Study Notes: Spanish Colonization Period in Philippine Literature

Spanish Colonization Period (1565-1898)

• Timeline and duration

  • The Spanish colonization of the Philippines lasted for approximately $333$ years, from $1565 ext{ to } 1898$.

  • Began when the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived and established the first settlement in Cebu in $1565$.

• Key purpose and impact on identity

  • Spain brought the Roman alphabet and the Spanish language.

  • They aimed to set the history of the discovered land as if everything had started with the Spanish presence and existence in the islands.

  • They attempted to erase indigenous marks of identity and culture.

• Religious vs. secular literature during the period

  • Religious literature formed the basis of education and culture due to the Christianizing mission.

  • Secular literature also developed, though often within the framework of Catholic dominance and social norms.

Religious Literature during Spanish Colonization

• Foundation of religious literature

  • The teaching of Christian Doctrine became the basis of religious literature.

• Doctrina Christiana (The Teachings of Christianity)

  • One of the earliest books printed in the Philippines during the 16th century.

  • Authorship: written by friars.

  • Languages: Tagalog and Spanish.

  • Content: basic prayers (e.g., $\text{Pater Noster}$, or the "Our Father"; and "Ave Maria"), and the Ten Commandments.

  • Significance: served as a religious primer for catechesis.

• Barlaan at Josaphat (Barlaan and Josaphat)

  • First published in 1708.

  • Full title: "Aral na tunay na totoong pag-aacay sa tauo, nang manga cabanalang gaua nang manga maloualhating santos na si Barlaan ni Josafat."

  • Origin: included in the writings of St. John Damascene; translated into Tagalog by Fray Antonio de Borja; published by La compañía de Jesús.

  • Length: 553 pages.

  • Modern edition: republished in 2003 with a modernized version of the original Tagalog text edited by Virgilio Almario to aid comprehension for the current generation.

• Urbana at Felisa (Urbana and Felisa)

  • A collection of letters exchanged between two fictional sisters, Urbana and Felisa, written in the 19th century.

  • Purpose: to guide readers on proper behavior and moral values.

  • Emphasized virtues: respect for elders, humility, diligence, and other societal virtues.

• Pasion/Passion of Christ

  • Highlights the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

  • Cultural relevance: popularly read and celebrated during the Lenten season.

  • Variants: attributed to writers such as Gaspar Aquino de Belén, Padre Mariano Pilapil, Padre Aniceto Dela Merced, and Don Luis Guian.

• Cenakulo (Senakulo)

  • A traditional Filipino religious drama or passion play.

  • Reenacts the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

  • Occurrence: typically performed during Holy Week (Lent), especially Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Secular (Non-Religious) Literature during Spanish Colonization

• Secular literature and balladry

  • Includes works composed in non-religious contexts, though often intertwined with Christian and social motifs.

• Awit (Dodecasyllabic verse)

  • Dodecasyllabic verse means each line has $12$ syllables.

  • Features: fabricated stories from writers’ imagination, though settings and characters are European; often used for chanting.

  • Example: Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas.

  • Form: Awit.

  • Sample line (illustrative):

  • $\text{Sa isang madilim, gubat na mapanglaw dawag na matinik, ay walang pagitan, halos naghihirap ang kay Pebong, silang dumalaw sa loob na lubhang masukal.}$

• Florante at Laura

  • A representative Awit poem with European-set narratives.

  • Notable excerpt line shown as example in the transcript (illustrative content).

• Ibong Adarna (Korido)

  • Korido form: octosyllabic verse (8 syllables per line).

  • Often draws on legends or stories from European origins (France, Spain, Italy, Greece).

  • Function: narrative and didactic storytelling.

  • Sample line (illustrative):

  • $\text{Oh, Birheng kaibig-ibig, Ina naming nasa langit, liwanagan yaring isip, nang sa layo'y di malihis}$

• Florante at Laura (in the korido context)

  • Mentioned again as an Awit example; line provided above serves as stylistic illustration.

