Philippine Literary Periods
Pre Colonial Period
o Existed before the Spanish occupation
o Based on oral traditions
o Crude on ideology and phraseology
o Sources are usually the local native town folk
o Baybayin
o Bamboo shoots and Matilos na kahoy/bato (used to write)
Literary forms
o
o
o
Oral Literature- Riddles (Bugtong)-Provers (Salawikain)-Tanaga
Folk Song –Lullabies-Drinking -Love -Religious – Death SONGS
Folk Tale-Myth-Fables-Legends-Epics-Fantastic Stories
Spanish Colonial Period
o Religious era
o Secular
o Introduces Spanish as medium of communication
o Doctrina Christiana- pagtuligsa sa mga espanol
o Komedya (Moro-Moro) Muslim vs. Christian
Period of Enlightenment
o After the Spanish period – REAWAKENED
o Gomes-Burgoz-Zamora
o Religious to Nationalism
o La Solaridad- newspaper na ginamit na way para maipahayag ang mga maling
gaw ang mga espanol.
o Dasalan at Toksohan- ginamit ang librong ito upang tuligsain ang mga pari na
gumagawa ng mga masasama.
The American Regime
o English as medium of writing
o Jose Garcia Villa became famous
o Theme/Topic- Love (Novels)
Post EDSA Revolution
o National commission for culture and arts (NCAA)- created by law in 1992
o Writers Organization UMPIL-GAT-PANDAY
o Quality Literary works (PALANCA)
Japanese Period
o Darkest Period
o Haiku/Tanaga
o The field of the short story (Nationalism, Love of life in barrios, Religion)
Period of Third Republic
o 1981-1985
o Theme of Poems- Romantic revolution
o Martial law was lifted (January 2,1981)
o Filipino Songs (True to life, Grief, poverty, love of God, aspiration for
freedom)
Period of New Society
o Progress of the economy/country
o Kislap/ Liwayway
21st Century (2001-2100)
- Diversity
Region III Authors
Francisco Baltazar (a.k.a Francisco Balagtas) (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862)
Biography
o one of the Greatest Filipino Literary Laureate
o “Filipino William Shakespeare “ Prinsipe ng Makatang Tagalog”
o “from Barrio Panginay, Bigaa, Bulacan
o Parents: Juan Balagtas & Juana Dela Cruz
o Wife: Juana Tiambeng (July 22,1842)
Education
o Colegio de San Juan de Letran
o He graduated with a number degree:
Crown Law, Humanities and Philosophy
o “He learned to write poetry from José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw)”
one of the most famous poets of Tondo.
María Asunción Rivera
o “serves as the muse for his works”
o “Ang marilag na dalaga ang nagsilbing inspirasyon ng makata, tinawag niyang
"Selya" at tinagurian ding "MAR" sa kanyang koridong Florante at Laura “
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Analysis
1. Spanish Rule
o Walang equality noong sila ang namahala, lahat ng yaman ng bansa ay
napasakanila.
2. POLO
o All male Filipinos, aged 16 to 60 years old, were sent to different places
to provide free labor, for 40 days a year.
3. Kawalan ng Kalayaan (Freedom)
o Walang kalayaan sa pag-aaral, express ng nararamdaman, walang
karapatan magbigay ng opinyon at iba pang lumalabag sa HUMAN
RIGHTS
4. Abuse (Pagiging malupit)
o Kahit tama o mali ang gawin, may natatanggap na parusa at maaring
umabot sa kamatayan.
Other Literary Works
1. Orosmán at Zafira – a komedya (a Filipino theater form evolved from the
Spanish comedia) in four parts
2. Don Nuño at Selinda – a komedya in three parts
Tomas F. Agulto (December 21, 1953)
Biography
o A farmer, poet and author from Hagonoy, Bulacan
o Parents: Daniel Agulto at Rosa Fugueroa
Achievements
o Member of Galian sa Arte at Tula, Pambansang Unyon ng mga Manunulat
o KWF has proclaimed him
o “Poet of the Year three times “
o The first time in 1988 for his poem “Polusyon”
o UMPIL has proclaimed him “Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas “
(2009)
Award winning literary works:
1. Batanes at Iba Pang Pulo -1st prize
2. Lagi Na’y Kailangan Kong GumisingNang Maaga’t Iba Pang Pagdidilidili
- 2 nd prize
3. (Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature)
Paglalarawan ni UP emeritus professor Alice Guillermo:
“Tomas F. Agulto actively participates and strives to lead a reevaluation of the work
of Balagtas. Only very few writers of the rural life know grassroots culture, folk
wisdom and values, especially in their progressive expressions and manifestations,
that will always be part of our nationalist and transformative project.
