21st Century Literature

Literature

Represents humanity itself, originating from the Latin word "Litera" meaning "Letter," passing down thoughts and expressions through generations.

Matthew Arnold

an english poet and cultural critic “literature is a criticism of life”

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

“literature must be an analysis of experience and synthesis of findings into a unity”

Oscard Wilde

“literature always anticipates life. It does not copy it, but it molds it to its purpose”

Henry Van Dyke

“literature consists of writings which interpret the meanings of nature and life, in words of charm and power, in artistic forms and of permanent interest”

Literary Standards

Literature should be aesthetically satisfying, intellectually stimulating, and spiritually uplifting.

Poetry, Prose, Drama

The divisions of Literature that evoke imaginative awareness or emotional responses through language, sound, and rhythm.

Narrative Poetry

a story telling verse that describes the important events in life either imaginary or real

Epic

a long narrative poem about the exploits of a supernatural hero

Metrical Tale

an ordinary story told in verse

Ballad

tells a story of ordinary people

Corrido

a narrative ballad that consists of regular verses of four octosyllabic lines

Metrical Romance

a form of narrative poetry popular in medieval literature, characterized by a combination of verse and prose, often focusing on chivalric themes, love, and adventure.

Lyric Poetry

the kind of poetry that’s meant to be sung with the accompaniment of a lyre

Folk Songs

a traditional song that is typical of a particular community or nation. It is also called as the awiting bayan

Sonnets

is distinguished by its form for it always consists of 14 lambic pentameter lines

Elegy

a lyric poem that talks about death

Ode

a lyric poem that expresses enthusiasm

Psalm

it is composed of sacred songs/poems meant to be sung. It is also known as dalit

Dramatic Poetry

is a form of narrative closely related to acting, consisting of poems where a single speaker conveys emotions, behavior, background circumstances, conflicts, and insights into their character.

Dramatic Monologue

A type of poem where a character speaks to a silent audience revealing their inner thoughts and feelings. It's a form of dramatic expression.

Soliloquy

is a literary device where a character speaks their thoughts aloud, usually alone on stage, revealing their innermost feelings and intentions.

Comedy

consists of humorous sense that readers think of today.

Melodrama

deals with sensational and romantic topics that appeal to the emotions of the common audience

Tragedy

literary device signifying a story/drama that presents an admirable character that confronts powerful forces inside/outside themselves

Farce

a literary genre and type of comedy that makes use of highly exaggerated and funny situations aimed at entertaining the audience

Social Poems

 poem written for public use. This concerns public attention or current situation of the country

Riddles

 a question, puzzle, phrase, or statement devised to get unexpected or clever answers

Proverbs

a short saying/ piece of folk wisdom that emerges from the general culture rather than being written by single, individual author

Prose Poetry

Possesses all characteristics of poetry but is written in sentences and paragraphs without metrical control.

Fiction

is a literary genre that includes imaginative or made-up stories that are not based on real events or people.

Chick Lit

is a genre of fiction targeted towards female readers, typically featuring a young, single woman navigating life, relationships, and career in a light-hearted and humorous manner.

Flash Fiction

is a very short form of storytelling. It aims to convey a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end in a concise and impactful manner.

Speculative Fiction

is a genre that encompasses works set in imaginary worlds or futures that explore alternative realities, often incorporating elements of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Novel

is a fictional narrative prose work of significant length that is divided into chapters. It is a popular form of literature that is taken from true to life stories.

Short Story

A brief work of fiction that typically focuses on a single plot or theme.

Play

is a form of literature written for performance on a stage, involving dialogue between characters and often following a structured plot. It is typically divided into acts and scenes and is meant to be acted out by actors in front of an audience.

Legends

are traditional stories passed down through generations. They are fictitious narratives

Fables

are short stories that typically feature animals as characters and convey a moral lesson or message.

Anecdotes

are merely products of writer’s imagination and aims to bring out lessons to readers

Essays

are written works that present and argue a specific topic or idea. They typically convey the author's perspective or analysis.

Biography

is a written account of a person's life

News

is information about current events reported by journalists through various media outlets such as newspapers, television, radio, and online platforms. It includes updates on politics, economy, sports, entertainment, and more.

Oration

is a formal speech delivered with eloquence and skill, often to persuade, inspire, or inform an audience on a particular topic or issue. It is commonly associated with public speaking and rhetoric.

Drama

a literature designed for theatrical performances. Composition inverse or prose intended to portray life or character or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions through actions and dialogue

Genres of Drama

Tragedy, Comedy, Tragicomedy, Melodrama, Farce

Elements of Drama

• plot

• characters

• setting

• dialogue

• gesture

• music

• theme

Literary Elements

Plot, Characters, Setting, Theme, Conflict, Point of View, Mood, Symbols - essential components of literary works.

