Introduction to Philippine Literature

Concept of Literature

  • Etymology and Core Meaning

    • Latin roots: littera = “letter”; litteratura = “writing formed with letters” or “knowledge of books.”

    • Originally limited to written texts and the capacity to read/write; today it embraces any artful use of language—written, spoken, sung, or performed.

  • Expanded Definition

    • Any structured or spontaneous work that tells a story, shares ideas, or expresses feelings.

    • Timeless in scope—tackles life, human experience, morality, and imagination in ways that invite readers or listeners to participate emotionally and intellectually instead of passively receiving information.

Why Study Literature?

  • Enjoyment & Aesthetic Pleasure

    • Stories, poems, and songs provide entertainment and evoke emotion.

  • Cultural Understanding

    • Offers windows into diverse peoples, traditions, and worldviews—vital in a multilingual, multicultural nation like the Philippines.

  • Moral & Philosophical Insight

    • Conveys lessons, values, and ethical dilemmas; stimulates reflection about what it means to be human.

  • Cognitive & Communicative Gains

    • Strengthens critical thinking, reading comprehension, analytical writing, and oral expression.

Mapping Philippine Literature to History

  • Literary output evolves alongside major socio-political eras—shifts in language, form, and theme echo colonization, revolution, and nation-building.

  • Early works were largely oral; later periods produced written, printed, and eventually multimedia texts.

Pre-Colonial Period (Before 1521)

  • Key Characteristics

    • 100 % oral; transmitted by word of mouth—flexible, easily adapted, and community-centered.

    • Embodies the people’s relationship with nature, the divine, and everyday survival.

    • Authored collectively by local natives; variable versions across islands due to performance-based preservation.

  • Major Genres & Examples

    • Riddles (Bugtong)

    • Short, metaphorical questions designed as brain-teasers during gatherings.

    • Ex: “I’m small and white… What am I?” → Rice; “I’m not a car, but I give you a ride…” → Jeepney; “I help you think… I fix mistakes…” → Eraser.

    • Proverbs (Salawikain)

    • Concise, wise statements often handed down by elders.

    • Filipino sample: “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan.” (He who does not look back to where he came from will not reach his destination.)

    • Folk Songs

    • Sung or chanted lyrics—record aspirations, joys, sorrows, and rituals.

    • Sub-types and functions:

      • Lullabies (Hele) – soothe infants.

      • Drinking songs (Tagay) – accompany communal toasts.

      • Love songs (Harana) – serenades for courtship.

      • Religious songs – thanksgiving for harvests or supplication.

      • Songs of death – eulogize the departed’s virtues.

    • Folk Tales (Kwentong-Bayan)

    • Narratives explaining life, death, natural phenomena, and heroic exploits.

    • Categories:

      • Myths – cosmic origins (e.g., The Story of Bathala).

      • Legends (Alamat) – place/plant origins & semi-historical heroes (e.g., The Legend of Pineapple, Maria Makiling).

      • Fables – moral tales using animal characters (The Hare and the Tortoise).

      • Epics – long, chant-like heroic sagas (Hinilawod, Biag ni Lam-ang).

Spanish Period (1521-1898)

  • Context

    • Began with Magellan’s arrival; Spain spread Christianity and drastically reshaped local customs, language, and literary production.

  • Four Broad Literary Streams

    1. Religious Literature

    • Aimed to evangelize; centered on the life, passion, and resurrection of Jesus.

    • Forms & examples:

      • Pasyon – sung/recited narrative of Christ’s suffering.

      • Senakulo – staged dramatization of the Pasyon during Holy Week.

      • Komedya/Moro-Moro – musical-dramatic plays portraying Christian-Muslim battles; e.g., Komedya de Baler.

    1. Secular (Non-Religious) Literature

    • Celebrated chivalry, adventure, and social etiquette.

    • Sub-forms:

      • Awit – dodecasyllabic poems of knightly valor; e.g., Florante at Laura (Francisco Balagtas).

      • Corrido/Korido – octosyllabic metrical romances; e.g. Ibong Adarna.

      • Prose Narratives – moral instruction manuals; e.g., Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at Feliza.

    1. Propaganda Literature

    • Intellectual assault on friar abuses and colonial misrule.

    • Spearheaded by the Propaganda Trio—Dr. Jose Rizal,Marcelo H. del Pilar,Graciano Lopez Jaena\text{Dr. Jose Rizal}, \text{Marcelo H. del Pilar}, \text{Graciano Lopez Jaena}.

    • Canonical text: Noli Me Tangere (Rizal) exposing clerical hypocrisy and societal ills.

    1. Revolutionary Literature

    • Explicitly called for independence; fueled Katipunan revolt.

    • Notables & works:

      • Andres Bonifacio – Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Obligations of Our Countrymen).

      • Emilio Jacinto – Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness) essays on liberty.

      • Apolinario Mabini – El Desarollo y Caida de la Republica Filipina (Rise & Fall of the Philippine Republic).

      • Jose Rizal – El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed).

      • La Independencia – nationalist newspaper founded by Gen. Antonio Luna.

American Period (1900-1942)

  • Educational Revolution

    • Free public schooling; English introduced as medium of instruction; Filipino (Tagalog-based) also codified.

    • Writers imitated American literary styles—realism, free verse, short stories.

  • Dominant Forms & Trends

    • Poetry – shift to free verse\text{free verse}; social themes.

    • Drama – satirized remnants of Spanish rule.

    • Novel & Short Story – extended Rizal’s social-realist tradition, now in English.

Japanese Occupation & Early Republic (1941-1985)

  • Japanese Period (1941-1945)

    • English publications suppressed; writers pivoted to Tagalog and regional languages.

    • Drama – adaptations of Western plays translated into Filipino for morale.

    • Newspapers & Essays – covert resistance, coded anti-Japanese sentiments.

  • The Republic Era (Post-1946)

    • Literature resumed yet confronted political turbulence—martial law, poverty, diaspora.

    • Poetry – nationalism, love of country, personal freedom.

    • Fiction – explosion of short stories; experimentation with form.

    • Essays – sharp critiques of authoritarianism and social inequity.

Late 20th Century to Contemporary Scene

  • Dynamic, Hybrid, & Inclusive

    • Growth of mass media, film, and digital platforms blended traditional genres with innovative formats.

    • Writers from non-literary backgrounds gained voice; regional literatures flourished.

  • Key Features

    • Multilingualism – works appear in English, Filipino, and over 170170 Philippine languages.

    • Intertextual Experimentation – slam poetry, graphic novels, and online micro-fiction.

    • Persistent Themes – globalization, diaspora identity, LGBTQ+ narratives, environmental justice.

Integrative Insights & Exam Tips

  • Historical Lens: Always relate a text’s form and theme to the socio-political era of production—colonial power shifts strongly dictate language choice and subject matter.

  • Oral vs. Written: Recognize that until Spanish arrival, literature was mainly performative and communal; written documentation introduced permanence but reduced flexibility.

  • Moral Dimension: From pre-colonial proverbs to revolutionary essays, Philippine literature doubles as an ethical compass—evaluate the values each piece promotes.

  • Cultural Continuities: Modern works often re-imagine folktales and epics (e.g., contemporary retellings of Biag ni Lam-ang as graphic novels) proving the resilience of indigenous narratives.

  • Study Strategy:

    • Memorize key authors + hallmark works per era.

    • Map literary forms (e.g., awit vs. corrido) to their metrical structures—1212 vs. 88 syllables per line.

    • Practice identifying genre clues: religious imagery → Pasyon; animal characters → Fable, etc.