21ST Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
LESSON 1: GEOGRAPHIC, LINGUISTIC AND ETHNIC DIMENSIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES
LITERARY HISTORY
Literature is our connection with our human experience of life. It is the creative representation and
reproduction of what we have lived in and for. It describes, records and shares experiences, hopes and
desires to other people. An essay could be you analyzing the different issues in the society; the novel could
be your subconscious retelling the memories you have suppressed; the poem could be your emotions
flowing out your body.
Literature comes from the Latin word “littera” means word, or “litteratura” which means “writing
formed letters.” However, literature is not only enclosed in that meaning. Literature is anything and
everything that reproduces life experiences. It collects, organizes and sums up the entirety of humanity,
occasionally adding to it.
What are the significant events in Philippine Literature?
The historical events in our country played a significant role that facilitated the evolution of the 21st-century
literature in the Philippines. We can experience a better appreciation of how Philippine literature has
developed through a better understanding of our country’s culture, traditions, and history that have shaped
and have awakened the sense of pride of being nationalistic of the present-day writers, artists, and
journalists
Philippine literature is highly influenced by our history. Let us know more about it.
Literary Period in the Philippine history
Period Literary Form Different Forms and/or
Examples
Pre- • The pre-colonial inhabitants • Folk ➢ tigno in Cebuano
Colonial were able to showcase the rich speeches ➢ bugtong in Tagalog
Period culture of Filipinos through oral ➢ burbutia in Ilocano
performance of folk songs, folk ➢ paktakon in Ilonggo
narratives, folk and speeches and patototdon in
were reflection of the early life of Bicol
the Filipinos. • Songs or ➢ Uyayi or hele is a
• Based on oral tradition since no Awit lullaby of putting a
form of writing existing during child to sleep
that period (the only way to ➢ Soliranin is a song for
transmit information during this travelers
period is through observation, ➢ Kumintang is a war
imitation and practice). song
• Subject matter is about the ➢ Maluway is for
common experience of people in collective beahvior
the village, like their ➢ Kundiman for
experiences in food gathering, melancholic love
caring for the children, nature song
etc. ➢ Panambitan is a
courtship song
• ➢ Pamanhikan is a song
• The earliest forms of literature of a would-be
were written in our system of bridegroom
writing which is baybayin, ➢ Subli is a dance ritual
consisting of 3 vowels and 14 song of courtship &
consonants. marriage
• Ancient ethnic rituals and dances ➢ Dallot & duayya are
established Filipinos’ strong Ilocano love songs
connection with its neighboring ➢ Dung-aw is a wake or
countries such as China, Japan, dirge song
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Arabia ➢ Bagbato is a song
through trading. ritual for harvest
from Mountain
province
➢ Laji, Kanta or
kalusan are popular
folk songs in Batanes
• Tagalog ➢ Salawikain or
Proverbs or Sawikain
Aphorisms ➢ Sarsarita in Ilok
• Tanaga ➢ basahanonor
extended didactic
sayings from
Bukidnon daraida
➢ ⮚daragilonfrom
Panay
• Folk Songs ➢ children's songs
or Ida-
ida(Maguindanao),
tulang
pambata(Tagalog) or
cansiones para
abbing (Ibanag)
➢ drinking songs or
tagay (Cebuano and
Waray); dirges and
lamentations
extolling the deeds of
the dead like the
kanogon (Cebuano)
or the Annako
(Bontoc)
• Lullabyes ➢ Ili-ili(Ilongo); love
songs like the
panawagonandbalita
o(Ilongo);
➢ haranaor serenade
(Cebuano);
➢ bayok(Maranao);
➢ ambahan of the
Mangyans; he seven-
syllable per line
poem
➢ kalusan(Ivatan),
➢ soliranin(Tagalog
rowing song)
➢ mambayu, a Kalinga
rice-pounding song
➢ duplo, the verbal
jousts/games
• Narrative ➢ Kissa among the
Song Tausug of Mindanao
• Folk ➢ Folktales
Narratives ➢ Fables
➢ myth
Spanish • The Spanish conquistadors • Theater ➢ komedya or later
Colonial used the Roman alphabet to called moro-moro
Period replace Alibata, the first ➢ sinakulo
Filipino alphabet in recording ➢ sarswela
the oral forms of literature of • Religious ➢ Dalit
our early inhabitants. Lyrics ➢ Novenas
• Oral traditions such as epics, ➢ Cathechisms
proverbs, riddles, and songs • Religious ➢ pasyon-
were the oral form of literature Poerty dialogo(dialogue),
still flourished at that time and ●Ang Mahal na
were collected and translated to Passion ni Jesu
Tagalog and other dialects in Christong Panginoon
certain areas where colonial natin na tola" (Holy
power is inaccessible. Passion of Our Lord
• The conversion of Filipinos to Jesus Christ in Verse)
Christianity was a great by Gaspar Aquino de
influence in the lives of the Belen
people and religious themes ➢ Manual de
dominated our literature. Urbanidad(conduct
• The literary works during this book);
time were imitative of the ➢ ejemplo(exemplum)
Spanish theme, forms, and ➢ tratado(tratado).
