INTRODUCTION TO

PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE
OBJECTIVES OF THE LESSON
• 1. identify literature and its various genres, forms, elements, and traditions;
• 2. differentiate/compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres
and the ones from the earlier genres/periods citing their elements, structures
and traditions;
• 3. recognize the various influences that affect the type of literature produced
in the Philippines; and
• 4. express appreciation of literature by identifying its benefits through
composition writing.
LITERATURE is derived from the Latin word
"littera" which means "a letter of the alphabet". According
to the website Britannica, literature is traditionally defined
as body of written works associated to imaginative and
creative works of poetry and prose and can be classified
according to variety of systems such as language, national
origin, historical period, genre and subject matter.
Literature can either be in oral or written form.
 The oral literature handed down from one generation to another, then later on
transformed into written form.
 The products of written literature are called literary text.

A text can be considered literary if it has the elements of
psychological characterization and chronology.
 Also, literature uses literary devices such as metaphor and symbolism.

Reading for entertainment and learning is the most common

reason why people read literature.
the best way to describe the characteristics of literary text is that
(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;
and
significant information and crosses
(3) it delivers

boundaries of time, places, cultures and languages.

Literary structure refers to the organizational method used in literature in
which the most common type is the narrative. Parts of the narrative structure (or

plot) are the exposition, rising action, climax, falling

action, and resolution (denouement).
In a much broader context, literary structure is not only limited to content and form but
"the general features or characteristic of
this may also refer to
genre, style, a specific literary trend, literature as an
art form, and finally, art as a whole“(The Great Soviet
Encyclopedia).
For Murphy (n.d.), literary structure may involve arrangement of various elements
to purpose, style, and genre to effectively
according

convey the intended meaning for the audience.

 Two Major Forms of Literature
Poetry. This literary type is usually written in lines and is characterized by having the
element of rhythm, sound, imagery, and form. Its main purpose is to
express feelings, thoughts, and ideas.
three types:
Narrative Poetry.
1. This poetry tells a story and has the elements of a
narrative such as characters, setting, conflict, etc.
Dramatic Poetry.
2. This is an emotionally appealing drama written in verse that
tells a story and is intended to be recited or sung in front of the audience by a character
speaking in poetry.
3.Lyric Poetry . It is the most common type of poetry that focuses on expressing
feelings rather than telling a story.
Prose. In contrast to poetry, this literary piece applies a natural flow of speech and
grammatical structures which are mainly consisting of complete sentences arranged
logically and sequentially in a paragraph form.

a.Fiction. This serves as a product of the writer's wild imagination and creative
thinking where the characters react to the conflict and various issues central to the main
idea of a literary work. Its three types are: short story, novel, and
novella. The main genres are crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, western,
inspirational, historical fiction and horror.
b.Non-fiction. These are stories inspired by real events where the writers aim to
present, interpret, or describe experiences based on facts. The judgments, opinions, and
essays, journals,
commentaries of the writers may be presented in the form of
diaries, feature articles, editorials, and the like.
Some Examples of Major Forms of Literature
Genre refers to the forms of literature. It is defined in the curriculum
guide as something that “may be determined by literary technique, tone,
content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. The most general genres in
literature are (in loose chronological order)epic, tragedy,
comedy, and creative nonfiction. They can all be in the
form of prose or poetry. Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory
or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a sub-genre,
but as a mixture of genres.
general cultural movement
Finally, they are defined by the

of the historical period in which they were

composed.
Literary elements refer “to particular identifiable characteristics of a whole
text.
elements of a story
 Settings
 Characters
 Conflict
 Theme
 Point of view
 plot