Amado V. Hernandez (September 13, 1903 – May 24, 1970)
Biography
o poet, playwright, and novelist
o Born in Hagonoy, Bulacan
o Grew up in Tondo, Manila
o Parents: Juan Hernandez and Clara Vera
o “Makata ng mga Manggagawa “
Educational Background
o He studied at Manila High School and
o American Correspondence School
Achievements/ Background/ Experiences
o He worked as a journalist for several publications like Watawat, Pagkakaisa,
o Makabayan, Sampaguita and Mabuhay Extra
o He taught at University of the Philippineso
o He immersed himself in labor movements in the late 1940s and early 1950s
o Because of pursuing the worker’s cause, he was imprisoned in 1951 – released
on parole in 1956 and was finally acquitted of all charges in 1964
You can do further reading on: The case People of the Philippines vs. Amado V.
Hernandez
(which is now a standard case study in Philippine law schools)
Other awards he received:
o The Ateneo de Manila University awarded him its first Tanglaw ng Lahi award
o Manila Cultural Award- 1964
“The days are gone when the artist was like Narcissus, adoring his own
image.
Today the artist is witness to and part of the immediate present.”
Among the Filipino writers who practiced “committed art”- Use his work to donate
goods to other people.
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
In his view, the function of the writer is to act as the conscience of society and
to affirm the greatness of the human spirit in the face of inequity and
oppression.
o First Filipino socio-political novel of the valiant fight for justice and
social change during and after the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines in World War II
o It depicts the oppression of the Filipino people by both the brutal
occupiers and their own corrupt leaders, while holding out hope for a
vision of an egalitarian society
o It also exposes the ills of the society as evident in the agrarian problems
of the 50s
o “Fight for what is right to maintain the JUSTICE and EQUALITY of
every person”
Other works include:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Bayang Malaya,
Isang Dipang Langit
Luha ng Buwaya,
Tudla at Tudling: Katipunan ng mga Nalathalang Tula 1921-1970
Langaw sa Isang Basong Gatas at Iba Pang Kuwento ni AVH
Magkabilang Mukha ng Isang Bagol
Virgilio V. Vitug (VVV) (September 17, 1951)
Biography/ Background
o was born in Lubao, Pampanga
o a POET, ESSAYIST, JOURNALIST, and SCRIPTWRITER
o He studied at the University of the East (UE)
Achievements/ Experiences
o Reporter and columnist for several newspapers including
o Times Journal Tempo
o Manila Times
o Manila Chronicle.
o He also served as associate editor for
o Sagisag magazine
o Kaligiran magazines and
o Head writer for the children's television program Batibot
o
o
As a poet, Vitug was co-founder and former chairperson of Galian at Arte
sa Tula (GAT).
He won various awards from different literature award-giving bodies such
as Surian ng Wikang Pambansa and the National Sarzuela Writing Contest
Other works:
o Ilang Tanong sa Sarili
o Hagupit ng Lamig
o Sapin-Saping
o Buntunghininga
o Ako, si Virgilio V. Vitug
Emilio Mar Antonio (December 11, 1903)
Biography
o He was born in Bambang, Bulakan, Bulacan
o Parents: Andres B. Antonio and Maria Asuncion Martinez
Achievements/ Experiences
o Prinsipe ng Balagtasan, 1951
o Hari ng Balagtasan 1954
Other Works:
o Ang Uwak
- Ito ay tungkol sa mga katangian ng uwak na itinutulad sa taong mayabang
at sarili nalang ang alam itaas.
- Isa sa katangian ng uwak ang pagiging sakim at pagkapalalo, kung saan
kadalasan ng uwak ay isinisigaw ang sariling pangalan at hindi marunong
mag intay na iba naman ang magtanghal o tumawag sa kanya.
o Maya (Mga tulang Pambata)
o Ang Nayon Ko at iba pang Tula
Gregorio C. Brillantes
o A native of Camiling , Tarlac
o He obtained his Bachelor of Letters degree in Ateneo De Manila University
(ADMU)
o One of the Philippines’ most popular writers in English
Achievements/ Background/ Experiences
o He often writes about individuals under thirty, adolescent or post adolescent
who struggles with alienation from family, society and from themselves
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o
o
o
He was executive editor of the Philippines Free Press and Editor in-Chief of
Asia-Philippines Leader
Since 1972 has been an editor and writer for various other publications,
including Veritas newsmagazine, National Midweek and Philippine
Graphic, of which he was editorial director and literary editor.
