Engl.

6 : Survey in Philippine Literature

Lesson 1: The Historical Background of Philippine Literature

I. Learning Outcomes:
II. Reference:
III. Pretest
Instructions for the Pre-Test

1. Please answer the pre-test found at the beginning of each module as best as you can.
2. Compare your answers in the answer sheet on the next page to determine how much you already
know about the lesson.
3. Read with comprehension each lesson in every module.
4. Do the exercises that follow after each sub-lesson.
5. Report to your instructor for the post-test.
6. If the result of the post-test is unsatisfactory, read carefully again the lesson.

A.
1.
IV.

Discussion:
 The word Literature is derived from the Latin term “litera” which means letter.
 It has been defined differently by various writers. Some loosely interpret literature as any printed
matter written within a book, a magazine or a pamphlet.
 Others define literature as a faithful reproduction of man’s manifold experiences blended into one
harmonious expression. Because literature deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man,
literature can be said to be the story of man. Man’s loves, grieves, thoughts, dreams and aspirations
coached in beautiful language is literature

In order to know the history of a Nation’s spirit, one must read its literature. Hence it is that to
understand the real spirit of a nation, one must “trace the little rills as they course along down the
ages, broadening and deepening into the great ocean of thought which men of the present source
are presently exploring.

 ” Brother Azurin, said that literature “Expresses the feelings of people to society, to the government,
to his surroundings, to his fellowmen and to his Divine Creator.” The expression of One’s feelings,
according to him, may be through love, sorrow, happiness, hatred, anger, pity, contempt, or revenge.
 For Webster, literature is anything that is printed, as long as it is related to the ideas and feelings of
people, whether it is true, or just a product of one’s imagination.
 In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal, it says that “true literature is a
piece of written work which is undying. It expresses the feelings and emotions of people in response
to his everyday efforts to live, to be happy n his environment and, after struggles, to reach his
Creator.”

Literature – is a body of written works.

• Originated from oral traditions.
• Are imaginative works.
• Deals with stories and poetry.
• The content depends on the author.

Three Points of Literature

• Literature portrays human experience.
• Authors interpret these human experiences.
• It is an art form and a style of expression.
 Engl.6 : Survey in Philippine Literature

Literature is a term used to describe written or spoken material. Broadly speaking,

"literature" is used to describe anything from creative writing to more technical or scientific works,
but the term is most commonly used to refer to works of the creative imagination, including works
of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction.
Philippine literature had evolved much before colonization. It is full of legends and tales of colonial
legacy. Mexican and Spanish dominance over the land and the people, over varying periods of time,
witnessed the incorporation of English, Spanish, Filipino and native languages, to express ideology
and opinion. Literature in the Philippines developed much later than in most other countries.
Evidence reveals the use of a script called Baybayin that flourished in 1521. Baybayin was used to
write about legends, in Luzon, during Spaniard domination. 

The Literary Periods

 Pre-Colonial
 Spanish Period
 American Period
 Japanese Period and The Republic
 Literature of The Philippines Today

BC-1564 The Pre-Colonial Period

• This existed before the Spanish occupation in the 1500s.
• It is oral in nature and is full of lessons and ideas about life, its blessings, and its consequences.
• It contains ideas from birth to the grave.
• The oral characteristic of pre-colonial literature gives the possibility for many alterations.
• In the Philippine context, no matter how it may be considered as altered, pre-colonial literature is
still revered to by many Filipinos.
• The sources are usually the local native town folk.

 FORMS
1. Oral Literature
a. Riddles (Mga Bugtong)
• These are statements that contain superficial words, but they function figuratively and as
metaphors, and are in the form of questions.
• These are questions that demand deeper answers.
• Deals with everyday life.
• It usually has mundane things as answers.
• This is used in the past as a form of game in small or large gatherings.
 Examples:
MARANAO
BISAYA
Sominub lawiyan, (It dived,)
Baboy sa lasang, (A wild pig of
Mbowat lawitan. (It rose.)
the forest,)

Ang tunok puro lansang. (Is

covered with spikes.) CHABACANO

Answer: Nangka (Jackfruit) Tagia que tagia, (You keep on

slashing it,)

Hende ta penetra. (But it does

not penetrate) Answer: Ragum
(Needle) Answer: Agua (Water)

b. Proverbs (Mga Salawikain)

 Engl.6 : Survey in Philippine Literature

• These are statements that are considered as wise.