elements of a poetry
 Form
 Imagery
 Rhythm
 Sound
"Traditions" refers to the specific traits of literary works that define a
generation or period in history. A literary tradition “is a collection of works that have
an underlying interconnectedness and coherence that makes them more than simply a
group of works sharing geography or group.
Read and identify the elements in the story
PHILIPPINE
LITERARY
HISTORY
 PRE-COLONIZATION (BC-1564)
 Oral and Written literature were present-alphabet that our Malayan ancestor used.
 Written literary forms did not last because of the materials used:
a) Leaves
b) Bamboo canes
c) Ground
 Oral literature continued by word of mouth like:
a. Riddles
b. Proverbs
c. Folksongs and folktales
d. Myths and legends
 Contents of the literary forms: the way our ancestors lived during the early days
and how they earned their livelihood
 Example: Magtanim ay Di Biro (Planting rice is never Fun)
 SPANISH COLONIZATION (1565-1863)
 Paved the way for the use of paper, so WRITTEN LITERATURE in the
Philippines was born.
 Use of religion as content
 The first Filipino alphabet ALIBATA was replaced by the Roman Alphabet.
 European legends and traditions: songs, corridos, and moro-moros.
Folk songs manifest the artistic feelings of the Filipinos and show their appreciation
for and love of beauty.
 Examples: Leron-leron Sinta, Pamulinawen,Dandansoy, Sarong
Banggi and Atin CU Pung Singsing
 Recreational plays: Cenaculo,panunuluyan,salubong and Zarsuela
PERIOD OF ENLIGHTENMENT (1872 -1896)
 Filipino intellectuals educated in Europe called Ilustrados began to write about the hitch
of colonization
Propaganda movement spearheaded by the middle-class intellectuals
like Jose Rizal,Marcelo Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena,Antonio Luna,Mariano Ponce,
Jose Ma. Panganiban and Pedro Paterno
 Rizal’s Writings: Noli Me Tangere,Mi Ultimo Adios,Sobre La Indolencia Delos Filipinos
and Filipinos Dentro De Cien Años
 Del Pilars Writings: Pag ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love of Country), Kaingat Kayo ( Be
Careful) and Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayers and Jokes)
 Some of Jaena’s Writings: Ang Fray Botod,La Hija del Fraile (the Child of the Friar) and
Everything is Hambug (Everything is mere show), Sa mga Filipino..1891 and
Talumpating Pagunita Kay Kolumbus (An Oration to Commemorate Columbus)
 THE AMERICAN REGIME (1898-1944)
 Americans influenced Filipinos to write using English language. Jose Garcia
Villa became famous for his free verse
 The languages used: Spanish and Tagalog and the dialects of the
different regions.
 Tagalog writer continued in their lamentations on the conditions of the country and
their attempts to arouse love for one’s native togue
 Writers in English imitated the themes and methods of the Americans
The Japanese Period (1941-1945)
 Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when another
foreign country, Japan.
 Philippine literature in English came to a halt. This led to all newspapers not to be
circulated in the community except for Tribune and Philippine Review.
 Filipino poetry during this period was focused on themes on nationalism, country,
love, and life in the barrios, faith, religion, and
the arts.
 Three types of poems emerged during this period:
a. Haiku, a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It was made up of 17
syllables divided into three lines.
b. Tanaga, like the haiku, is short, but it had measure and rhyme.
c. Karaniwang Anyo is usual and common form of poetry.
Philippine Literature in English (1941-1945)
 Because of the strict prohibitions imposed by the Japanese in the writing and
publishing of works in English, Philippine literature in English
experienced a dark period. For the first twenty years, many books were
published both in Filipino and in English.

 In the New Filipino Literature, Philippine literature in Tagalog was revived

during this period. Most themes in the writings dealt with Japanese
brutalities, the poverty of life under the Japanese
government, and the brave guerilla exploits.
Period of Activism (1970-1972)
 According to Ponciano Pineda, youth activism in 1970-72 was due to domestic
and worldwide causes. Because of the ills of society, the youth moved to seek
reforms. The youth became vocal with their sentiments. They demanded a change
in the government. It was manifested in the bloody demonstrations and the
sidewalk expressions and also in literature.
Period of the New Society (1972- 1980)
 started on September 21, 1972.

 The Carlos Palanca Awards continued to give annual awards.

 Poems dealt with patience, regard for native culture, customs, and the beauties of
nature and surroundings.

 Newspapers donned new forms. News on economic progress, discipline, culture,

tourism, and the like were favored more than the sensationalized reporting of
killings, rape, and robberies.

 Filipinos before were hooked in reading magazines and comics.

Period of the Third Republic (1981-1985)
 After ten years of military rule and some changes in the life of the Filipino, which
started under the New Society, Martial Rule was at last lifted on January 2, 1981.

 The Philippines became a new nation, and this, former President Marcos called
―The New Republic of the Philippines.

 Poems during this period of the Third Republic were romantic and
revolutionary.
 Many Filipino songs dealt with themes that were true-to-life like those of grief,
poverty, aspirations for freedom, love of God, of country and
fellowmen.
Post EDSA 1 Revolution (1986-1995)
 History took another twist. Once more, the Filipino people regained their
independence, which they lost twenty years ago. In four days from February 21-25,
1986, the so-called People Power (Lakas ng Bayan) prevailed.

 In the short span of the existence of the real Republic of the Philippines, several
changes already became evident. It was noticed in the new Filipino songs,
newspapers, speeches, and even in the television programs. The now crony
newspapers that enjoyed an overnight increase in circulation were The Inquirer,
Malaya, and The People‘s Journal.
21st Century Period

 New trends have been used and introduced to meet the needs and tastes of the new
generation.
 21st Century learners are demanded to be ICT inclined to compete with the style
and format of writing as well. New codes or lingos are used to add flavor in the
literary pieces produced nowadays.
 Contemporary Forms of Literature:
o With the advancement of technology, contemporary forms of literature have
emerged. The use of the internet as medium emerged different literary types
and medium of sharing and reading literature.
 Hyperpoetry – presents poems linked through hyperlinks.
 Blog – is a website created for users to upload user-made
articles or posts.
 Textula – is a poem produced and shared using mobile phones. It traces its
origins to the traditional tagalog form of poetry called tanga. It consists of 4
lines with 7 syllables.
Rhyme Schemes
o The Basic or AAA Rhyme Scheme
o The Enclosed or ABBA Rhyme Scheme (a.k.a. inipit in Filipino)
o The Alternate or ABAB Rhyme Scheme (a.k.a. salitan in Filipino)
o AABB Rhyme Scheme (a.k.a. sunuran in Filipino)

 Chick Lit – is a fiction which talks about women and their struggles in modern
times.

 Flash fiction – is a very short story that can be read in one- sitting.