Formerly writer-in residence at the East-West Center in Hawaii
Djerassi Foundation fellow
Awards
o A Palanca Hall of Fame prize winner
o Southeast Asia Write Award the Gawad para sa Sining from the Cultural
Center of the Philippines the Gawad Alagad ni Bonifacio from the Writers
Union of the Philippines
o Catholic Mass Media and other awards
Literary works
o The Distance to Andromeda and Other Stories- Short Story
o The Apollo Centennial- Short Story
o Help – Short Story
o On a Clear Day in November Shortly Before the Millennium- Short Story
o Stories for a Quarter Century- Short Story
o Faith Love Time and Dr. Lazaro- Short Story
o Looking for Rizal in Madrid- Essay
o Chronicles of Interesting Times- Essay
o The Cardinal’s Sins, the General’s Cross- Essay
Rogelio R. Sicat (June 26, 1940)
Biography
o From the town of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
o Parents: Estanislao Sicat and Crisanta Rodriguez
o He used the pen name “Sikat” to reflect his Filipino identity
Achievements/ Experiences
o Novelist, playwright, short story writer, educator
o “Nagtaguyod ng paggamit sa wikang Filipino sa malikhaing pagsulat at
pananaliksik.”
o “Isa sa mga muhon ng panitikan ng Pilipinas”
o A Unique Genre: Literary Realism
o Former professor and college dean of the University of the Philippines
Colleges of Arts and Letters
Awards:
o Manila Critics Circle National Book Award
o Gawad Palanca para sa pagsulat ng maikling kuwento
Literary Work/s
o Impeng Negro- Novel (1962) na tungkol sa halaga at tagumpay ng
pakikipagtunggali.
o Tata Selo- Short Story (1963) na tumalakay naman sa usaping agraryo sa
bansa. Ilang ulit na ring naisalin ang akdang ito sa teatro at pelikula bilang
impluwensiya ni Roger Sicat sa mga sumunod na henerasyon ng mga
manunulat at artistang Pilipino.
o Moses, Moses- Play
o Dugo sa Bukang Liwayway- Novel
o Sa Lupa ng Sariling Bayan- Short Story
o Pagsalunga: Piniling Kuwento at Sanaysay- Short Stories and Essay
Rommel N. Angara (August 20, 1980)
o from Baler, Aurora
o Parents: Rodolfo R. Angara and Milagros D. Nazareno
Backgrounds/ Experiences/ Achievements
o His poems saw print in Pambata, a magazine for
o Filipino children; Sipag Pinoy, a publication of the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) and Liwayway, the oldest existing Tagalog weekly
magazine in the Philippines.
o His essays saw print in The Modern Teacher, a magazine for Filipino teachers
o His first published poem was the children’s poem "Why Do They Cut Me,
Lord?" which appeared in Pambata in 1998
o He wrote for Liwayway the sonnet "En Su Incansable Labor" ("On Her
Tireless Work") included in the National Library of the Philippines (NLP)
catalog in 2012
o He wrote for The Modern Teacher an essay entitled,
o "Is It Time for You to Say 'I Do’?”
—An Open Letter to a Young Student in Love.
o Media Portrayal
o His life was features in the MMK episode “PASA” aired on May 21, 2016.
o Child Actor- Raikko Mater
o Lead role- Diego Loyzaga
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THEME
T – to get the theme, you have to read and understand the whole text
H – human nature/human conditions on universal level are the best themes
E – Explore the literary elements in the text and the word choice (characters,
plot, setting)
M – main idea or central message (underlying/deeper meaning, implicit or
explicit)
E – evidences from the text should be one of the most important bases in getting
the theme
EARLY PHILIPPINE LITERARY GENRES AND FORMS
EPIC
- a narrative defined by heroic or legendary adventures presented in a long format
FABLE
- illustrates a moral and frequently involve talking animals and objects
FOLK TALES
- traditional stories that began in the oral tradition and were handed down
through the years.
FOLKLORE
- body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group,
typically passed from person to person by word of mouth
LEGEND
- genre of “kaalamang bayan“ that consists of a narrative featuring human
actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in
human history
RIDDLE
- statement, question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a
puzzle to be solved
IDIOM
- phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning
attached to the phrase
DRAMA
- contains dialogue, actors impersonate the characters
- usually divided into acts or scenes, and relies on props or imaginative dialogue
to create a visual experience for the audience.
PROSE
- not restricted by rhythm or dialogue, and it most closely resembles everyday
speech. it is usually straightforward, and may utilize figurative language, dialogue,
characters, and imagery.
POETRY
- as old as history, evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or
a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its
meaning, sound, and rhythm.