• These are usually given by parents or elders of the community.
• There is belief that experience is the best teacher.
 Examples:
Tausug on Secret Mandaya on Viriginity Ilocano on Guilt
Affairs
Yang ataog aw madugdug, Ti agutak, (He who cackles)
In lasa iban uba, (An egg once broken,)
Isut nagitlog. (Laid the egg.)
(Love and cough,)
Di da mamauli.
Di hikatapuk. (Will never be the same.)
Folk Songs
(Cannot be hidden.)
•

These are folk lyrics that are usually chanted.

• These usually contain ideas on aspirations, hopes, everyday life and expressions of love for loved
ones.
• It is bounded by the learning of good morals.
• It is easy to understand because it is straightforward and not figurative in nature.

FORMS
• Lullabies- these is locally known as the Hele. These are sung to put to sleep babies. The content
varies, but usually, parents sing these with ideas on how hard life is and how they hope that their
child will not experience the hardships of life.
Examples: Lullabies Ilocano
Maturog, duduayya Go to sleep, dear little one
Maturog kad tay bunga, Will my child please sleep,
Tay lalaki nga napigsa This strong boy
Ta inton dumakkel tay bunga, So when the child grows big
Isunto aya tay mammati He will obey.
Tay amon a ibaga me Everything that we say.

• Drinking Songs- these are locally known as Tagay and are sung during drinking sessions.
• Love Songs- to many Filipinos, these are known as the Harana. It can also be called Courtship
Songs and are used by young men to capture the heart of the girl that they love.
• Religious Songs- are songs or chants that are usually given during exorcisms and thanksgiving
during good harvest.
• Songs of Death- are lamentations that contain the roll of good deeds that the dead has usually
done to immortalize his or her good image.

Folk Tales (Mga Kwentong Bayan)

• These are stories of native Filipinos.
• These deal with the power of nature- personified, their submission to a deity- usually Bathala- and
how this deity is responsible for the blessings and calamities.
• These also tackle about irresponsibility, lust, stupidity, deception, and fallibility that eventually
leads to the instilling of good morals.
Usual Themes:
• Ceremonies needed to appease the deities.
• Pre and Post apocalypse
• Life and Death
• Gods and Goddesses
• Heroes and Heroines
• Supernatural beings
• Animals
 Engl.6 : Survey in Philippine Literature

 FORMS
• Myths – these tackle the natural to strange occurrences of the earth and how things were created
with an aim to give an explanation to things.
-There is Bathala for the Tagalogs and the Gueurang for the Bikolanos.
- Paradise is known as Maca, while Hell is Kasanaaan
Examples: Myths The Story of Bathala Ang Pag-aaway ng Dagat at Langit

• Legends – through legends, the natives understood mysteries around them. These stories usually
come with a moral lesson that give credit to supernatural powers, supernatural occurrences, and
other out-of- this-world native imagination.
Examples: The Legend of Maria Makiling
The Legend of the Sampaguita

• Fables – are short or brief stories that cater the children of the native Filipinos and are usually
bounded by good manners and right conduct. These stories use animals as characters that represent
a particular value or characteristic.
Examples: Ang Kuneho at and Pagong Si Juan Tamad

• Epics – are very lengthy narratives that are based on oral traditions. These contain encounters of
fighters, stereotypical princes or heroes that save a damsel in distress.
Examples: Hinilawod Darangen

1521-1898 The SPANISH Period

The Spanish Period
• The start of the Philippine's more colorful history took place in March 6, 1521 when Ferdinand
Magellan docked on the shores of Homonhon.
• The Filipinos were then called “Ladinos”, meaning they were latinized.
• Filipinos were called two things. One is the “Taga-Bayan”, while the other is the “Taga-bukid” or
“Taga-bundok”.
• A person who is a Taga-bayan is considered urbane and civilized and were in easy range of the
church and state.
• A person who is a Taga-bundok or Taga-bukid is called a Bruto Salvage (Savage Brute) or Indio and
were the ones who lived far from the center of the Spanish power.

