Philippine Literature under Spanish Rule (1565-1897) - Key Concepts

1521: arrival of Spanish; first permanent settlement in the Philippines in 1565; start of the rule of the “cross and the sword".
Colonial impositions: monarchy, Catholic religion, feudalism.
Social classes:
- Taga-bayan: urbane, Hispanized, near power of the Church.
- Taga-bundok: indio who stays in the mountains; seen as native or unlearned by colonizers; term: brutos salvages (savage brutes).

Faith (Christian) used to supplant native beliefs; politics and religion intertwined.
Colonial strategy: undermine oral tradition; translators hired for instructional materials; beginning of “Indio” literacy.

Literature of the period centers on religion (Christianity) and virtuous living.
Language development: the abakada replaced by ABACDARYO (Tagalog-Spanish hybrid).
Predominant forms: grammars, dictionaries, confessions, manuals.

Monopoly of printing press by the Dominicans; Doctrina Christiana: first book published in the Philippines.
Fray Juan de Plasencia as author of Doctrina Christiana.
May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim: first printed literary work in Tagalog by Francisco Blancas de San Jose (1602); he is regarded as the father of Tagalog grammarians; blends Christian ideals with indigenous culture; uses storm imagery to affirm Christian heroism.

Translators: Francisco de San Jose, Fernando Bagongbanta, Gaspar Aquino de Belen.
Bagongbanta: Salamat nang Ualang Hanga (Unending Thanks) — bilingual lines Spanish-Tagalog.
Gaspar Aquino de Belén: famous for Tagalog version of the Passion of Christ (The Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Natin na Tola).

Jose dela Cruz (Huseng Sisiw): leading komedya writer; mentor to Balagtas; known as Hari ng mga Makata.
Born in Tondo; self-taught via Cartilla, Doctrina Cristiana, Philosophy, Theology.

Francisco Baltazar (Balagtas): master of traditional poetry; best known for Florante at Laura; a key figure in Tagalog literary tradition.
Pedro Paterno: wrote Ninay, considered the first Filipino novel in Spanish.
Ninay frame: uses the nine-day novena for the dead (pasiam) as narrative frame; centers on unrequited love (Ninay)

Prose by Filipinos begins to appear in print in the 19th century.
Modesto de Castro: native priest noted for sermons in Tagalog.
Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at Feliza: prescribes social behavior for Christians; book of manners.

Jose Rizal: chose realistic novels (prose) over poetry; challenged Balagtas’ figurative tradition; notable works: Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo.
Graciano López Jaena and Marcelo H. del Pilar: Liberal reformists; formed the Propaganda Movement.
Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto: Revolutionary writers and critics.
Bonifacio known as the father of the Philippine Revolution; founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan.
Emilio Jacinto wrote for the Katipunan newspaper Kalayaan; used pen names Dimasilaw and Pingkian; authored Kartilya ng Katipunan.

Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa: Bonifacio’s seminal piece exalting love for the homeland; depicts patriotic sentiments and nation-building ideals.

1949 copyright note appears (Pahinagpapahayag): Ignacio Luna & Sons; includes Panalangin sa Diyos and Pasionn narrative content, reflecting religious devotion and textual preservation.
Sinakulo: stage play on the passion and death of Jesus; Domination of religious performance in public culture.
OLX reference and modern notes reflect later archival mentions, not core historical content.

18th century: literature influenced manners and social status; komedya as a theater genre promoting piety and loyalty to monarchy and European ideals.
Awit and Korido: sung and chanted forms; reflect classical allusions to Greek and Roman myth and medieval figurative language.
Awit: four monorimed dodesyllabic lines (example: Florante at Laura).
Korido: four monorimed octosyllabic lines (example: Ibong Adarna).

Lumbera, B., & Lumbera, C. N. (2005). Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology. English Edition. Anvil Publishing.