Aphorism

is a concise statement expressing a general truth or principle, often witty or cleverly phrased. It aims to convey wisdom or insight in a memorable way.

Checkhov’s Gun

is a principle in storytelling where every element introduced should be necessary and have a purpose.

Cliffhanger

is a narrative device where a story ends abruptly at a moment of heightened tension or suspense, leaving the audience eager to know the resolution.

Epiphany

is a moment of sudden revelation or insight in a story or poem. It is a literary device where a character experiences a profound realization.

Figures of Speech

is a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense to add depth or meaning to language

Flashback

A literary or cinematic device where the narrative shifts to a scene set in the past to provide context or background information. It helps to enhance the story's depth and understanding.

Flashforward

is a literary or film technique where the sequence of events is interrupted by a scene representing a future event. It provides a glimpse of what will happen later in the story.

Foreshadowing

is a literary device where the author hints at future events in a story, creating suspense and preparing the reader for what is to come.

Juxtaposition

is a literary device where two or more ideas, places, characters, or actions are placed side by side for comparison or contrast.

Rhetorical Question

a question, asked in order to make a statement, that does not expect an answer

Simile

is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as." It helps create vivid imagery and enhance the meaning of a sentence.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that describes an object or action in a direct way and doesn’t use “as” or “like”

Hyperbole

is a figure of speech that involves exaggeration for emphasis or effect. It is not meant to be taken literally but to create a vivid image or make a point. It is used to generate laughter

Personification

is a figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities. It gives human-like characteristics to objects, animals, or ideas.

Apostrophe

is a figure of speech where the speaker addresses an absent or imaginary person or object. It is often used for emotional or dramatic effect.

Alliteration

is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words within a sentence or line of poetry. It is often used for emphasis or to create a musical effect.

Anaphora

is a rhetorical device where a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis.

Allusion

is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, political significance

Anastrophe

a figure of speech that is characterized by inversion of words/ phrases 

Assonance

is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a sentence or phrase. It is commonly used in poetry and literature to create musical or rhythmic effects.

Chiasmus

is a figure of speech where the order of terms in the first half of a parallel clause is reversed in the second half. It often creates a balanced and impactful sentence structure.

Onomatopoeia

refers to words that imitate the sound they represent, such as "buzz" or "sizzle." It adds a sensory element to writing.

Euphemism

is a figure of speech where a mild or indirect word or expression is used in place of a harsh, blunt, or unpleasant one to soften the impact or make it more socially acceptable.

Irony

is a literary technique where the intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words used. It can be situational, verbal, or dramatic.

Metonymy

is a figure of speech where one word is substituted for another with which it is closely associated. It involves using a related term to stand in for the actual object or idea.

Oxymoron

is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms, such as "jumbo shrimp" or "deafening silence."

Paradox

is a statement that uses contradictory ideas but may reveal a truth. It challenges common logic to provoke deeper thought.

Pun

A play on words that exploits multiple meanings or similar sounds for humorous effect, often used for comedic or rhetorical purposes.

Synechdoche

is a figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa. It's commonly seen in phrases like "all hands on deck" to refer to all people present.

Oral Transmission (Word of Mouth)

the primary means of communicating and preserving literature (folk sayings, stories, songs)

Proverbs

are short, wise sayings that teach values and norms of behavior in a culture. They are considered truisms and contain words of wisdom.

Epic

is the most prominent literary genre of pre-colonial period that tells the heroic deeds of a legendary figure.

Myths

served to explain how the world was created

Legends

it explains the origin of things in the universe. They are passed down through generations and may have some basis in historical events.

Fables

are short stories featuring animals

Love Songs

are also courtship song, serenades, and lyrics for unrequited love

Lullabies

are soothing songs typically sung to children to help them fall asleep. They often have calming melodies and gentle lyrics to create a peaceful atmosphere conducive to sleep.

Children Songs

a product of imagination and playtime

Mangyan-Ambahan

a musical tool to import lessons to the youth

Soliranin

a tagalog rowing song

Mambayu

a kalinga pounding rice song

Mannamili

making pots (ilocano)

Manganinay

Hunting bees (manobo)

Tagay

an act of drinking from the same cup and eating snacks that are accompanied by beverages

Alibata

1st alphabet in the Philippine writing system during pre-colonial times

Doctrina Christiana

1st book published in the Philippines during 1593

Ladinos

writers proficient in both local and foreign language

Complementary Verses

used to attract readers to read a certain book by giving praises 

Meditative Verses

were found in novenas and catechisms

Dalit

an early form that resemble free verse and has octosyllabic four-line stanza

Sarswela

is a form of Filipino musical theater that combines elements of drama, music, and dance. It often features romantic storylines and social themes, popular in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.

Komedya/Moro-Moro

is a form of traditional Filipino theater that dramatized the battle between Christians and Muslims