FORMS
1. Religious Literature – Revolves around the life and the death of Jesus Christ
a. Pasyon – it is about the passion (journey and suffering) and the death of Jesus Christ.
b. Senakulo – it is the re-enctment of the Pasyon.
c. Komedya – it depicts the European society through love and fame, but can also be a narrative
about a journey, just like Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. It is also considered religous, because it
usually depicts the battle between the Christians and the Saracens or the Moros.

2. Secular or Non-Religious Literature – Revolves around tales of valiance and adventure

a. Awit – Awit- these are tales of chivalry where a knight saves a princess. Florante at Laura is a good
example.
b. Korido – is a metrical tale or a tale that follows the struture of a poem
c. Prose Narratives – are easy to understand instructional materials that in a literary light that teaches
Filipinos on proper decorum. Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at Feliza (1864) is a
good example.

3. Propaganda Literature
• These were in the forms of satires, editorials, and news articles that aimed to attack the Spanish
Rule.
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• The propaganda trinity is composed of Dr. Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, and Graciano Lopez
Jaena.
Examples: Graciano Lopez Jaena
Ang Fray Botod- One of his works written in Jaro, Iloilo in 1876, six years after the Cavite Revolt
attacking the friars in the Philippines. He exposed how some of the friars were greedy, ambitious and
immoral.
LA HIJA DEL FRAILE (The Child of the Friar) and EVERYTING IS HAMBUG (Everything is mere show)-
Here Jaena explains the tragedy of marrying a Spaniard.

Marcelo H. Del Pilar

 KAIINGAT KAYO (Be Careful)- a humorous and sarcastic dig in answer to Fr. Jose Rodriquez in the
novel NOLI of Rizal, published in Barcelona in 1888. He used Dolores Manapat as pen-name here.
 DASALAN AT TOCSOHAN (Prayers and Jokes)- similar to a catechism but sarcastically done against
the parish priests, published in Barcelona in 1888. Because of this, del Pilar was called “filibuster.”
Done in admirable tone of supplication and excellent use of Tagalog.
 ANG CADAQUILAAN NG DIOS (God’s Goodness)- published in Barcelona, it was also like a catechism
sarcastically aimed against the parish priests but also contains a philosophy of the power and
intelligence of God and an appreciation for and love for nature.

Dr. Jose Rizal

NOLI ME TANGERE- his was the novel that gave spirit to the propaganda movement and paved the
way to the revolution against Spain. In this book, he courageously exposed the evils in the Spanish-
run government in the Philippines.

 Revolutionary Literature
• are exposes that sparked revolution and resistance in the hearts of Filipinos.
Examples:
Andres Bonifacio
 Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Obligations of our Countrymen) – an outline of
obligations just like the Ten Commandments, hence, it is likewise called Ang Dekalogo.
Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog (What the Tagalogs should Know) – an essay outlining the basic
tenets of Bonifacio’s ideas on nationalism.

Emilio Jacinto
Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness) – a collection of essays on different subjects like freedom,
work, faith, government and love of country.

Apolinario Mabini
El Desarollo y Caida de la Republica Filipina (The Rise and Fall of the Philippine Republic) – this essay
highlights the establishment of the Philippine republic and its subsequent doom due to disunity
among the Filipinos

Dr. Jose Rizal

El Filibusterismo– This is a sequel to the NOLI. While the NOLI exposed the evils in society, the FILI
exposed those in the government and in the church. However, the NOLI has been dubbed the novel
of society while that of FILI is that of politics.

Publications
 El Heraldo de la Revolucion (Herald of the Revolution) – printed the decrees of the Revolutionary
Government, news and works in Tagalog that aroused nationalism. This is the Official Newspaper
of the Revolutionary Government of Aguinaldo.
 La Independencia (Independence) – an independent newspaper founded and edited by General
Antonio Luna.
 La Republica Filipina (The Philippine Republic) – a private newspaper edited by Pedro Paterno.
 Engl.6 : Survey in Philippine Literature

 La Libertad (Liberty) – another private newspaper edited by Clemente Zulueta.

