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 Spanish colonial
literature focused on
the society and culture
as reflected and
affected by the
Catholic faith.
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Philippine Literature
during the Spanish
Colonial Period
 Spain had two motives
in colonizing the
Philippines

More valuable than gold,

The Spaniards used a policy
spices were the leading
called reduccion, which is a
component of ancient
means of relocation of
commerce even before the
scattered settlements to a
15th century. Spain, along
large town. This way, Spanish
with other European
friars were able to convert
countries, funded expeditions
natives into Christianity.
in search of cinnamon, clove,
ginger, turmeric, and other
priced commodities.

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Poetry during the Spanish

Colonial Period

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 Spanish Era

⊡ Philippine literature during the Spanish colonial

period was mainly dominated by religious and
secular themes.
⊡ Philippine poems during the precolonial period
highlighted epics, riddles, folk songs, and
proverbs that depicted the spiritual beliefs
and everyday lives of natives, while poetry
under the Spanish colonial period focused on
religion and values, which became
instruments in spreading Christianity and
Spanish-oriented culture.
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 Spanish Era

Poetic forms that emerged during the Spanish

colonial period include:
⊡ Pasyon - This is a narrative poem about the
passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
⊡ Awit - This is a narrative poem that consists of
12 syllables per line and four lines per stanza. . A
famous example of an awit is Francisco
Balagtas’s Florante at Laura.

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 Spanish Era

⊡ Kurido - A kurido is another narrative poem that

consists of eight syllables per line and four lines
per stanza. The rhythm is faster compared with
that of an awit. An example of a kurido is Ibong
Adarna, which contains 1,722 stanzas and has
five parts.

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 Spanish Era

⊡ Dalit- This is a religious poem in honor of the

Blessed Virgin Mary.

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 Spanish Era

⊡ One of the famous poets of the Spanish colonial

period is Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862) who
wrote the awit Florante at Laura. Baltazar was
considered the master of traditional Tagalog
poetry. His work, Florante at Laura was a
metaphor for the tyranny of the Spanish
colonizers. Let us read and analyze “Gubat na
Mapanglaw” from Florante at Laura as
translated by Rolando Tinio:

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 Florante at Laura

⊡ It was written as a depiction of the country’s

situation during the rule of the Spaniards.
Balagtas was playful with his use of mockery,
irony, paradox, satire, disdain; he sets all this
up like chess pieces. The characters and the
setting used were of foreign origin but the nature,
gesture and custom are undoubtedly Filipino and
the events in the story are similar to the real
incidents during that period.

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 “
The Dark Wood

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 The Dark Wood
Wear the color of mourning,
In this dark wood thick with gloom,
The thick weave of thorny vines… Sharpen the dizzying stench.
Rays of Phoebus cannot pierce, Clumps of cypress and young fig
Almost, the solid wilderness. Cast a terrifying shade.
Great trees loom, disclosing
Sadness only, grief, despair. Fruitless, they spread great leaves.
Mournful birds dispel Darkness deepens on the weed.
The cheerful air, the stoic pose. And beasts that roam
Convolutions of the vine
Are shapes of serpent, basilisk,
On branch and twig bristle with
thorns. Hyena, tiger — beasts that prey
Their fruit, as if downed with knives, On man and beast.
Wounds the passerby.
The wood hugs the gate
And flowers for the looming trees,
Of dour Pluto’s Avernus,
Specks of bright shooting through
its precincts watered by
leaves,
The rivering poisoned Cocytus.
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 Spanish Era

⊡ How does it reflect the time in which it was

written?
⊡ How accurately does the literary text depict
the time in which it is set?
⊡ What literary or historical influences helped to
shape the form and content of the work?
⊡ How does the literary text reflect the attitudes
and beliefs of the time in which it was written
or set?
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Prose during the Spanish Colonial

Period

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 Spanish Era

⊡ Spanish missionaries published meditations, translations, and

studies on the Philippine languages.
⊡ In 1593, a prayer book called the Doctrina Christiana en
lengua Española y tagala (Christian Doctrine in the Spanish
and Tagalog Languages) was one of the first books printed in
the Philippines
⊡ Spanish friars also made an attempt to learn the different
languages in the Philippines to communicate with the natives.
The first book explaining the principles of the Tagalog language
was Arte y reglas de la lengua tagala (The Art and Rules of
the Tagalog Language).

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⊡ Anecdotes - These are short and amusing stories
that contain lessons in life. Priests often use
anecdotes as part of their sermons. An example of an
anecdote is the Tagalog translation and adaptation of
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe entitled Ang Bagong
Robinson, Historiang Nagtuturo nang Mabuting
Caugalian, na Guinauang Tanungan (The New
Robinson, a Story That Teaches Good Conduct, Done
in Primer Form) by Joaquin Tuason.

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⊡ Planticas (Sermons) These are lectures
presented by Spanish priests that dealt with
religious, biblical, and moral topics. In 1864,
Padre Modesto de Castro compiled 25 of his
sermons in Planticas Doctrinales (Sermons on
Doctrines).

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⊡ Novenas - are a series of prayers repeated for nine
consecutive days and are usually prayers for petition and
thanksgiving.
⊡ Novels - are long narrative stories, usually with fictional
characters and with a sequence of events divided into
chapters. Examples of novels during the Spanish colonial
period include Pedro Paterno’s Ninay (considered the first
Filipino novel), Padre Modesto de Castro’s Urbana at Feliza,
Padre Miguel Lucio y Bustamante’s Si Tandang Basio
Macunat, and Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo.

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⊡ Essays are personal pieces of writing that use
the point of view of the writer. One of the most
important essays during this period is “Ang Dapat
Mabatid ng mga Tagalog” by Andres Bonifacio. It
was published in the newspaper Kalayaan.

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Drama during the Spanish Colonial

Period

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⊡ During the Spanish regime, dramas were performed
to spread Christianity; thus, most dramas during the
period were focused on the life of Jesus Christ. These
dramas exist until today and are performed mostly
during the Holy Week.

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⊡ Karagatan - It is a form of poetic contest usually
played as part of the rites held in connection with
the death of a person.
⊡ Duplo - It is another poetic contest held when a
person dies or during the wake.
⊡ Senakulo - It is a play that portrays the life,
passion, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ
⊡ Tibag - It tells how Reyna Elena and her son
Constantino searched for Jesus’s cross in Mount
Calvary.
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⊡ Moriones - It is a festival in celebration of the life
of Saint Longinus.
⊡ Moro-moro - It is a play written about the
capture of a Christian Filipino army.
⊡ Sarswela - It is a play with songs and dances
with up to five acts, portraying the whimsies of
romantic love.

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 The colonization of Spain did not
deter Philippine literature from
flourishing; instead, Philippine
literature became richer and more
intricate.

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