rhyme.
Answer: Tanaga
3. True or False: Use of Tagalog became widespread
under the Japanese rule.
Answer: True
4. True or False: Movies were not rampant during the
Japanese era.
Answer: True
5. The full name of the author of "Lupang Tinubuan" that
won first prize in the outstanding Filipino short stories in
1943.
Answer: Narciso G. Reyes
6. True or False: There was no freedom of speech during
this era.
Answer: True
7. True or False: The Japanese encouraged nationalism,
or the love for one's motherland.
Answer: True
8. is a famous comedy play written by Francisco "Soc"
Rodrigo that portrays people's weaknesses.
Answer: Sa Pula Sa Puti
9. True or False: Carlos P. Romulo has four bestselling
works that led him to bagging the Pulitzer Prize.
Answer: False
10. 10. is the play written by Jose Ma. Hernandez about
a blacksmith from Pampanga who was the first Filipino
who made a cannon.
Answer: Panday Pira
11. Aso
Mataas sa pag-upo,
Mababa 'pag tumayo.
Kaibigan kong ginto,
Karamay at kalaro.
The poem above is an example of:
Answer: Tanaga
12. The second prize for the outstanding Filipino short
stories in 1943 is _______.
Answer: Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa by Liwayway A.
Arceo
13. What are the most common works of literature
during the Japanese regime?
Answer: Haiku and tanaga
14. True or False: Philippine literature managed to thrive
during this era.
Answer: False
15. The name of the magazine that recognized the
brilliant minds behind literary works during this era.
Answer: Liwayway