1900-1942 The AMERICAN Period

The American Period

• The Philippines had a great leap in Education and Culture.
• The use of English alongside Filipino was practiced.
• The Philippines Public School system was introduced.
• Free public instruction was given to the Filipinos.
• The literature during the American period was considered as imitative of American model. Instead
of asking the students to write originals, students ended up following the form of American poets.

FORMS
1. Poetry – poetry under the American rule still followed the style of the old, but had contents that
ranged from free writing to societal concerns under the Americans.
 Jose Corazon de Jesus (1832-1896) popularly known as “Huseng Batute,” created his own
generation with his first book of poems.
 Mga Gintong Dahon (1920)- were poems pre-occupied with such non- traditional themes as
passion-slaying, grief-induced, insanity, and lover’s suicide.
 Sa Dakong Silangan (1928)- returned to the awit form, retelling the history of Philippines under
Spain, the coming of the U.S under the guise of friendship to take over from Spain

2. Drama – was usually used in the American period to degrade the Spanish rule and to immortalize
the heroism of the men who fought under the Katipunan.
 Drama Severino Reyes (1861-1942) – spearheaded a movement to supplant the komedya with a
new type of drama, the sarsuwela, a Filipino adaptation of the Spanish zarzuela.
Examples:
 Walang Sugat (1902)- is a sarsuwela (drama in the form singing) drawn from the period of
Revolution, depicting the cruelty and corruption of friars and the heroism of the soldiers of
the Katipunan.
Other successful sarsuwelas:
 Hindi Aco Patay (1903) by Juan Matapang Cruz
 Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas (1903) by Aurelio Tolentino- is an allegorical presentation of the
history of the nationalist struggle and how the U,S. frustrated the Philippine revolution.
 Tanikalang Guinto (1902) by Juan Abad (1872-1932)- is about Liwanag and K’Ulayaw, lovers
who stand for freedom and the Filipino.

3. Remake Novels – took up Dr. Jose Rizal's portrayal of social conditions by colonial repression.
Examples:
 Gabriel Beato Francisco (1850-1935)- is best known for his trilogy of Fulgencia Galbillo (1907),
Capitan Bensio (1907), Alfaro (1909), depicting the 30 years of colonial repression by the Spanish
rule.
 Inigo Ed. Regalado (1888-1976)- Madaling Araw (1909) was his first novel showing the complex
interrelations of issues and people in contemporary Philippine society.
 Juan Lauro Arsciwals (1889-1928)- Lalaking Uliran o Tulisan (1914), allusion to the colonial law that
branded Filipino patriots as bandits.

1941-1945 The JAPANESE Period and 1946- 1985 The REPUBLIC

The Japanese Period and the Republic

• The Philippine literature came into a halt.
 Engl.6 : Survey in Philippine Literature

• The use of the English language was forbidden, and the use of the Filipino language was mandated
under the Japanese rule.
• For some this was a problem, but to most writers, it was a blessing in disguise.
• Almost all newspapers were stopped except for some.
• Filipino literature was given a break during this period. Many wrote plays, poems, short stories,
etc. Topics and themes were often about life in the provinces.

FORMS
1. Poetry – The common theme of most poems during the Japanese occupation was nationalism,
country, love, and life in the barrios, faith, religion and the arts.
2. Fiction – The field of the short story widened during the Japanese Occupation. Many wrote short
stories.
3. Drama – The drama experienced a lull during the Japanese period because movie houses showing
American films were closed. The big movie houses were just made to show stage shows. Many of the
plays were reproductions of English plays to Tagalog.
4. Newspapers – Writings that came out during this period were journalistic in nature. Writers felt
suppressed but slowly, the spirit of nationalism started to seep into their consciousness. While some
continued to write, the majority waited for a better climate to publish their works.
5. Essays – Essays were composed to glorify the Filipinos and at the same time to figuratively attack
the Japanese.

LITERATURE OF THE PHILIPPINES TODAY

In the 21st century Philippines, there are a lot of literary innovations that are adapted and
created by Filipinos. Nowadays, even those who do not have any significant literary background
make their own way using the freedom that they have to write and to express. There are a lot of new
forms from the basic genres of literature; thus, proving how far the literature in the Philippines has
gone and how far it will go on from here.

V. Activities