• Karagatan and Duplo (early folk-poetic games)

  • Karagatan

  • An old poetic game performed during lamayan (wake/ritual for the deceased).

  • Theme: a princess’s ring lost in the sea; young men compete in poetry and performative display to win the ring, which would determine marriage to the princess.

  • Duplo

  • Also a wake-time poetic duel emphasizing orations and performance.

  • Involves themes of death and moral defense, with participants debating crimes or defending themselves; less formal metrical constraints.

  • Significance: among the oldest forms of Philippine literature; reflect social rituals and community values.

• Summary of forms and cultural context

  • The secular forms include Awit (12-syllable lines) and Korido (8-syllable lines), reflecting European influence but localized storytelling.

  • The Karagatan and Duplo illustrate communal coping with death and social entertainment during lamayan.

Forms and Key Terms to Remember

• Awit: $12$-syllabic verse; narrative songs; example: Florante at Laura.

• Korido: $8$-syllabic verse; often legends; example: Ibong Adarna.

• Pasyon/Passion: religious narrative focused on Christ’s life and crucifixion; used in Lenten devotion.

• Cenakulo: religious drama depicting the Passion of Christ; performed during Holy Week.

• Moro-Moro (Comedia de Capa y Espada): a theatrical form depicting conflict between Moros (Muslims) and Christians; reflects social and religious tensions during the colonial period.

• Karagatan: a lamayan poetic contest about a princess’s ring in the sea; competitive poetry and performance.

• Duplo: a lamayan poetic duel about death; less formal in structure; relies on rhetoric and humor rather than strict metrical rules.

Central Theme Across Religious and Secular Literature during Spanish Colonization

• Most central theme: moral didacticism and Christian ethical worldview.

  • Religious literature aimed to catechize, instill Christian virtues, and guide behavior (e.g., Doctrina Christiana, Urbana at Felisa).

  • Secular literature, while entertaining and culturally rooted, often reinforced social virtues such as respect for elders, humility, diligence, love of country, and heroism (as seen in Florante at Laura, Ibong Adarna, and traditional forms like Karagatan and Duplo).

• Broader implications

  • Literature served as a vehicle for cultural assimilation and religious instruction in a colonized society.

  • The introduction of Western forms (Awit, Korido) and religious narratives shaped Philippine literary language, genres, and moral imagination.

  • The period reflects a tension between preserving indigenous storytelling and adopting European literary forms under a Catholic regime.

Numerical and Factual References to Remember

• Duration of Spanish colonization: $1565 ext{ to } 1898$, which equals $333$ years.

• Doctrina Christiana: one of the earliest printed books in the Philippines (16th century).

• Barlaan at Josaphat: published in $1708$; length $553$ pages; republished in $2003$ with modernized Tagalog text by Virgilio Almario.

• Verse forms:

  • Awit: $12$-syllabic lines (dodecasyllabic).

  • Korido: $8$-syllabic lines (octosyllabic).

• Notable works and terms to recall:

  • Doctrina Christiana; Barlaan at Josaphat; Urbana at Felisa; Pasion/Pas1on of Christ; Cenakulo; Moro-Moro (Comedia de Capa y Espada); Florante at Laura; Ibong Adarna; Karagatan; Duplo.

Answer to the Chapter-Ending Question (Content from Transcript)

• Central theme across both Non-secular religious literature and secular literature during Spanish colonization:

  • The overarching central theme is moral instruction and Christian ethical formation embedded within literary works.

  • Religious texts (e.g., Doctrina Christiana, Pasion, Cenakulo, Barlaan at Josaphat, Urbana at Felisa) explicitly aim to teach Christian doctrine, virtues, and piety.

  • Secular works (e.g., Florante at Laura, Awit, Korido, Karagatan, Duplo, Ibong Adarna) embed moral values, virtues, social norms (respect, bravery, loyalty) within entertaining narratives and traditional forms, often meeting didactic ends inside a Catholic-influenced cultural setting.