traditions. ●"Pagsusulatan ng
• Some Spanish words were lent Dalawang Binibini
in our language when the na si Urbana at si
Spanish language became the Feliza"
literary language (Correspondence
between the Two
MaidensUrbana and
Feliza)
●Ang Bagong
Robinson" (The New
Robinson
• Secular ➢ Korido
poetry or the ●“ Ibong Adarna”
metrical ⮚awit
romance ●“Florante at Laura”
in Tagalog
• Secular lyrics ➢ Ang Manok Kong
Bulik ("My White
Rooster” )of Jose
Corazon de Jesus
• Novels ➢ “Noli Me Tangere,” ;
“El Filibusterismo”
American • The introduction of free public • Free verse or ➢ “ Ako ang Daigdig”
Colonial education for children of school Modernist of Alejandro G.
Period age was introduced. Poetry Abadilla
• Usage of English as a medium of • Short story ➢ “Dead Stars” by Paz
instruction in all levels of Marquez Benitez
education in public schools was • Zarzwela ➢ “ Tanikalang
implemented. Ginto,”of Juan Abad
• New forms of literature such as ➢ “Kahapon, Ngayon at
free verse in poetry, critical Bukas”& of Aurelio
essay, and modern short story Tolentino
were discovered during this era. ➢ “Malaya”of Thomas
• Philippine literature prospered Remigio
in English at the same time ➢ “Hinde Ako
Filipino literary writers were Patay,”by Juan Abad,
faced with the introduction of Aurelio Tolentino,
New Aesthetics but "indirectly Juan Matapang
engendered a disparaging Cruz,& Juan
attitude" towards vernacular Crisostomo Sotto
writing and sometimes
sacrificing their social • Novels in ➢ Published in
consciousness Tagalog Liwayway,
Bannawag, and
Bisaya. ●Iloko,
Hiligaynon, &
Sugbuan
• Novels ➢ Bulalakaw ng Pag-
asa,” by Ishmael
Amado
➢ “Nena at Neneng,”by
Valeriano Hernadez
“Pinaglahuan,” by
Faustino Aguilar &
➢ “ Banaag at Sikat”by
Lope K. Santos
• Balagtasan ➢ ⮚Bukaneganin
Ilocos, ⮚Crissottanin
Pampanga,
• Essay in ➢ “I am a Filipino” by
English Carlos P, Romulo
• Newspapers ➢ “El Nuevo Dia ( The
New Daily)
established by Sergio
Osmena
➢ “ El Grito Del
Pueblo” ( The Call of
Nation) established
by Pascual Poblete
➢ “El Renacimiento” (
The Rebirth)
established by Rafael
Palma
• Tagalog ➢ Dali or pasingaw
fiction
• One-act play ➢ “ Wanted
Chaperone,” &
➢ “ Forsaken House”
by Wilfredo Maria
Guerrero
Contempor • Post-war and Contemporary • Mobile ➢ Textanaga
ary Period Period Texttula ➢ Dalitext
• Philippine literature continued to ➢ Dionatext
flourish through the use of • Graphic ➢ “Trese 5: Midnight
various languages particularly novels Tribunal,” by
with the rise of the new Ferdinand Benedict
publication after the Martial T. Tan & Jonathan A.
Law years. Baldisimoa ;
• There was a rebirth of devoted ➢ “Zsazsa Zaturnah
literature in the 1960s and saKalakhang
1970s wherein writers Maynila”by Carlo
continued to write poetry, short Vergara
stories, novels, and essays. • Creative ➢ “The Cardinal’s Sins,
• Literary awards emerged such Nonfiction the General’s Cross,
as the Don Carlos Palanca the Martyr’s
Memorial Awards for Literature, Testimony, and Other
the Philippines Free Press, Affirmations” by
Philippine Graphic, Home Life, Gregorio C.
and Panorama literary awards to Brillantes
recognize the works of the ➢ “Manananggal
Filipino writers. Terrorizes Manila
• The usual themes of AndOther Stories”by
contemporary writers in the Jessica Zafra
21stcentury are identity, • Speculative ➢ “Smaller and Smaller
history, memory, and Fiction Circles” by FH
technology. Different Batacan
approaches are employed by the ➢ “Sink”by Isabel Yap
writers in exploring different ➢ “The Secret Origin of
themes such as love, sex, family, Spin-Man” by
Andrew Drilon
and religion. With easier access • Hyper ➢ http://www.glasswin
totechnology, writers become Fiction gs.com.au/GlassWin
socially aware and use digital gs/modern/24hours
platforms in expressing • Hyper Poetry ➢ http://www.yhchang.
themselves in this age of com/ALL_FALL_D
technology OWN.html
• Blogs ➢ https://www.rappler.
com/rappler-blogs
• eBooks ➢ https://www.anvilpu
blishing.com/ebooks/
• Flash Fiction ➢ “100 Kislap,” by
Abdon M. Balde Jr.
➢ “Karapote: Antolohia
Dagiti 13 a Nasuerte
A Sarita” by Ariel S.
Taba
Prepared by:
JULIE E. REYES
Subject Teacher
