Module 1: Exploring Philippine Literary Forms, Genres, Elements, and Traditions

Definition and Nature of Literature

• Etymology: The term "literature" is derived from the Latin word "littera" which literally translates to "a letter of the alphabet."

• Broad Definition: According to Britannica, literature is traditionally defined as a body of written works associated with imaginative and creative works of poetry and prose. It can be classified by various systems including language, national origin, historical period, genre, and subject matter.

• Forms and Transformation: Literature exists in both oral and written forms. Oral literature is handed down through generations and is eventually transformed into written literary texts.

• Identification of Literary Text:

  • A text is considered "literary" if it incorporates elements of psychological characterization and chronology.

  • It utilizes literary devices such as metaphor and symbolism.

  • Main purposes for reading include entertainment and learning.

• Core Characteristics:

  1. It narrates a story.

  2. It expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas (based on imagination or real-life experiences).

  3. It delivers significant information and transcends boundaries of time, place, culture, and language.

Major Forms: Poetry and Prose

• Poetry: This literary type is usually written in lines and is characterized by rhythm, sound, imagery, and form. Its primary purpose is to express feelings, thoughts, and ideas. There are three main types:

  • Narrative Poetry: Tells a story and includes narrative elements like characters, setting, and conflict.

  • Dramatic Poetry: An emotionally appealing drama written in verse, intended to be recited or sung before an audience by a character.

  • Lyric Poetry: The most common type, focusing on the expression of feelings rather than storytelling.

• Prose: Unlike poetry, prose applies a natural flow of speech and grammatical structures. It consists of complete sentences arranged logically and sequentially in paragraph form.

Classifications and Genres

• Fiction: A product of the writer’s imagination and creative thinking. Characters react to conflicts and issues central to the work.

  • Types: Short story, novel, and novella.

  • Genres: Crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, western, inspirational, historical fiction, and horror.

• Non-fiction: Stories inspired by real events where writers aim to present, interpret, or describe experiences based on facts. These include essays, journals, diaries, feature articles, and editorials.

• Generic Formats:

  • Poetry Genres: Epic, Ballad, Metrical Tales (Narrative); Dramatic Monologue, Soliloquy (Dramatic); Haiku, Ode, Elegy, Sonnet, Song (Lyric).

  • Prose Genres: Short Story, Novel, Play, Legend, Fable (Fiction); Biography/Autobiography, Narrative Essay, Memoir, Diaries and Journal (Non-fiction).

• Definition of Genre: Refers to the forms of literature determined by technique, tone, content, or length. Distinctions are flexible and redefined by historical periods.

Literary Elements and Traditions

• Literary Elements: Identifiable characteristics common to all literary and narrative forms. Every story possesses a theme, setting, conflict, and point of view.

  • Elements of a Story: Setting, character, conflict, theme, point of view, and plot.

  • Structure of Plot: Exposition, rising action, climax (turning point), falling action, and resolution/denouement.

• Elements of Poetry:

  • Form: Includes free verse, couplets, limericks, etc.

  • Imagery: Creates pictures in words.

  • Sound: Includes rhymes, repetition, alliteration (consonant sounds), assonance (vowel sounds), and onomatopoeia (actual sounds).

  • Rhythm: The flow of the beat (fast or slow). Both sound and rhythm give poetry its musical effect.

• Literary Traditions: A collection of works with underlying interconnectedness and coherence defined by geography, history, mythology, or cultural meanings.

Historical Overview of Philippine Literature

• Archipelagic Diversity: The Philippines consists of $7500$ plus islands with $183$ living languages across $17$ regions and $82$ provinces.

• Pre-colonial Period:

  • Literature was mostly oral due to the unavailability of printing materials, though a system of writing existed.

  • Forms included chants, proverbs ("salawikain"), riddles ("bugtong"), songs (over $10$ types discovered), and folk narratives.

  • Epics were popular narratives regarding bravery, magic, and heroism.

• Spanish Colonial Period:

  • Shift toward morality and religion. Forms included Corrido, Pasyon, and Cenaculo.

  • Literacy led to nationalism, with Dr. Jose P. Rizal writing about oppression in "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo."

• American Period:

  • Introduced free public education and the English language.

  • Writers initially imitated English and American models; the short story became the prevalent form.

  • Jose Garcia Villa was recognized as the "Poet of the Century."

• Japanese Period ($1941$-$1945$):

  • Developments were interrupted; freedom of expression was restricted.

  • The English language was banned, leading to a flourish of short stories in vernacular languages.

• Post-colonial Period: Defined as the period after the rebirth of freedom to the present, including the controversial Martial Law era under the Marcos regime.

People, Culture, and Religion in the Philippines

• Ethnicity: Primarily of Malay stock with mixtures of Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood.

• Demographics: Population was $76.5\,million$ as of May $2000$. There are more than $111$ dialects spoken.

• National Character Traits:

  • Bayanihan: Spirit of kinship and camaraderie inherited from Malay forefathers.

  • Close Family Relations: Inherited from the Chinese.

  • Piousness: Inherited from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the $16th$ century.

  • Hospitality: A legendary trait in Southeast Asia.

• Religion:

  • Christianity (Roman Catholic): Introduced by Ferdinand Magellan in $1521$. At least $83\%$ of the population is Catholic.

  • Islam: Introduced in the $14th$ century via Arab commercial expansion; largely settled in the southern region.

  • Protestantism: Introduced in $1899$ by Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries arriving with American soldiers.

  • Independent Churches: Aglipay (Philippine Independent Church, founded $1902$) and Iglesia Ni Kristo (Church of Christ, founded $1914$).

Questions & Discussion

• Vocab Development:

  • 1. Stock: Ancestry or lineage.

  • 2. Piousness: Religious devotion or godliness.

  • 3. Culminated: Reached a climax or point of highest development.

  • 4. Interspersed: Scattered among or between other things.

  • 5. Prominent: Important or famous.

• Story Elements Quiz:

  • Q: "The hero faces the fiercest enemy of all- his monstrous other self."

  • A: Conflict.

  • Q: "Her name is Ella, 26 years old. Her neighbors think she's feisty."

  • A: Character.

  • Q: "Everything changed when she showed unparalleled strength and courage."

  • A: Climax.

• Poetry Analysis:

  • Lines from "Ang Babaing Nangarap Nang Gising" by Virgilio Almario showcase Rhyme (dalagita/basa, aahon/nayon).

• Fact or Fiction Check:

  • 1. Earliest literature was rich in written works? Fiction (It was oral).

  • 2. Christianity was the first religion? Fiction (Islam emerged first).

  • 6. Spanish introduced Protestantism? Fiction (Americans introduced it).

  • 9. Sounds and rhythm give musical effect to prose? Fiction (This applies to poetry).

• Philippine Literature Matching:

  • 1. Sense of nationalism/oppression: Revolutionary Period.

  • 2. Heroic deeds/nature/supernatural: Pre-colonial Period.

  • 3. Morality/religion: Early Spanish Period.

  • 4. Poverty/injustice/social issues: Post-colonial Period.

  • 5. Longing for independence: American Period.

• Genre Identification:

  • 1. "Biag ni Lam-ang": Epic.

  • 2. "Noli Me Tangere": Novel.

  • 3. "What Is an Educated Filipino": Essay.

  • 4. "Footnote to Youth": Short Story.

  • 5. "How the World Began": Myth.