3 GENRES OF LITERATURE
1. POETRY
SUB-GENRES OF POETRY
o Songs and Ballads
o Lyric
o Epic
o Dramatic
o Narrative
2. DRAMA
SUB-GENRES OF DRAMA
o Tragedy
o Comedy
o History
o Melodrama
o Musical
3. PROSE
2 CATEGORIES OF PROSE
o FICTION
– narrative writing that originates from the author’s
imagination
– designed to entertain, but it can also inspire, inform, or
persuade. HISTORICAL FICTION
o NONFICTION
 writing that is based on true events, people, places, and
facts
 designed to inform, and sometimes to entertain
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SUB-GENRES OF FICTION
o
o
o
o
o
Novel
Novella
Short story
Myths and legends
Fables
SUB-GENRES OF NONFICTION
o
o
o
o
o
Autobiography
Biography
Essay
Diaries and journals
Narrative fiction
Literary Genres in The 21st Century Philippine Literature
HYPERPOETRY
- also known as cyberpoetry
- includes verse with links to sub-poems or footnotes, poetry “generators,” poetry
with movement or images
- usually highly steeped in the visual and sometimes involves parts that are read in
varying orders can (kirkwood)
- consists of words, although not necessarily organized into lines and stanzas, as
well as, sounds, visual images, movement or other special effects
TANAGA
- isang katutubong anyo ng tula na binubuo ng pitong pantig kada taludtod, apat
na taludtod kada saknong na may isahang tugmaan.
CHICK LIT
-
consists of heroin centered narratives that focus on the trials and
tribulations of their individual protagonists
the genre often addresses issues of modern womanhood – from romantic
-
relationships to female friendships to matters in the workplace – in humorous and
lighthearted ways EXAMPLES OF CHICK LIT THE PHILIPPINES
•
SPOTLIGHT NEW ADULT By Mina V. Esguerra
•
TALL STORY By Candy Gourlay
•
ALL’S FAIR IN BLOG AND WAR By Chrissie Peria
MINA V. ESGUERRA
- writes and publishes romances novels
- her contemporary romance novellas won the Filipinos Readers’ Choice awards
for Chick Lit in 2012 (Fairy Tale Fail) and 2013 (That Kind of Guy)
SPECULATIVE FICTION
- covers all stories from fantasy to science fiction to slipstream to magic realism
MOBILE PHONE TEXT TULA OR TEXTULA
FRANK G. RIVERA
- the one who started mobile phone textula
MOBILE PHONE TEXT TULA OR TEXTULA
- poetry genre introduced and mastered by Frank Rivera.
- introduced it in the year 2013 where sending text messages are very ‘in’ and not
to urban
- encompasses all the stories that are removed from the reality that we are
currently living in
- deals with observations of the human condition but offers the experience
through a different lens…and challenges us to see what tomorrow could be like
or what the mythic past of our imagination actually Is
everyone is dedicated with their social media accounts yet
- entire poems are written and read on mobile phones
- traces its origins to traditional tagalog form of poetry called tanaga
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SOME OF THE SPECULATIVE FICTION IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE:
•
NEVER I HAVE EVER BY ISABEL YAP
•
SMALLER AND SMALLER CIRCLES BY F.H. BATACAN
•
THE FAMILY THAT EATS SOIL BY KHAVN DE LA CRUZ
FLASH FICTION
-
goes by many names, including microfiction, microstories, short-shorts,
short short stories, very short stories, sudden fiction, postcard fiction and
nanofiction.
- a platform where a writer or a group of writers share their views on an
individual subject
GRAPHIC NOVEL
- can be fiction, nonfiction, history, fantasy, or anything in-between.
- similar to comic books because they use sequential art to tell a story.
- generally stand-alone stories with more complex plots.
SOME OF THE GRAPHIC NOVELS IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE:
•
THE MYTHOLOGY CLASS (NAUTILUS COMICS) BY ARNOLD
ARRE
•
LIGHT (ANINO COMICS) BY ROB CHAM
•
SIXTY-SIX (ANINO COMICS) BY RUSSELL MOLINA
•
MAKTAN 1521 BY TEPAI PASCUAL
-
kailangan din magtaglay ng mahahalagang elemento tulad ng isang
karaniwang kwento (may simula, gitna,wakas,setting,characterization, suliranin
o problema)
• GENARO ROJO CRUZ
-
Bagamat hindi lahat, ay kailangang magtaglay ng tinatawag na
twist o katapusang di inaasahan
-
Walang puwang ang mabulaklak na paglalarawan o deskripsyon.
May mga puwang o hindi na mababanggit. Ang mambabasa na ang
bahalang bumuo ng kwento sa kanilang isipan
EXAMPLE OF FLASH FICTION
100 KISLAP BY ABDON M. BALDE, JR
- a collection of 100 short fiction, each story not more than 150 words. These are
stories of love and passion, betrayal and revenge, crime and retribution, myths and
legends, realism, absurdity, fantasy, and more.
BLOG
- a shortened version of weblog
- online journal or informational website displaying information in reverse
chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first, at the top.
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